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The birth and historical development of the town of Kotor was largely due to its advantageous geographic location. According to some indications, the so-called hill fortress, or Kotor Fortress, existed already in prehistoric times. The predecessor of Kotor was the town of Acruvium. The Byzantine emperor Justinian rebuilt Kotor in the 6th century, and the information in the records of Constantine VII that the lower town of Kotor was conquered by the Saracens in 867 indicates the existence of the upper town, or the fortress on the hill. During the Serbian rule, the 12th-14th centuries, Kotor functioned as an export port, and thanks to its economic prosperity and privileges, the city's defense system was completely rebuilt, and the remains of the walls and towers of that period can be seen everywhere. During the reign of the Republic of Venice (1420-1797), the Kotor Fortress was one of the most important fortresses on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, as it protected the Venetian sea trade routes. The fortress also had a military function during the Austro-Hungarian rule (1814-1918).