Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-23

Spalato by railway train and by boat.
each twice a day, or by carriage in
drive through the most fertile and at
tractive agricultural country we have
seen since We entered Dalmatla. the
distance Is seventeen miles.
Salona is also very old. but 1t exists
alone in ruins, "reminiscences and relics
of the Roman period, which have been
chiefly dug out of the ground and are
exhibited in the museum at Spalato.
The excavations have been going on since
1874, when Salona was visited by the
Austrian emperor. who gave the matter
his official attention, and Prof. Bulic was
placed in charge as CONSERVATION OF an
Client monuments in 1883.
He has been here ever since with re-
suit that gratifies every archeoIogist who
has taken any interest in the place. He
has uncovered a Roman city, which was
first destroyed by the invasion of barba
rians from the north and then buried un-
der from six to nine feet of silt that has
been washed down by the rains of twelve
CT thirteen hundred years upon them.
Largest Known Cemetery.
Not only has he disclosed the largest
known cemetery in Roman territory, but
great basiiica, a theater several tenn
plies, hundreds OF residences, an amphi-
theater and various other appurtenances
of we'll ordered and wealthy city. There
is legend that Paul and Timothy WIS.,
tied Salona and other parts of the Dali
matian coast and preached in that ba-
silica, although l must say 1t is more
Of superstition than fact.
Salona was once naval station of
Rome, and its harbor was doubtless often
filled with imperial galleys 1t was pro-
tected by double wall with many tow
ers, which. however, were battered down
by the Avar hordes from Hungary in the
sixth century and have since lain waste
and desolate. The supersfitious peasants
believe that the ghosts Of the old Romans
walk among the ruins, and cannot be
induced to visit the place at night. but a
ghost could do very little harm there
and might assist the learned professor
In deciphering some Of the inscriptions
which puzzle him.
He has altogether collected about ZOO
of different periods, most of them intact
and wholly Ineligible; others fragment
airy, and all extremely interesting to the
archeologist. Some are dedicated to the
gods Of ancient Rome. some to the
Roman emperors, many are records OF
gladiatorial cCmbats, chariot races attn
letic triumphs, municipal events and ref
erences TO the social life of Salona.
The largest number OF inscriptions how
ever, were found upon tombstones of early
Christians which indicate that Salona
was converted to the new religion before
Diocletian came. That adds to the mys-
terry of his coming, because - Is difficult
diving tyrant should come voluntarily to
live among a people whom he had perse-
cuted because of their religion as long as
he held power.
1t is a singular fact that there is only
one reference to DiOcletian in all of the
two thousand or more inscriptions that
Prof Bulio has found.
Contents Of Museum.
Besides these inscriptions the museum
at Spalato contains a large number OF
busts, vases of marble, terra Gotta and
| glass funeral urns, tear bottles. jewelry,
household utensils and everything that a
cultured people might have used. We saw
| scattered along the roadside on the way
| to Trau q hundred or more sarcophagi OF
various kinds of stone. digged out OF
these great cemeteries. for which there is
no room in the museum, but most OF them
are not remarkable and were the collins
of unimportant people.
| More attractive than Roman ruins are
| the fresh fields of the Tabar valley
| through which the road to Trau leads
It's vineyards. olive groves and almond
trees that are now in the glory Of theil
bloom. the aloe hedges and the winter
wheat are as green as green can be. and
are, indeed. the most fruitful spot M
l-haxe seen thus farm Dalmatia-- The Ia