Page 120 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

118  CRO A TIA AREA B Y AREA

y Salona

The ancient town of Salona, 5 km (3 miles) from Split, is
famous for its Roman ruins. The name Salona (or Salonae)
is of Illyrian origin, but its meaning is unknown. Originally
an Illyrian settlement, it did not become an important centre
until the Romans built a town next to the Greek city. During
the rule of Augustus it became a Roman colony called Martia
Iulia Salona, and later it was the capital of the province of
Dalmatia. In the 1st and 2nd centuries AD the Romans built
an amphitheatre, a theatre, temples, baths, a Forum and town
walls reinforced with towers, and Salona became the richest
and most populated city in the mid-Adriatic. In the mid-7th
century, the Avars and the Slavs destroyed it and it fell into
disuse. The buildings and the churches were stripped and
the stone was used for new buildings. Narthex connecting the two basilicas
of early Christian basilicas, baths
Christian church was and the Caesarea Gate. The
constructed here to Baths were first built as a villa
house the relics of the in the 3rd century. In the early
Salonian saints, victims Christian period the buildings
of Diocletian’s persecu- were probably transformed
tion of Christians. The into religious buildings: the
ruins of the necropolis Episcopal Centre in the north-
and the basilica are eastern sector of Salona
well preserved. comprised basilicas, a baptistry
From Manastirine, and the bishop’s residence.
after the entrance, you Before Christianity became wide-
reach the Tusculum, spread, early Christian martyrs
a villa built in the last were slayed here, including
century for the distin- St Domnius (the patron saint of
guished archaeologist Split), Venantius and Anastasius.
Frane Bulić, to enable The foundations of two
Ruins of the walls and triangular tower him to study Salona. basilicas have been excavated.
A scholar and director One is known as the Urban
Exploring Salona of the Archaeological Museum Basilica, the other, called
At the beginning of the 19th in Split (see p125), he devoted Honorius’ Basilica, had a Greek
century excavations began to most of his life to researching cross plan. This is also the site of
bring to light the buried remains the ancient ruins of this city. what remains of the Caesarea
of this ancient settlement. The The building now houses Gate: arches flanked by two
work has clearly shown that the Frane Bulić’s memorial room. octagonal towers, showing the
town had three districts dating However, the most interesting building techniques used by
from different periods: the material is now in the the Romans in the Imperial era.
original, old centre (Urbs vetus) Archaeological Museum in Split. Going west along the walls
and a later part which dates Further on is the richest area you reach the Necropolis of
from the Augustan era (Urbs of ruins with the foundations Kapljuč, another early Christian
nova occidentalis and Urbs nova
orientalis). The excavations have
uncovered only a part of the
layout of the outer walls, which
were frequently reinforced over
the centuries. However, the
foundations and the remains of
towers with triangular or rectan-
gular reinforcements are visible.
A good place to begin a tour
is the Cemetery of Manastirine,
the first Christian cemetery just
outside the walls, north of the
city (near the parking area).
In the 4th century, an early Necropolis of Manastirine, just outside the walls
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp228–30 and pp240–45

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