Croatia • May, 2003 • Salona

A visit to the Roman ruins at Salona was one of the reasons I had rented a car during my trip to Split. It had been part of my itinerary since I decided to include Split in the visit to Croatia. According to a number of sources, it is the site of one of the most important set of Roman ruins in the world. The remains of this important Adriatric city have been well-preserved, providing the researcher and visitor alike a glimpse into daily life in the Roman empire. Because it was at the end of my drive through the Dalmatian hinterland, my visit to Salona occurred in the late afternoon around 17.00; this time made the visit even more magical, with the sun setting over the sea. Like other summaries on my website, I have separated this information into three sections:

History
Salona is first mentioned in 119 BCE as the home of the Delmata, an Illyrian tribe that had settled in the area. Forty-one years later, the Romans occupied the site and began to construct a settlement. Shortly after, under Roman emperor Augustus, it was the center of the Roman political power in Dalmatia. The city bore Emperor Diocletian, whose retirement palace became the seeds of neighboring Split. It was during this emperor's reign that Salona reached its zenith.

In the mid 5^th c. CE, the city was attacked by the Hun and Goth tribes. In 461 CE, Marcelin, the leader of Salona, declared himself the ruler of all Dalmatia. When the Western Roman Empire collapsed, Salona became the seat of the administrative district on the eastern Adriactic. It was later incorporated into the Eastern Roman Empire. It was a large city, described by one Byzantine emperor as half the size of Constantinople.

The city evolved into a leading Christian city on the Adriatic. It was home to a number of early Catholic martyrs, including Saints Anatasius and Domnius, one of the city's earliest bishops and the person for whom Split's main cathedral is named. In 614 CE, the city was attacked by the Avars, causing the residents to flee to nearby Split. The invading tribe destroyed the city, leaving the rest to fade and decay.

The area is now home to Solin, a suburb of the city it spawned. It is home to a number of industries, including cement making.

Tour
As I mentioned above, I arrived shortly after 17.00. The site is open until dusk, but its one museum, closes at 17.00. I, therefore, did not get to observe its contents. But after touring the site, I'm sure its artifacts pale in comparison to the slender of the Salona ruins. Parking is available just off the old highway. This road is somewhat difficult to find, so visitors should look carefully for the signs labeled Salona. From the parking lot, it is a short walk to the entrance of the grounds. Admission is free to the ruins, but a HRK 10 fee is collected to enter the museum.

Leading to the main entrance, there is a pathway that passes an old cemetery where some of the early Christian martyrs are buried. Known as the Manastirine, there are also the remains of a church, the Kapjinc Basilica, in the middle of this area, which is fenced to protect the ruins. A short distance from this location is former summer home of 20^th c. CE Croatian archaeologist Don Frane Bulić. It now houses the Tusculum Museum, which shows the fruits of his labors.


Some of the ruins in the Manastirine at Salona	Additional ruins, including a sarcophagus (left of center).

The columns of the former Kapjinc Basilica	The front of the Tusculum Museum

Heading south from the museum, I passed over the old city walls into the main area of Salona. The ruins are not marked, so I could only guess what their intended purpose was. The largest area, in the northern part of the ruins, is what appeared to be a necropolis or cathedral. The Lonely Planet guide book hypothesizes that it was "... an early Christian site ... includ(ing) a three-aisled, 5th c. CE cathedral with an octagonal bapistry, and the remains of Bishop Honorius' Basilica with a ground plan in the form of a Greek cross" (LP2°, 236). I spent about thirty minutes just walking around this ruin, as I found it very interesting. I can only imagine the structure that used to stand here; it must have been an impressive site.


The walls that protected the northern part of the city	An elevated view of Salona. Bishop Honorius' Basilica is located in the upper right corner, while the baptistry is located in the foreground.

To the south of the the cathedral is the covered aqueduct. Built in the 1^st c. CE, this system provided fresh water, from the Jadro River, to Salona and Diocletian's palace on the Adriatic Sea. To the west of the aqueduct is the Porta Caesarea, one of the entrance gates to the city. Nothing remains of the gate today.


Part of the aqueduct system that was installed in the 1^st c. CE	Part of the same aqueduct system

Near the location of the former entrance gate, the town walls head west. The crown of these walls provide an excellent path to reach the two most impressive, and studied, ruins on this site. Located about 500 meters from the gate, the Kapljuč Basilica is another burial location for martyrs of the early Christian church. On either side of the entrance to this ruin's grounds are unearthed sarcophagi of early Christians. Each side had about six relics, in various states of disrepair.


Leading westward, this path follows the old walls that protected the city from invaders	The unearthed sarcophagi near the Kapljuč Basilica

The Kapljuč Basilica is just beyond these burial pits. It appears to have been a large cathedral before it was destroyed. I spent about twenty minutes here, just walking around and imagining the ceremonies that had occurred here.


The high altar of the Kapljuč Basilica	Looking out onto the former three-nave Kapljuč Basilica

Looking from the high altar eastward into the church	Looking from the narthex westward toward the high altar

After gazing at the former basilica, I walked about another 500 meters to the site of the amphitheatre. Built in the 2^nd c. CE, this structure could hold 18,000 spectators. In the 17^th c. CE, it was destroyed by the Venetians to prevent the invading Turks from taking refuge in the amphitheatre. According to the Rough Guide, the grassy center now is used for grazing goats. It appears to have been an impressive structure, and I spent about a half-hour walking around and drawing a rough schematic. Though they don't begin to show the splendor of the ruin, I have included a few pictures of the amphitheatre below.


Some of the amphitheatre's covered archways	The spectator stands were on the slanted stone walls

Holding pens built into the side of the hill	The entrance from Salona

More arches	An attempt at an aerial view

After visiting the amphitheatre, I walked to my car, thinking about how incredible this place was in this peak. I wish I could have transported myself back 1700 years to see how Salona really looked. Since time travel does not exist (yet), my imagination will suffice.

Travel Resources
Not much information is available on the Internet about Salona. I have provided a few links here to information that have found useful.