Diocletian's infrastructure planning and public works projects
During Diocletian's reign, extensive public works projects were undertaken, such as the construction of roads, bridges, and buildings. These infrastructure investments were aimed at spurring economic growth, creating employment opportunities, and improving overall productivity. Modern governments can learn from this approach by recognizing the positive impact of infrastructure development on economic activity and job creation.
Diocletian's Aqueduct
Water consumption by the ancient Romans was about 3 times higher compared to today. When Diocletian began planning his palace, also his retirement residence, water shortages were to be avoided from the start. For the operation of the palace and the thermal baths immense amounts of water were necessary.
The source of the Jadro River was located about 9 kilometers northwest of Diocletian's palace, a distance that did not yet pose a particularly complex problem for Roman builders. At the transition from the 3rd to the 4th century, the aqueduct was built to bring fresh water from the source of the Jadro to the palace. This complex water conduit had to take 33 meters of slope into account, distributed over 9 kilometers of route, and was one of the first of its kind in Croatia.
To this day, parts of the aqueduct and the tunnels belonging to this Roman water conduit are still used for agricultural supply of the modern city of Split. In the village of Dujmovača, there is a section of the aqueduct as a viaduct bridging, a valley in very good condition. At a height of 16.5 meters and a length of about 180 meters, the valley is overcome in the typical arch bridge construction.
With the invasion of the Goths in the middle of the 6th century, Diocletian's aqueduct was almost completely destroyed. The aqueduct remained unused until the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy between 1877 and 1880, when reconstruction of the aqueduct began. A section of Diocletian's aqueduct can be seen as an underground exhibition space in the Hotel Atrium.
