At the center of this topographical model we see the Jadro River draining into the Adriatic and moving past the old town of Salona, the Roman capital of their Dalmatian province. This was a major city with coliseum, temples, and all the other accoutrements of a Roman provincial capital. Below at #2 is the sheltered inlet where the Dalmatian-born Roman emperor Diocletian built his retirement fortress about 4 miles southwest of the capital. In 614 A.C.E., the Aver Slavs wiped out Salona and while much of its population retreated to the islands, many moved down to the old palace with its protective walls. The good news is that they never left -- and so the place still stands rather than having been turned into a recycling quarry for medieval buildings. The bad news is that they never left, and what's left of the palace is a mishmash of residences and cafes cluttering up what may be the world's most significant Roman residence still standing.
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