Johannes Lucius | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 1604 (1604-09) |
| Died | 11 January 1679(1679-01-11) (aged 74) |
| Other names | Ivan Lučić Giovanni Lucio Ioannis Lucii[1] Joannes Lucio[2] |
| Citizenship | Republic of Venice |
| Occupation | historian |
| Notable work | De regno Dalmatiae et Croatiae ("On the Kingdom of Dalmatia and Croatia") |
Johannes Lucius (Croatian:Ivan Lučić;Italian:Giovanni Lucio; September 1604 – 11 January 1679) was aDalmatian historian, whose greatest work isDe regno Dalmatiae et Croatiae ("On the Kingdom of Dalmatia and Croatia"), which includes valuable historical sources, bibliography and six historicalmaps. Due to his critical approach, he is often described as the "father ofCroatian historiography".[3][4]
He was a member of thePontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome in whose catacombs he was buried after his death in January 1679.
Johannes was the son of Peter Lucius (Croatian:Petar Lučić) and Clara Difnico (Croatian:Klara Divnić),[5] born inTrogir,Venetian Dalmatia (nowCroatia).[6] After some schooling in his hometown, he studied inTrogir andRome, graduating in philosophy, mathematics, political sciences and literature in 1628. He then obtained his Ph.D. in ecclesiastical and civil law in theUniversity of Padua.[4] Following graduation, he worked as a councilman and judge in his hometown and developed intensive scientific research work. He returned to Rome in 1654.[4] There he became a member of theFraternity of Saint Jerome, and then its president. He participated in the work of many scientific academies of his age and wrote to scientists from Dalmatia,Italy andEurope.
He wrote a number of historical works in Italian and Latin. His first bookVita B. Ioannis confessoris episcopi Traguriensis et eius miracula [Life of St. John the Confessor, Bishop of Trogir] (1657) is an important source of Croatian, and especially Dalmatian, history between 11th and 13th centuries.[7]
In the bookMemorie istoriche di Tragurio ora detto Traù [Historical testimonies about Trogir, now called Traù], he described the history of Trogir and Dalmatia to the mid-15th century.[7] The bookInscriptiones Dalmaticae [Dalmatian Inscriptions] (1673) contains inscriptions and epigraphic monuments from Dalmatian heritage.[7]
His greatest and most famous work isDe regno Dalmatiae et Croatiae (The Kingdom of Dalmatia and Croatia).[8] It was first printed inAmsterdam in 1666. This book provides an overview of both, thehistory of Dalmatia andhistory of Croatia, from theprehistory to the 15th century. While his predecessors and contemporaries used suppositions as much as facts, Lucius founded his estimates on genuine sources. At the end of the book, he included certain valuable historical sources and a bibliography with his comments. The book had six historicalmaps. One of maps, the historical mapIllyricum hodiernum (today'sIllyria) was dedicated byJoan Blaeu, Lucius' publisher to the CroatianbanPetar Zrinski.[9] Since everyone was looking up to antiquity, the Zrinski believed their ancestors were Roman aristocrats. Lucius showed them that their roots reached back to the famous medieval dukes ofŠubićs noble family fromBribir. In his book Lucius pointed out the difference between theRomance andSlavic Dalmatia, the habits of the people and the cultural borderlines.[citation needed]
Lucius participated in the dispute about the authenticity of the text ofTrimalchio's Banquet by the RomansatiristPetronius, which had been found in Trogir.
He also published a book of Roman inscriptions from Dalmatia, including the inscriptions collected by the famous Croatian poet and writerMarko Marulić. Shortly before his death, Lucius prepared theStatute and Reformations of the City of Trogir for printing, which was published in Venice by archdeacon Jerolim Cipiko.[7]
Lucius was never married. He resided in Rome until his death and was buried there, in theChurch of St. Jerome.[7] A monument was erected to his memory in 1740.
Johannes Lucius was the first Dalmatian historian who critically examined and used historical sources: documents and chronicles, inscriptions and last wills.[3][4] His historicalmethodology was far ahead of his time.
He corresponded with many famous people fromRepublic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik), especiallyStefano Gradi, the head of theVatican Library. His numerous letters, revealing him as a man of integrity and a skillful writer are a valuable fresco of the conditions of his time.
Lucius' work, written in alapidary and clear style, based on critical considerations, is the cornerstone of the modernhistoriography about Dalmatia.[10] Today in Croatia, Lucius is considered the father of modern contemporary Croatian historiography.[3][4]
The following are his principal published works:
