Vis (town)

Vis is a town on the eponymous island in the Adriatic Sea in southern Croatia. It has a population of 1,934 residents (as of 2011). The town is also the seat of the eponymous Vis municipality, one of the two municipalities on the island (the other one being Komiža) which both administratively belong to the Split-Dalmatia County.

History

Vis was established in the 4th century BC as the Greek polis of Issa, a colony of Syracuse, Sicily (which in turn was a colony of Corinth). Dionysius the Elder, the contemporary tyrant of Syracuse, founded the colony in order to control shipping in the Adriatic Sea. Ancient Issa developed as the urban and economic center of the Dalmatian coasts, and also served as a military base. The city established several colonies, such as Aspálathos, modern-day Split (which in modern times is the largest city in Dalmatia), and others such as Epidauros (Stobreč), and Tragurion (Trogir). Issa functioned as an independent polis until the 1st century BCE, when it was conquered by the Roman Empire. After the Roman conquest Issa lost its significance until the late Middle Ages when it was mentioned in several historical sources.