LUIGI F. MARSIGLI AND THE SYRMIA SECTOR OF THE DANUBE IN THE WORK "DANUBIUS PANNONICO-MYSICUS"

Abstract

Luigi F. Marsigli (1658-1730) was a descendant of a noble family of Bologna, adventurer and soldier, virtuoso and an erudite man, who shined with his intelligence and versatility. This paper is an attempt of historical reconstruction and a brief overview of the scientific works of this polyhistor. Also, the paper reviews his capital work Danubius Pannonico-Mysicus, which describes the flow of the Danube on its passage through Pannonian and Moesian region. Special attention is directed to the middle section, mostly sector of the river in Srem (Syrmia), the sector that occupies the territory from Vukovar to Belgrade. The research was inspired by generally scarce data on this topic, both in Serbian and in Yugoslav historiography. Analysis of the source with reference to the existing research and a synthesis of my own opinions in this paper will give a new result and a new understanding of the work of count Marsigli.