Asseria is located between Bukovica and the area of Ravni Kotari, 6 km east of Benkovci, and 1 km south of the village of Podgrađe. It was inhabited already in the pre-Roman period. In Antiquity, Asseria developed into a significant Liburnian town, which soon grew into a municipium. The city reached the height of its prosperity in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Asseria is mentioned by several ancient sources: Ptolmeus (Naturalis Historia, 3. 130, 139), Ptolmeus (Geographia, 2, 16, 6) and Ravennatis Anonymi (Cosmographia, 4, 16).
The third season of systematic excavations undertaken in 2000 represents a continuation of the research conducted on the NW section of city walls and at the eastern gateway. New probes were opened in the urban tissue, at the very entrance to the hillfort. In front of the NW section of the city walls, a line of Antique wall was found, running alongside Late Republican monumental city walls. Also found was a Late Antique tower. Two horizons of Late Antique burials were uncovered in the space between the Late Antique wall and Late Republican city walls. The latter was built around the mid-first century BC. The Late Antique tower and early horizon of Late Antique burials can be dated to the second half of the 5th century, and the Late Antique citywalls to the end of 6th century. (Marko Sinobad)