Diocletian's mausoleum is in
his place in Split, Croatia. Extracts from the web:
"Split, with a population of almost one quarter million people, is the principal Dalmatian coastal city. In addition to its importance as Croatia's major
port on the Adriatic and its industrial base, the city also is best known as the retirement
home of the Croatian-born Roman emperor
Diocletian whose huge and well-preserved palace/fortress now forms the heart of the old city. The palace grounds are filled with triumphal arches, imported
Egyptian sphinxes and interesting reminders of the
Roman Empire at its grandest. Among the places of interest is
Diocletian's tomb, now officially a
Christian cathedral, making it the smallest in Europe. The emperor's body is no longer there, but the irony remains. He was one of the worst persecutors of Christians, perhaps egged on by the fact that
his empress became a
Christian. She clearly
had the last word."
http://www.st.carnet.hr/split/mauzolej.htmlhttp://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Experimental/split/mausoleum.html"The central courtyard of
Diocletian's palace is now old Split's main square. The shell of the ruined palace provides a checkerboard street plan, four gates, and a town easy to navigate.
This
sphinx, from ancient
Egypt, was one of a dozen, which stood at the entrance to
Diocletian's tomb. Inside, the columns, carvings and original
fine brick dome survive. Ironically, the mausoleum of the Roman emperor famous for
his persecution of Christians became the town's cathedral. And, to add insult to injury, the remains of the
bishop Diocletian had beheaded now rest here, in the tomb meant for the emperor. The
bishop's sarcophagus dates from the early 4th century."
Eugene