Solin

Description

In the old city of Salona, today called Solin, that is 6 km away from the city of Split, are the remains of the old metropolis of roman province of Dalmatia. Salona was in the beginning a port owned by the Iliric tribes of Delmati and was later on colonised by the Greeks. In the 48 BC, during a raging war between Caesar and Pompeius, the city chose to stand by the Caesar's side and later on gained a metropolitan status of the roman province of Dalmatia.

Big growth and success that came in the 1st century and most of the buildings and ruins that remain until today date from that period. Specific role in the social interactions and people was an amfiteatar where the gladiators have fought in front of 17000 people. Many of the private thermal baths and pools have been built in that period, and are some of the oldest in the world. Salona was in a way, a center of the world, or more accurately, a center of this part of the Roman Empire.

Roman emperor Diocletian also comes from the city of Salona, and one of the more prosperous periods of the city was when Diocletian built the palace in Split, in the time between 295 to 305. In that period, all eyes have turned to Spalato, and it made Salona one of the richest cities of the province, specially after the emperor left the throne and decided to spend his last years in the palace 6 kilometers away, using all benefits from both cities, making them both interesting economic and trade centers.

In the 10th century, croatian queen Jelena gave order to build two churches, The Church of Holy Mother Mary and The Church of St Stephen, where the croatian kings have chosen to be buried. Those two churches are repeatedly invoked in many historical documents, and even today, on the 8. August every year, there is a big procession and Maryan holiday called 'Mala Gospa' in the city of Solin. In the year of 852, the Duke Trpimir erected a benediktine abbey in Salona, in the lunette of which is, for the first time, written in stone the name Croat.

Salona was through the history a rich city. Both in architecture, art, historical value and political importance, and even today, in the city of Solin, there still live the remains of the old and priceless city of Salona.