Neretva Pirates - Geography

Geography

According to DAI, Pagania consisted of three župas: Rhastotza, Mokros and Dalen. Rhastotza and Mokros lied by the coast, and had galleys, while Dalen was distant from the sea and was based on agriculture. The territory included the inhabited cities of Mokron, Beroullia, Ostrok and Slavinetza, and the fertile islands of Kourkra (or Kiker), Meleta (or Malozeatai, modern Mljet), Phara (modern Hvar) and Bratzis (modern Brač). The Pagani raised flocks on the islands. The islands in the vicinity, which were not part of Pagania, were Chora (modern Korčula), Iës (modern Vis) and Lastobon (modern Lastovo). Croatia was situated to the west, and Zachumlia to the east; Serbia was situated inland to the north, behind Pagania, Zachumlia, Travunia and Doclea, and bordered to Croatia on the rivers Tzentina and Chlebena.

The Adriatic coastland that the Narentians (Neretljani) inhabited ranged 75 kilometers from the mouth of Neretva in the Adriatic Sea at the east to the river Cetina at the west. It was 10-20 kilometers wide. In the east, Neretvia reached the river of Neretva, which faced Zachlumia. The Narentines bordered Kingdom of Croatia to the west, at the river of Cetina.

The territory consisted of three smaller župas: Makar (Makarska), Rastik (from Imotski to Ljubuški) and Dalen (which is not on the coast). They also controlled the islands of Brač, Hvar, Mljet, Korčula, Vis and Lastovo.

The main early Narentine cities were Vrulja (today Gornja Brela), Mokro (today Makarska), Ostroga (today Zaostrog) and Lavćen/Slavineca (today Gradac). The fortified city of Omiš was important in the later ages.

Most of the soil was composed out of forests and swamps, while there was very little arable land.

They operated off the Neretva Delta, a dense maze of reed beds, which provided ample shelter and cover for escape after pirate raids. Their secret village was established far enough upriver to avoid capture, as their small boats, such as the lađa, could navigate the narrow and shallow waters without fear of pursuit. No bridges connected Komin to the mainland and the village was (and remains) hidden from the open sea by the mountainous of the Pelješac peninsula, which today gives access to the island of Korčula.