split, Croatia

Steven Dutch, Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences, Universityof Wisconsin - Green Bay

Coastal Scenes

	Split was originally the Greek colony of Aspalathos, then Spalatum in Latin. The name comes from the name of a shrub common in the area.

	Tower of Saint Domnius (or Duje in Croatian).



	Croatian Flag




	Left and below: Model of split

	The foundations of Diocletian's palace now underlie most of the old town of Split.














	Diocletian. Looking a little like Mister Drysdale, the banker from The Beverly Hillbillies, and a whole lot like someone you didn't mess with. Considering he was the only Roman Emperor to retire peacefully, he could obviously keep it under control.


	The peristyle was the entrance to the interior courtyard. Below: Roman re-enactors.

	Feelings about the Yugoslav civil war still run high. Below: Dome of the entrance.

	The Cathedral of Saint Domnius (or Duje in Croatian) is the former mausoleum of Diocletian. Ironically, Saint Domnius was executed during one of Diocletian's persecutions. If you read a religious history of the Roman Empire, and then Gibbon's account, they're almost mirror images. Most of the persecutors (including Diocletian) were the best Emperors, and the more tolerant ones were mostly weak.



	Entrance to the cathedral
	Interior of the cathedral
	Dome of the cathedral


Above: sphinxes in the peristyle.	Below: Roman ruins near the Cathedral.




	Bishop Gregory of Nin, a 10th century bishop who defied the Pope by translating the Mass into Croatian. For some reason, rubbing his toe is said to bring good luck.

	Left and below: Street market in split

Created 05 December 2011, Last Update 04 June 2020