Politične, vojaške, gospodarske in socialne razmere so ob močnem pritisku barbarov izza limesa povzročile propad nekdanjih naselbinskih oblik: mesta so bila v celinskem delu največkrat opuščena ali pa so obstajala le še v močno skrčenih in ruraliziranih skeletih nekdanjih mest. Bolje so se ohranila le urbana središča v mediteranskem pasu. Tudi nižinske naselbine, predvsem nekdaj močne rimske vile, so prenehale obstajati že do sredine 5. st. Prebivalstvo se je zato začelo postopno umikati v odročne kraje in na naravno zavarovane hribovske naselbine avtarkičnega značaja, kjer pa so še vedno ohranjali antične civilizacijske pridobitve vse do konca 6. st. Predstavljene so tudi utrdbe iz Justinijanovega časa, ki dokazujejo domišljen sistem varovanja komunikacij med obema prestolnicama. Delo podaja temeljni pregled množice značilnih mest, nižinskih zaselkov in utrjenih naselbin z načrti, zemljevidi in fotografijami, kot tudi interpretacijo celovite preobrazbe naselbinske slike.

English:

The book presents the settlement in a period of European history (late 3rd to early 7th century) when the highly exposed areas between the Late Antique capitals in Ravenna and Constantinople underwent a radical transformation. The relentless pressure of barbarian populations from beyond the Roman limes resulted in political, military, economic and social changes that finally led to the decline of the former forms of human habitation. Cities in the continental parts were largely abandoned or continued in heavily reduced and ruralised skeletons of their former selves; only the urban centres along the coasts of the Mediterranean met a kinder fate. Other forms of lowland settlement, primarily the once prominent Roman villas, ceased to exist as early as the middle of the 5th century. The population began retreating to remote areas and naturally well-protected hilltop settlements of an autarchic character, where the achievements of the ancient civilisation were upheld to the late 6th century. Alongside these, there was a series of forts constructed under the Emperor Justinian, which show a carefully thought-out system defending the lines of communications between the two capitals. The book offers a comprehensive overview of the mass of characteristic cities, lowland hamlets and fortified settlements illustrated with plans, maps and photographs, but also an interpretation of the profound transformation of the settlement patterns.