Changes

The new population of Slavs invaded and then probably settled in the centre of the island. They spoke old Slavic '''Chakavian''' which is the language of the old medieval Croatian Dukes (Latin: "Branimiro comite dux cruatorum cogitavit" c. 880 AD). The centre of the island had its strategic qualities which allowed protection on all sides from attack by sea. It also had fertile land which allowed cultivation.  After the invasion of Slavic tribes, the region stabilised to a certain extent. The Byzantines and the ''Republic of Venice''  and others, started to exert a political economic influence over the region.

The new population of Slavs invaded and then probably settled in the centre of the island. They spoke old Slavic '''Chakavian''' which is the language of the old medieval Croatian Dukes (Latin: "Branimiro comite dux cruatorum cogitavit" c. 880 AD). The centre of the island had its strategic qualities which allowed protection on all sides from attack by sea. It also had fertile land which allowed cultivation.  After the invasion of Slavic tribes, the region stabilised to a certain extent. The Byzantines and the ''Republic of Venice''  and others, started to exert a political economic influence over the region.

[[File:740px-Roman provinces of Illyricum, Macedonia, Dacia, Moesia, Pannonia and Thracia.jpg|thumb|right|375px|The Roman province of Dalmatia (pink colour) in the Western Roman Empire. 476 AD]]Dalmatians Romans and the Republic of Venice brought ''Mediterranean cultural'' to the Slavs. Christianity was one aspect of this. In essence Slavs on the island were Romanized (adopted Latin culture).

[[File:740px-Roman provinces of Illyricum, Macedonia, Dacia, Moesia, Pannonia and Thracia.jpg|thumb|right|375px|The Roman province of Dalmatia (pink colour) in the Western Roman Empire. 476 AD]]Dalmatians Romans and the Republic of Venice brought ''Mediterranean cultural'' to the Slavs. Christianity was one aspect of this. In essence Slavs on the island were Romanized (adopted Latin culture).

The 19th and 20th century theories concerning the identity of these early Korčula Slavs seem to be flawed. The latest scholarly and archaeological research <ref>Some of the latest research studies:

The 19th and 20th century theories concerning the identity of these early Korčula Slavs seem to be mistaken. The latest scholarly and archaeological research <ref>Some of the latest research studies:

* [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=6UbOtJcF8rQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Becoming+Slav,+Becoming+Croat:+Identity+Transformations+in+Post-Roman+and+Early+Medieval+Dalmatia&hl=en&ei=MLFCTbjaBYaecLnwkf4N&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat:] Identity Transformations in Post-Roman and and Early Medieval Dalmatia by Danijel Dzino

* [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=6UbOtJcF8rQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Becoming+Slav,+Becoming+Croat:+Identity+Transformations+in+Post-Roman+and+Early+Medieval+Dalmatia&hl=en&ei=MLFCTbjaBYaecLnwkf4N&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat:] Identity Transformations in Post-Roman and and Early Medieval Dalmatia by Danijel Dzino

* [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=wEF5oN5erE0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=When+Ethnicity+did+not+Matter+in+the+Balkans&hl=en&ei=Xr9ETaLAN4--uwO7j8SDAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false When Ethnicity did not Matter in the Balkans] by John Van Antwerp Fine.

* [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=wEF5oN5erE0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=When+Ethnicity+did+not+Matter+in+the+Balkans&hl=en&ei=Xr9ETaLAN4--uwO7j8SDAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false When Ethnicity did not Matter in the Balkans] by John Van Antwerp Fine.