We took a day tour of Split (and Tigor - tomorrow), which was fascinating. A little busy because of easy access and the occasional cruise ship, but they said it was nothing like normal summer.
The main old town is built inside the old Roman Emperor's Palace where he retired. There is a great story of why we don't hear about old Emperor Diocletian. Apparently he was the first Emperor to retire. He was from the area, and retired back to this Palace which became Split.
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| This was the basement of the Palace with original columns and stone - because there was 2 century's of trash and sludge in the late 1940s when they excavated it. |
He was a very inventive and able Emperor, but we don't hear much about him. That is because he held him up to talk to Jupiter (the Zeus of Rome) and persecuted tons of Christians. But the next Emperor was Constantine who was Christian and made it the religion of the Empire.
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| See that sphinx just sitting there. It is 3500 YEARS OLD! Just sitting there for anyone to look at and admire! |
But Diocletian was one of the few rulers of the era and of Rome that retired and died of old age
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| This is actually the inside of a bank, but they have to maintain the original curbs and flooring of the old Palace. |
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| These are interesting. The stick-outs around the windows were for outside draperies in the heat AND to pull furntine up through the windows (doors and steps were narrow). |
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