Split, Croatie

Split is the lairgest Dalmatian ceety, the seicont-lairgest urban centre in Croatie, an the seat o Split-Dalmatie Coonty. The ceety is locatit on the shores o the Mediterranean, mair specifically on the eastren shore o the Adriatic Sea, spreadin ower a central peninsula an its surroondins, wi its metropolitan aurie includin the mony surroondin seaside touns as well. An intraregional transport hub, the ceety is a link tae the numerous surroondin Adriatic islands an the Apennine peninsula, as well as a popular tourist destination.

Split is an aa ane o the auldest ceeties in the aurie, an is traditionally considered juist ower 1,700 years auld, while archaeological research relatin tae the auncient Greek colony o Aspálathos (6t century BC) establishes the ceety as being several hunder years aulder.

Name

The auncient ceety is named efter the Spiny Broom (Calicotome spinosa; brnistra or žuka in modren Croatian), a common shrub in the aurie. The 6t century BC Greek colony o Aspálathos (Aσπάλαθος) or Spálathos (Σπάλαθος), frae which the ceety oreeginates, wis named efter the common plant. As the ceety became a Roman possession, the Laitin name became "Spalatum", which in the Middle Ages evolved intae "Spalatro" in the Dalmatian leid o the ceety's Roman population. The Sooth Slavic version became "Split", while the Venetian italianized version wis "Spalato". Durin the early 19t century, the name wis "Spljet", an finally "Split" ance mair.

Thus, contrary tae popular belief, the name "Spalatum" haes nothin tae dae wi the Laotin wird for palace, palatium (thought tae be a reference tae Diocletian's Palace, which forms the core o the ceety). The erroneous etymology wis notably due tae Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, an wis later reaffirmed bi Thomas the Archdeacon.

• Template:Lang-grc
• Laitin: Spalatum
• Medieval Template:Lang-dlm
• Italian: Spalato

References

Wikimedia Commons haes media adae wi:

Split