Salona

Founded by the Greeks and then an Illryian settlement, Solin – or Salona as it was known then – became a major Roman settlement, the largest in Dalmatia. Roman Emperor Diocletian is thought to have been born there, although he later built his famous palace in Split. At its height in the 1st century AD, Salona was thought to be home to 60,000 inhabitants. At that time, it also featured a large amphitheatre that could hold up to 18,000 spectators, as well as a theatre and a temple. When the Avars and the Slavs arrived in the 7th century, Salona was almost entirely destroyed and some of its inhabitants sought refuge in Diocletian’s Palace, and they (and their descendants) continued to live there and in the surroundings over the years – fuelling Split’s growth.

Founded by the Greeks and then an Illryian settlement, Solin – or Salona as it was known then – became a major Roman settlement, the largest in Dalmatia. Roman Emperor Diocletian is thought to have been born there, although he later built his famous palace in Split. At its height in the 1st century AD, Salona was thought to be home to 60,000 inhabitants. At that time, it also featured a large amph…  (read more)

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