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The area round the confluence of the Drava and the Danube abounds in major natural resources. It is also an intersection of major transport routes and a key strategic point.
This is the reason why it has always been an interesting site for settlement and why everybody sought control over it. The right bank of the Drava, some twenty kilometres from its confluence with the Danube, was of particular importance because of the easy crossing at that point. The communication route ran from the pre-Alpine region along the right bank of the Drava and the Danube towards southeastern Europe, with a branching to central Europe at the same point.
Therefore, not surprisingly settlements were established in the area already in prehistoric times. With minor interruptions, their continuity has been sustained to the present day. The oldest so far discovered traces of settlements in the area of present-day Osijek date from the Neolithic.
Urban-type settlements proper in the area date from the Roman period. Ancient Mursa was granted the status of colony during the rule of Emperor Hadrian by A. According to preserved sources, because of its advantageous position Mursa was a harmonious blend of military and civil structures. Its strategic importance was reflected in the military features of the town, and together with security promoted crafts and trade.
