The Ancient History of the Croatian Lands in European Integrative Process
The Ancient History of the Croatian Lands in European Integrative Process

Summary/Abstract: Integrative and disintegrative processes in Europe are part of the history of the continent. Thus in the past we can repeatedly recognise integra­tive tendencies (the Roman Empire, the Frankish Empire and the Holy Roman Empire) and disintegrative forces (the migrations of peoples, religious wars, ideological divisions and totali­tarian systems). Both physical and cultural geography have influenced historical processes, but the truly integrative periods of the past were those that united, in various ways, the Northern, Central and Mediterranean regions of Europe. The diversity of European regions poured into the diversity of cultural and historical processes. In pre-historical periods, integrative processes are recognisable primarily through material culture, under the strong influence of Middle Eastern civilizations, while Greece and then Rome are the first spiritual integrative cores of Europe. To classical civilization was added the Christian Church, which represented a tie between ancient and medieval civi­ lizations. In pre-history and in the ancient world, the Croatian area was a component part of Mediterranean-Central European cultural spheres, and was always in intensive contact with its neighbours, from whom it received and to whom it gave.

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