新澳门开奖结果

Illustration depicting the Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in its original appearance by Ernest H茅brard – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Diocletian’s Palace

Diocletian’s Palace is an ancient palace located in Split, Croatia. The ancient palace was built at the turn of the 4th century for the Roman emperor Diocletian.

While it is referred to as a palace, the large complex was not used only for one purpose. Half of the 鈥榝ortress鈥� was used as Diocletian’s personal residence while the rest was a military garrison.

Today, Diocletian’s Palace is one of the most beautiful architectural marvels in the entire world. This fortress makes up most of Split鈥檚 Oldtown. The Palace is Croatia鈥檚 top tourist attraction. Its beauty is only a complement to its eventful history.

Below are some interesting facts about Diocletian’s Palace.

1. Built by Diocletian (Lovius)

Head of Diocletian at the National Museum of Serbia by ZazaSRB –

Diocletian, who was nicknamed Lovius, was a Roman emperor from 284 until 305 when he was abdicated. He ascended to power in 284 following the death of Carus in a Persian Campaign. 

He ruled for 21 years and he went down history as one of the most successful emperors. 10 years before his abdication, he began construction of the Palace which would be his retirement home. This was rare since most Roman emperors did not last long enough to be abdicated.

Diocletian selected a very nice location, in a beautiful scenic bay between Marjan and Gripe hills. He moved into the expansive Diocletian’s Palace following his retirement. 

2. Emperor Diocletian Picked the Location for a Reason

As the supreme ruler, emperor Diocletian had the luxury of building this posh retirement fortress anywhere he wanted to. However, he chose the Roman province of Dalmatia. This was not a coincidence but rather well thought out.

Diocletian was born in Dalmatia, near Salona (known as Solin today). His birth name was Gaius Valerius Diocles. Building his retirement home in his hometown was like a homage to his town as well as a grand homecoming having conquered the world.

3. Construction of The Massive Building Lasted For 10 years

Construction of the palace lasted for 10 years lasting from 295 A.D to 305 AD. The workers used in the construction were mostly local craftsmen. 

However, there are two Greek names carved in the north gate. The names are of two (assumed) Greek stone masons by the names Zotikos and Filotas. 

It is assumed that the masons were Christians due to the carved fish symbol next to their names. That is because the Greek word for fish is Ichthys. Letters of this word are in the old Greek language first letters of the following words: Jesus, Chris, Son of, God, Savior.

Diocletian was one of the worst Christian prosecutors but this shows that people were still not afraid to express their faith. 

4. The Palace Has 4 Gates

Part of the southern wall today by Silverije –

Access to the Diocletian palace, at least in its heyday, was through four gates. The Southern, Western, Northern, and Eastern gates. 

The Gate on the south side (Southern gate) was the sea gate, and the other 3 gates were the land gates. The northern gate (Porta septemtrionalis) was the main gate with which the emperor entered the complex.

The eastern gate (Porta Orientalis) was originally the secondary gate. It faces east towards Epitia, today called Stobre膷. The western gate (Porta Occidentalis) was originally a military gate used mostly by troops to access the complex. It is the only gate that is in continuous use to date. 

5. There were Two Military Barracks in The Palace

The north side or section of the palace was referred to as 鈥渜uartaria militaria鈥�. This is because of the two military barracks that were built and housed in this section.

In the barracks lived roman soldiers and guards who were there to protect the palace. Diocletian need protection in this fortified palace because he abdicated (renounced) the throne and therefore required maximum security.

6. The 鈥楩ormer鈥� Emperor鈥檚 Residence Was on The South Side of The Palace

The southern half was more luxurious when compared to the northern side. This is true since the south side housed temples, public and private dining rooms, and more importantly the emperor’s apartments. 

Diocletian鈥檚 residence was located along the seafront on the south side of the palace. His apartments and rooms were known as exedra. Right next to the exedra was his private baths (thermae) near the west wall of the palace. 

On the other side of the exedra was the bibliotheca (library). Located on the southeastern side of the palace were public baths and the dining area which was called the trinclinium. 

7. There Is a Main Square at The Center of The Palace

View of the Peristyle (the central square within the Palace) towards the entrance of Diocletian’s quarters by Dennis Jarvis –

Located at the center of the palace is an imperial square called the Peristyle square. This square served as the center of roman religion in the palace. 

Romans believed Diocletian was a demigod and therefore used this square to adore and praise him. His mausoleum (burial place) is located on the east side of this square. 

Located on the west side of the square s Jupiter鈥檚 temple. It was aligned with Diocletian鈥檚 mausoleum. This is because of an ancient Roman belief that Diocletian was Jupiter鈥檚 representative on earth. 

8. Diocletian鈥檚 Palace Evolved into Medieval Town

Town of Split in Croatia by Martin Bro啪 –

After Diocletian鈥檚 death, he was buried in his mausoleum inside the palace. Afterward, the palace was considered government property and several Emporers who followed considered it their personal property. 

The last legal roman emperor, Julius Nepos ended his life in this palace in 480 A.D. Following the collapse of the West Roman Empire with Nepos鈥� death, the Byzantines took over and controlled the palace. The Byzantine emperor considered the property his鈥�.

In 641 AD, Avar and Slavs invaded and destroyed Salona, the Roman capital of Dalmatia province. The survivors fled and took shelter in Diocletian鈥檚 palace.

The Avars and Slavs were unable to enter the palace. This became a pivotal point as Diocletian鈥檚 Palace evolved into a medieval town, called Spalatum (later Split).

9. The Palace Has Changed a Lot Over the Years

Compared to the original structure, the palace has changed a lot. While most of it is due to natural deterioration and wear and tear, some changes were made by residents and administrators of Split.

Structures have been knocked down to build houses and several other changes have been made. However, the royal imperial property is generally in great shape and has without doubt not lost its essence. 

10. A Filming Location for HBO鈥檚 Hit Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is a popular American drama TV series. It is an adaptation of George R.R. Martin鈥檚 A Song of Ice and Fire. Diocletian鈥檚 palace has featured in some key scenes in the show. 

(SPOILER ALERT!!) One of the most famous scenes shot here is from season 4 Episode 4, 鈥極athkeeper鈥�. In the scene, slaves discuss whether they should fight for Daenerys and rise against their masters.

There are many other scenes shot in the palace. The palace also served as the location for a task during The Amazing Race’s 31st season on CBS.