City walls of Salona – mighty fortifications of Roman capital of Dalmatia
City walls of Salona
The defensive walls of Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia, were one of the most important elements of the city’s infrastructure. Their construction began as early as the 2nd century BCE, when the oldest urban center (urbs vetus) was established. At that time, the fortifications were trapezoidal in shape and surrounded an area of approximately 16 hectares. The best-preserved section of these oldest fortifications remains the area around the Porta Caesarea, a monumental city gate with an inner and outer courtyard.
After the Roman conquest of the Illyrians, and particularly during the reign of Octavian Augustus, Salona began to develop dynamically. The city gradually expanded beyond its original area, and new districts were surrounded by successive sections of walls. In 170-180 CE, facing the threat of invasions by the Marcomanni and Quadi, Emperor Marcus Aurelius ordered the strengthening of the city’s defenses. Legionary soldiers and auxiliary units were assigned to the construction work, as evidenced by discovered inscriptions.
During this period, existing structures, including an aqueduct and an amphitheater, were incorporated into the walls. This gave Salona its elongated, elliptical shape. The city was approximately 1,600 meters long from east to west and approximately 700 meters wide from north to south. The perimeter of the walls was approximately 4,080 meters, and their thickness ranged from 1.9 to 2.5 meters.
The fortifications were reinforced with numerous towers – archaeologists have discovered over 90 of them. Some were square in plan, others semicircular or polygonal. The main city gates, such as the Porta Caesarea and the Porta Andetria, played a particularly important role.
After the Byzantines captured Salona in the 6th century CE, the city was rebuilt. The walls were partially repaired and adapted to new defensive needs. Triangular finials were added to some of the towers.
The remains of Salona’s city walls remain impressive to this day and serve as a reminder of the importance of this city, which for centuries served as the political, administrative, and economic center of Roman Dalmatia.
