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From an Idea to the Realization: How Did the Story of Diocletians Dream Begin?

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Diocletians Dream is Croatia’s first virtual reality experience, and it is one of the biggest attractions in Split. This is an attraction that combines modern technology and ancient heritage in a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it shows Diocletian Palace in the light and splendor of the former self.

Virtual reality is the language of the new generation and of those who are open to new, interesting, and educational experiences. Thanks to VR technology, traveling back in time has never been easier. Diocletians Dream allows you to step back in time to 305 AD and experience Diocletian’s Palace, a retirement home of the Roman Emperor, in a completely new way.

This VR specialty museum aims to tell part of the Diocletian story in a new and original way that opens a completely new perspective on the approach and presentation of cultural and historical heritage. Through a 15-minute animated film with a script, Severin (Diocletian’s slave) takes you on a tour of the royal chambers and presents you with many fascinating facts about Diocletian’s life and reign as one of the Roman Empire’s most powerful emperors.

Time and various historical influences have taken their toll and, naturally, the palace is not in its original condition today. Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine what Diocletian’s Palace was like when it was first built, let alone to visualize what it was built for – the retirement home of Emperor Diocletian. That is why Diocletians Dream is a great addition to the walking tours of Split and the palace as it brings the history of the palace to life and helps you to visualize the life of Diocletian.

This whole idea of a VR specialty museum came to life after Declan O’Rourke, one of the two owners of the Diocletians Dream, took a walking tour of Diocletian’s Palace. A walking tour of the palace is one of the most popular things to do in Split, however, when doing the tour with a bigger group of people, through crowded streets, and on a typical hot summer day in Split, you do not always get the most of it. In addition, observing the ruins of the palace and its walls requires a lot of imagination if you want to put the whole picture of the palace from 305 AD together.

Using modern technology to bring the palace to life seemed to be a fantastic opportunity to help people overcome the difficulty of visualization of the palace and to give them a place to escape the summer heat and crowded streets. The way the story is told, using audio and visual tools, is specifically designed to make people remember it even after they leave the museum.

Tomo Taraš, Declan’s long-term friend and a business partner, was interested in the idea of bringing something so innovative, educational, and exciting to his hometown from the start. And just like that, the realization process started and lasted for 18 months. Finally, in May 2020, Diocletians Dream opened its door to the public. Today, they count more than 15 000 happy and satisfied visitors who are, judging by their impressions and reviews, very thrilled by the experience.

The only thing that is left to say is that this is an experience you should not miss when visiting Split! Book your visit now and enjoy the VR tour of the Diocletian Palace.

Diocletian’s Dream is Croatia’s first virtual reality experience, and it is one of the biggest attractions in Split. This is an attraction that combines modern technology and ancient heritage in a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it shows Diocletian Palace in the light and splendor of the former self.

Virtual reality is the language of the new generation and of those who are open to new, interesting, and educational experiences. Thanks to VR technology, traveling back in time has never been easier. Diocletians Dream allows you to step back in time to 305 AD and experience Diocletian’s Palace, a retirement home of the Roman Emperor, in a completely new way.

This VR specialty museum aims to tell part of the Diocletian story in a new and original way that opens a completely new perspective on the approach and presentation of cultural and historical heritage. Through a 15-minute animated film with a script, Severin (Diocletian’s slave) takes you on a tour of the royal chambers and presents you with many fascinating facts about Diocletian’s life and reign as one of the Roman Empire’s most powerful emperors.

Time and various historical influences have taken their toll and, naturally, the palace is not in its original condition today. Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine what Diocletian’s Palace was like when it was first built, let alone to visualize what it was built for – the retirement home of Emperor Diocletian. That is why Diocletians Dream is a great addition to the walking tours of Split and the palace as it brings the history of the palace to life and helps you to visualize the life of Diocletian.

This whole idea of a VR specialty museum came to life after Declan O’Rourke, one of the two owners of the Diocletians Dream, took a walking tour of Diocletian’s Palace. A walking tour of the palace is one of the most popular things to do in Split, however, when doing the tour with a bigger group of people, through crowded streets, and on a typical hot summer day in Split, you do not always get the most of it. In addition, observing the ruins of the palace and its walls requires a lot of imagination if you want to put the whole picture of the palace from 305 AD together.

Using modern technology to bring the palace to life seemed to be a fantastic opportunity to help people overcome the difficulty of visualization of the palace and to give them a place to escape the summer heat and crowded streets. The way the story is told, using audio and visual tools, is specifically designed to make people remember it even after they leave the museum.

Tomo Taraš, Declan’s long-term friend and a business partner, was interested in the idea of bringing something so innovative, educational, and exciting to his hometown from the start. And just like that, the realization process started and lasted for 18 months. Finally, in May 2020, Diocletians Dream opened its door to the public. Today, they count more than 15 000 happy and satisfied visitors who are, judging by their impressions and reviews, very thrilled by the experience.

The only thing that is left to say is that this is an experience you should not miss when visiting Split! Book your visit now and enjoy the VR tour of the Diocletian Palace.

Who was Diocletian?

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The Organizational Genius Who Saved Roman Empire

It is believed that Diocletian saved the Roman Empire from extinction; today, he remains a powerful and controversial figure in history, part tyrant and part organizational genius.

Diocletian was a powerful emperor who brought the Roman world out of turmoil. He gained respect where others failed miserably and was described as a great reformer with a harsh personality.

