Split
Split is the second largest city in Croatia.
History
Split was founded as a Greek colony under the name Aspalathos or Spalathos.
The Romans conquered this region and established nearby Salona as the capital of the province of Dalmatia. Split began to be referred to as Spalatum in this era. Diocletian built his palace here in the 4th century. Salona was sacked in 639, leading refugees to settle in Split.
Split developed as a city state under the protection of the Byzantine Empire. It then was fought over by the Byzantines, Venetians, Hungarians, and Croats for the next several centuries. Split was under Venetian rule from 1420 until 1797.
Following a brief Napoleonic conquest, Split was ceded to the Austrian Empire.