out of parts of Dardania and Thrace. The two new dioceses, Moesia and Dacia, were grouped into the new praetorian prefecture of Illyricum in the second half of the 4th century, which essentially covered the same area as the earlier Diocese of Moesia. Religion Little is known regarding Christianity in the Balkans in the three first centuries AD. Bishop Dacus of Macedonia, from Dardania, was present at the First Council of Nicaea (325). In 535, emperor Justinian I (527-565) created the Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima as a regional primacy with ecclesiastical jurisdiction over all provinces of the Diocese of Dacia, including the province of Dardania. Economy According to the Expositio totius mundi (ca. 350), Dardania supplied Macedonia with cheese and lard. Cities and towns The main centres of Roman Dardania were Scupi (Skopje), Naissus (Niš) and Ulpiana (Lipjan). At the time of Moesia Superior, the towns in Dardania included Scupi, Naissus, Ulpiana, Therranda, Vicianum, Vindenis, Velanis, Dardapara, Quemedava and Damastion. The Romans occupied Naissos () in the period of the "Dardanian War" (75–73 BC), and set up a legionary camp. The city (called refugia and vici in pre-Roman relation), because of its strategic position (Thracians were based to the south) developed as an important garrison and market town of Moesia Superior. The Romans also founded a mining town named municipium Dardanicum. Aftermath The area remained part of the Eastern Roman, Byzantine Empire, after the Eastern–Western Roman split in the 5th century. Procopius (500–560) used the old Roman provinces to describe the geography of the Balkans. According to Buildings of Justinian IV, there were 8 new and 61 restored fortifications in Dardania. Dardania was a region in which Justinian's restoration process was predominant. In 518 an earthquake devastated Dardania, followed by famine that killed much of the population and weakened the Empire's defences. According to Florin Curta, a small number of Slavs (Sclaveni and Antes) migrated to the Balkans in the 6th century. See also Illyrians Dardani Kingdom of Dardania Serbia in the Roman era Archaeology of Kosovo Illyricum (Roman province) Roman heritage in Kosovo References Sources External links Late Roman provinces Serbia in the Roman era Macedonia (Roman province) Bulgaria in the Roman era States and territories established in the 3rd century States and territories disestablished in the 6th century