Split is not just a city built inside a Roman palace; it is much older.

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: While the iconic ruins of Diocletian's Palace define the city's skyline, Split existed centuries before the Roman emperor arrived in 305 CE. Originally a Greek colony named Aspálathos, this Adriatic hub has survived Byzantine rule, Venetian dominance, and the shifting borders of empires to become a modern cultural powerhouse.

The origins of Split are often misattributed to the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who began constructing his massive, fortress-like palace in 293 CE. However, the site was settled as the Greek colony of Aspálathos—likely in the 3rd or 2nd century BCE—by settlers from the polis of Issa. For centuries, this settlement remained in the shadow of the nearby Roman capital, Salona. It was only after the Avar and Slavic destruction of Salona in 639 CE that refugees sought safety within the thick walls of the abandoned imperial palace, transforming the monument into a living city.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Split existed as a contested prize between the Republic of Venice and the Kingdom of Croatia. Its autonomy was frequently challenged, yet the city maintained a unique identity, eventually becoming a center for Croatian literature. In 1501, Marko Marulić penned 'Judita' in Split, a work widely recognized as the first modern piece of Croatian literature. Despite this cultural flourishing, the city remained a heavily fortified outpost, often caught in the crossfire of regional conflicts, including the Morean War of 1699, which finally pushed Ottoman influence from its immediate hinterland.

The 19th and 20th centuries brought rapid political volatility. After the fall of Venice in 1797, Split passed through French and Austrian hands before becoming a focal point for the Illyrian movement and the rise of Croatian nationalism. During World War II, the city became a crucible of anti-fascist resistance. Following the Italian capitulation in 1943, the city briefly served as a stronghold for Tito’s Partisans before falling under German occupation. Today, the city’s UNESCO-listed core serves as a testament to seventeen centuries of continuous urban life, bridging the gap between its ancient Greek roots and its contemporary role as a vital Mediterranean gateway.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How the Roman province of Dalmatia evolved from a pirate stronghold into an autonomous state.
• Pula, the Croatian port whose Roman arena has outlasted every empire that ruled it
• The Roman Emperor who traded a throne for a cabbage patch
• How a strategic river crossing evolved into a resilient cultural hub in eastern Croatia.
• Slovenia's oldest city was once a Roman powerhouse where emperors were crowned and deposed.
• The 18th-century governess who revolutionized education while writing her way through political exile
• Why Plato's successor rejected the Theory of Forms to prioritize numbers and classification
• The purpose of a system is what it does, not what it claims.
• Why some people believe they are immune to all government laws and taxes
• Is Stanford a university, a town, or a massive engine for global technological change?
• How a lost historian defined the way we categorize the ancient Greek philosophers
• Witkacy ran a portrait company whose paintings listed the drugs behind them

More in Philosophers · More in Ideas & Philosophy · Latest · A–Z · All topics