Duklja - Geography

Geography

Doclea (roughly Montenegro today) bordered the Byzantine Theme of Dyrrachion to the east, and the City of Bar and Travunia to the west. From the Skadar Lake at the east its territory sprang down the river of Zeta all the way to the river of Piva to the west. Afterwards, Scutari became the capital of the state until the end of the Middle Ages. The Royal Capital of Duklja was Ston. It had only three major settlements: Gradac (Old Budva), Novi Grad and Lontodoclea. The most important City was Diocleia (after which the entire Archonty was named), but that city was in ruins by the 10th century from numerous invasions. Doclea was split on Zhupanates, each with its own City: Lusca, Podlugiae, Gorsca, Cuceva with Budva, Cupelnich, Obliquus, Prapratna (between Bar and Ulcinj), Cermenica and Gripuli. Continental Doclea, or Submontana (Podgoria), which was between the rivers of Rama and Morača, consisted of: Onogost, Moratia, Comerniza, Piva, Gerico, Netusini, Guisenio, Com, Debreca, Neretva and Rama. Ever since the 12th century, the term Zeta, a smaller geographical part of Doclea, started to replace the name of this Archonty.