The history of Rab

Traces of life on the Island of Rab were found in prehistoric times, but the first settlers are the Liburnians, an Illyric tribe, who settled there in the period between the 9th and the 1st c. BC. On the site of the present-day Town of Rab, a well-developed pre-Roman Liburnian settlement was built, named Arba by the Liburnians. The Liburnian Illyric word arb means dark, green, forested, s the name Arba is to be considered a toponym meaning Crni otok (the Black Island), deriving from the coniferous forests which were much larger in number on the Island of Rab than they are today. The main feature of the holm oak forests on Rab is their typical dark-green colour. The names Arba and Arva were also mentioned in the 1st c. by Greek and Roman geographers, while the medieval Latin manuscripts used the names Arbe, Arbia, Arbiana, Arbitana and the most common one, which was Arbum.

TIn this way, the emperor raised the former Roman settlement to the level of Roman municipium. Rab obtained its independence and had the features of an ancient town, such as palaces, squares, porches, courtrooms, chapels, thermal baths, water supply systems and theatres. It obtained its statute which was very similar to the Roman one. Two duumviri ruled the town, with two aediles assisting them and forming the magistrate (magistratus). The local government was established with the officials named tribunes and the city council was founded, modelled on the Roman Senate (City Council). The two aediles were entrusted with the construction and landscaping of the town and Rab obtained its military officers, city treasurers, tax collectors and priests. Rab became 'A little Rome'.
Today, stone inscriptions and different building, architectural and sculptural artifacts preserved and kept as part of museum collections off the island, confirm the rich historic heritage of the buildings and facilities in Rab.

Rare Roman remains confirm extensive development and overall prosperity of Rab during the second and third centuries. Testifying to this is the inscription "Felix Arba" (Fortunate Rab) ingraved on a small amphora dating back to the times of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus from the 2nd/3rd century, which is the official city name inscription and a reflection of its prosperity. The title of "felix" (fortunate) was awarded to very few Roman cities. In Italy, alongside Rome, "felix" was awarded only to Ravenna and Aquileia, followed by Carthage in Africa, while in eastern provinces only Cremona, Berit and Heliopol were awarded the coveted title. Rab was the first city in the province of Dalmatia to be awarded such an exalted title, while Salona, as the capital city of Dalmatia, was awarded the "felix" title some time later. The "felix" title was intended to highlight the glory, rise and prosperity of a city or gratitude for special merit. All of the aforementioned indicates that Rab was already a developed city with running water, bath houses, theatres, landscaped streets, public buildings in construction, temples and monuments. Testifying to this are historical records of the slave Gaius Recius Leo who built the city aqueduct in 174 (he brought water to the town and water "such that none of the elders ever had") and had built a nymphaeum, a lavish fountain that none of the inhabitants had seen anything alike before. The stone inscription testifies not only the existence of the aqueduct but of bath houses and a nymphaeum, as well. It is a truly remarkable prosperity almost 2,000 years ago for such a small island. The prosperity of Rab in those times can, most likely, be attributed to trade, livestock farming and Mediterranean agriculture.

The patron saint of Rab (Diocese of Rab) is St. Christopher, whose skull is kept in the museum of St. Justine as a precious relic. The importance of Rab forests is highlighted in the Coat of Arms of Rab which is depicted as encircled by a branch of the holm oak tree.