History

Main article: History of Croatia

Prehistory
Main article: History of Croatia before the Croats

Left: The Vučedol dove, a sculpture from 2800–2500 BC.

Right: Croatian Apoxyomenos, Ancient Greek statue, 2nd or 1st century BC.

The area known as Croatia today was inhabited throughout the prehistoric period. Neanderthal
fossils dating to the middle Palaeolithic period were unearthed in northern Croatia, best presented at
[24] [25]
the Krapina site. Remnants of Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures were found in all regions. The
largest proportion of sites is in the valleys of northern Croatia. The most significant are Baden,
[26][27]
Starčevo, and Vučedol cultures. Iron Age hosted the early Illyrian Hallstatt culture and the
[28]
Celtic La Tène culture.
Antiquity
Further information: Dalmatia (Roman province) and Pannonia (Roman province)
The region of modern day Croatia was settled by Illyrians and Liburnians, while the first Greek
[29] [30]
colonies were established on the islands of Hvar, Korčula, and Vis. In 9 AD, the territory of
today's Croatia became part of the Roman Empire. Emperor Diocletian was native to the region. He
[31]
had a large palace built in Split, to which he retired after abdicating in AD 305.
Middle Ages
Main articles: Genetic studies on Croats, Origin hypotheses of the Croats, White Croats, White
Croatia, Duchy of Croatia, Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102), Kingdom of Croatia (1102–1526), and
Republic of Ragusa

Kingdom of Croatia c. 925, during the reign of King Tomislav

During the 5th century, the last de jure Western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos ruled a small realm
[32]
from the palace after fleeing Italy in 475. The period ends with Avar and Croat invasions in the
late 6th and first half of the 7th century and the destruction of almost all Roman towns. Roman
survivors retreated to more favourable sites on the coast, islands, and mountains. The city of
[33]
Dubrovnik was founded by such survivors from Epidaurum.
The ethnogenesis of Croats is uncertain. The most accepted theory, the Slavic theory, proposes
migration of White Croats from White Croatia during the Migration Period. Conversely, the Iranian
theory proposes Iranian origin, based on Tanais Tablets containing Ancient Greek inscriptions of
given names Χορούαθος, Χοροάθος, and Χορόαθος (Khoroúathos, Khoroáthos, and Khoróathos)
[34]
and their interpretation as anthroponyms of Croatian people.
According to the work De Administrando Imperio written by 10th-century Byzantine Emperor
Constantine VII, Croats arrived in the Roman province of Dalmatia in the first half of the 7th century
[35][36][37]
after they defeated the Avars. However, that claim is disputed: competing hypotheses date
[38]
the event between the late 6th-early 7th (mainstream) or the late 8th-early 9th (fringe) centuries,
[39]
but recent archaeological data has established that the migration and settlement of the
[40][41][42]
Slavs/Croats was in the late 6th and early 7th century. Eventually, a dukedom was formed,
Duchy of Croatia, ruled by Borna, as attested by chronicles of Einhard starting in 818. The record
[43]
represents the first document of Croatian realms, vassal states of Francia at the time. Its neighbor
to the North was Principality of Lower Pannonia, at the time ruled by duke Ljudevit who ruled the
territories between the Drava and Sava rivers, centred from his fort at Sisak. This population and
[44]
territory throughout history was tightly related and connected to Croats and Croatia.

Coronation of King Tomislav by Oton Iveković

Christianisation of Croats began in the 7th century at the time of archon Porga of Croa