Editing Solin (section)

===Ancient Salona===
{{main|Salona}}
[[File:Bust of Trajan, found in Salona (Solin, Croatia), ca. 108 AD, of the so-called “Decennalia type”, Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum, Austria (20405430933).jpg|thumb|180px|left|Bust of [[Trajan]] found in Salona, currently in [[Kunsthistorisches Museum]], [[Vienna]]]]
In the late ancient times, Salona's importance was great both politically and religiously. It was the birthplace of Emperor [[Diocletian]], who ruled the [[Roman Empire]] from 284 to 305 [[Anno Domini|AD]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-03 |title=How Diocletian lost the hearts and minds of his fellow Dalmatians |url=https://www.croatiaweek.com/how-diocletian-lost-the-hearts-minds-of-his-fellow-dalmatians/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Croatia Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-27 |title=Split Neighbourhood Guide: Where To Stay In Croatias Second City |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/croatia/articles/split-neighbourhood-guide-where-to-stay-in-croatias-second-city |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Culture Trip |language=en}}</ref> He was born around 244, and served as a soldier and then a Roman army officer as a young man.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-21 |title=Who Was Emperor Diocletian? |url=https://www.thecollector.com/who-was-emperor-diocletian/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=TheCollector |language=en}}</ref>

Salona was an early Roman settlement, which became overshadowed when Diocletian constructed the nearby [[Diocletian's Palace]] in about the year 300 AD.<ref>C. Michael Hogan, [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17691 "Diocletian's Palace"], the Megalithic Portal, A. Burnham ed., 6 October 2007</ref> Surviving local residents of Salona, after the [[Pannonian Avars|Avars]] retreated from those regions, to a settlement "Spalatum", today's ([[Split (city)|Split]]), at the location of Diocletian's Palace (probably around the middle 7th century [[AD]]). [[Christianity]] in Salona probably originated during the time of the [[Twelve apostles|apostles]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=4 October 1998, Eucharistic Celebration at Znjan Esplanade in Split {{!}} John Paul II |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/travels/1998/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_04101998_croazia-split.html |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=www.vatican.va}}</ref>

The Apostle [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]] mentions that his pupil [[Apostle Titus]] traveled to Dalmatia <ref>''The Holy Bible'': 2 Timothy 4, 10)</ref> so the assumption that he worked in Dalmatia's capital city of Salona, at least for a short time, is probable. That city, located on the [[Adriatic]] coast, with excellent sea connections with [[Italy]] and the [[Middle East]], attracted Christian messengers of faith.

[[File:Solin2.jpg|thumb|left|Ruins of the [[Roman amphitheater|amphitheater]] of Solin]]
Salona had a well-organized Christian community with a bishop as leader ever since the middle of the 3rd century (bishop martyr [[Venantius of Camerino|Venantius]] lived at that time). Since the fourth century, Salona honored in its large basilicas its glorious martyrs from the times of Diocletian's persecution: St Domnius (Latin: ''Domnius''; Croatian: ''Duje''; Italian: ''Domnio''), craftsman [[Anastasius the Fuller]], deacon Septimia, priest Asteria, and others.

In the fifth Century, Salona's bishops started exercising more metropolitan duties (archbishop Hezihius), and in the sixth century they carried the archbishop title as well (arhiepiscopus), and fulfilled the duties associated with the title. (archbishops [[Stephen (archbishop)|Stephen]], [[Honorius (archbishop)|Honorius]] and others). That means that at that time they held primary positions in western Illyria. Siscia's bishop from the region [[Pannonia]] joined the Dalmatian bishops on the synods held in Salona in the years 530 and 533 as a member with full rights. At the time of Diocletian, Salona had a population of 60,000.

In 639 Salona was destroyed by the Slavs.<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14207a.htm ''Spalato-Macarsca (Salona)'', Catholic Encyclopedia]</ref>  After the fall of Salona and the whole region under the Avarian rule (first quarter of 7th century), worship of Salona's martyrs was moved to Rome. Namely, [[Pope John IV]] ordered transportation of parts of their relics, which he placed in a dedicated chapel close to the [[Lateran]] baptistry. The images of those saints, which had been created in mosaic by the Pope's wish, can be found today in the apside of the chapel. Search for relics for Rome was probably the incentive for Salona residents who inhabited the new city of Split, located only a few kilometers from the abandoned Salona. At the very least, they wanted to bring to Split the bones of their most important protectors: St. Domnius and [[Anastasius the Fuller|St. Anastasius]]. They placed them in what was once [[Diocletian|Diocletian's]] mausoleum, which was subsequently converted into the [[Cathedral of Saint Domnius]].