Duklja was named after Dioclea (from Docleata, the ancient Illyrian tribe). Dioclea, located near present-day Podgorica, was the capital of early Duklja. Afterwards, Skadar became the capital of the state until the end of the Middle Ages. The Royal Capital of Duklja was Ston.
The relationship between the names of Duklja and Zeta is somewhat unclear, as the two terms overlap. Duklja was mostly referenced as the littoral area between the Bay of Kotor and the Skadar Lake, while Zeta refers to the river located inland. Zeta is thus the more accurate predecessor of the 19th century Montenegro, while today's Montenegro encompasses the territory of both. According to another interpretation, Duklja was composed of Zeta and Travunia. In any event, the name Duklja went out of use by the end of the Middle Ages.
Doclea is the most significant and the largest urban centre created in period of Roman domination in Montenegro. The town was founded in the first decade of the 1st century AD. It is situated on the plateau elevating on the very mouth of the River Zeta into the Moraca.
The town named Doclea (Duklja) after the Illyric tribe Docleata. By the middle of the 1st century, during the rule of the Flavians, maybe the rule of Vespasian or Domitian, it obtained the status of municipium. At the end of the 1st and beginning of the 2nd centuries it experiences development. After the administrative division of Roman Empire in 297, it becomes the capital of the newly established province Prevalis. In the 4th and the 5th centuries it is caught hold by penetration of barbarian peoples when it starts loosing its power. At the beginning of the 5th century it is demolished by the Goths, and a severe earthquake destroys it in 518. After rehabilitation, the Slavs demolish it again in 620, when it finally looses its antique character.
Archeological investigations of Doclea were initiated by the end of the 19th century (Rovinjski and Munro); they were continued from 1954 to 1964 and again in 1998.
Although naturally protected by sheer rocks of the Moraca, Zeta and the Siralija Creek, Doclea is enclosed by powerful bulwark with towers. Because of the unsymmetrical space in which it is situated, the town adjusted the concept of the Roman town to the configuration of the terrain. On the crossing of the two main streets there was formed a city square - forum with monumental basilica on western side, building of court on the northern one and numerous smaller constructions from other sides. Along the partially unearthed street which lead from north-western towards the south-eastern city gate, representative buildings of public character were built: triumphal arch, three temples, one of which is dedicated to goddess Rom, the other one to goddess Diana, city bathroom - thermae and a monumental housing palace.
Besides the remainders of town architecture from Roman period, two early Christian basilicas and one smaller, (krstoobrazna) pre Romanic church were discovered in Doclea.
On western and south-eastern sides of the town there used to be necropolises; the south-eastern one was systematically investigated.
Various, frequently valuable samples of grave inventory (ceramic and glass receptacles, pieces of jewellery, tools, weapons and money) which were found in numerous unearthed graves with the cremated and inhumed deceased, provide for more precise observation of ancient Doclea's life. Western necropolis has been investigated only partially and, besides the common grave structures, monumental built grave constructions from the 4th-5th centuries were discovered in it. It is possible that from one of such grave constructions there originates a well known Podgorica's cup, which introduced ancient Doclea in world archeology in 1874.
