Review article
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.21.2.09
Split's Ethnic and Political Identity until the Beginnings of the New Age
Saša MRDULJAŠ
orcid.org/0000-0002-1946-2243
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar – Regional Centre Split, Split
Abstract
In the early 7th century the Split palace-fortress of Emperor
Diocletian became the last line of Roman (Byzantine) defense
against the Slavic-Croatian penetration to the Adriatic area.
While the penetration stopped under its walls, the Roman-
-Dalmatian city of Split gradually formed within them. In the
immediate neighbourhood of Split, however, the most
important centre of the early medieval Croatian state was
formed. The initial conflicts were eventually replaced by
integrative processes. They in turn led to political unification
and Split assumed the role of the Croatian centre of religion.
Further development led to the Croatisation of Split's Roman
population and a growing immigration of Croats. Thus, by
the 14th century Split had become an ethnically Croatian city
and one of the most important centres of Croatian culture.
Because Split belonged to various government entities, its
citizens were required to express their loyalty to these
countries in various ways. But from its beginnings, Split had
demonstrated an aspect of political self-sufficiency, which
would have a crucial effect on the features, roughly
speaking, of the patriotic dimensions of Split's political
identity. Although its ideological and organizational
foundations were laid when it was predominantly a Roman
city, Split expressed its political individuality to its fullest in a
time when its ethnic character was distinctly Croatian. Yet by
the beginning of the new age, affected by the penetration of
the Ottoman Empire, Split's patriotism had been
complemented by expressions of strong support for the idea
of political unification of Christians under the leadership of
the papacy and striking manifestations of proto-national
Croatianhood.
Keywords
Split; ethnic identities; Romans; Croats; patriotism
Hrčak ID:
84541
URI
Publication date:
1.4.2012.
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