 

 

Diocletian was born in the Balkans in 244, and he grew up in a chaotic environment with little government or stability. He had begun life in obscurity – his father was said to be a freed slave – but driving energy, the force of personality, and a genius for administration propelled him through a career in the army.

Just before he was born, the Roman Severan dynasty had given the army undue power. As a result, almost anyone popular among the troops could proclaim himself emperor. When Alexander Severus, the last Severan emperor, was assassinated in 235, the legions raised and promptly murdered one man after another.

Rome experienced a prolonged period of anarchy in the third century AD, which nearly destroyed the Empire. There were at least 60 claimants to the throne over 50 years, and many emperors ruled for only a few months. Rome was still dealing with internal rebellions, barbarian incursions, and multiple claimants to the throne when Diocletian was proclaimed emperor. The Roman Empire had devolved into a shaky shell of what it had once been.

The rise to power of Diocletian was very typical for this time. He was a strong military commander who was popular among his troops, and his legions proclaimed him Emperor in Nicomedia (modern Turkey) in 284. Diocletian understood how dangerous it was to be proclaimed emperor as the vast majority of emperors were assassinated shortly after their coronation. He knew that he needed to act quickly and build his power base.

Because of the authoritarian nature of the monarchy at the time, the Diocletian rule and the period
that followed it, are sometimes referred to as the dominant. However, this form of rule seemed to
be necessary for such a time of chaos. Diocletian had to make people believe that all the power truly resided in his hands and that it could not be taken away from him. This was the only way for him to ensure that he is not vulnerable and his ability to create such a powerful image of himself was extremely effective. As a result, he maintained power for 20 years!

Diocletian was the first emperor who broke many taboos and who took a different approach to presiding. He wore a diadem, a royal symbol that few emperors dared to wear. In his presence, his subjects were required to kneel. Access to him was extremely limited and the ordinary citizens were banned from wearing purple, as it became the preserve of royalty. As an emperor, Diocletian faced many struggles to preserve the stability of the empire. He had to make military reforms and deal with a lot of structural problems that had brought the empire to its knees. In addition, one of the major issues that he was facing was hyperinflation and he is known as the only Emperor who had tried to find a working solution to this economic meltdown. When it comes to his legacy to the Roman Empire, Diocletian’s military reforms served their purpose and kept Rome stable, and Rome never had an internal conflict on the scale of the one from the 3rd century. Diocletian’s political acumen put his head and shoulders above any previous emperor. Most of his successors would replicate his hard-won stability by adopting his dictatorial
leadership style. It is safe to say that Diocletian resuscitated Rome, and due to his efforts, the empire carried on until the 5th century.

 

 

Diocletian is also known as the only Roman emperor that retired voluntarily. Diocletian’s Palace became a retirement home, and it is believed that Diocletian spent the rest of his life quietly in his palace, gardening.

The Organizational Genius Who Saved Roman Empire

It is believed that Diocletian saved the Roman Empire from extinction; today, he remains a powerful and controversial figure in history, part tyrant and part organizational genius.

Diocletian was a powerful emperor who brought the Roman world out of turmoil. He gained respect where others failed miserably and was described as a great reformer with a harsh personality.

 

 

Diocletian was born in the Balkans in 244, and he grew up in a chaotic environment with little government or stability. He had begun life in obscurity – his father was said to be a freed slave – but driving energy, the force of personality, and a genius for administration propelled him through a career in the army.

Just before he was born, the Roman Severan dynasty had given the army undue power. As a result, almost anyone popular among the troops could proclaim himself emperor. When Alexander Severus, the last Severan emperor, was assassinated in 235, the legions raised and promptly murdered one man after another.

Rome experienced a prolonged period of anarchy in the third century AD, which nearly destroyed the Empire. There were at least 60 claimants to the throne over 50 years, and many emperors ruled for only a few months. Rome was still dealing with internal rebellions, barbarian incursions, and multiple claimants to the throne when Diocletian was proclaimed emperor. The Roman Empire had devolved into a shaky shell of what it had once been.

The rise to power of Diocletian was very typical for this time. He was a strong military commander who was popular among his troops, and his legions proclaimed him Emperor in Nicomedia (modern Turkey) in 284. Diocletian understood how dangerous it was to be proclaimed emperor as the vast majority of emperors were assassinated shortly after their coronation. He knew that he needed to act quickly and build his power base.

Because of the authoritarian nature of the monarchy at the time, the Diocletian rule and the period
that followed it, are sometimes referred to as the dominant. However, this form of rule seemed to
be necessary for such a time of chaos. Diocletian had to make people believe that all the power truly resided in his hands and that it could not be taken away from him. This was the only way for him to ensure that he is not vulnerable and his ability to create such a powerful image of himself was extremely effective. As a result, he maintained power for 20 years!

Diocletian was the first emperor who broke many taboos and who took a different approach to presiding. He wore a diadem, a royal symbol that few emperors dared to wear. In his presence, his subjects were required to kneel. Access to him was extremely limited and the ordinary citizens were banned from wearing purple, as it became the preserve of royalty. As an emperor, Diocletian faced many struggles to preserve the stability of the empire. He had to make military reforms and deal with a lot of structural problems that had brought the empire to its knees. In addition, one of the major issues that he was facing was hyperinflation and he is known as the only Emperor who had tried to find a working solution to this economic meltdown. When it comes to his legacy to the Roman Empire, Diocletian’s military reforms served their purpose and kept Rome stable, and Rome never had an internal conflict on the scale of the one from the 3rd century. Diocletian’s political acumen put his head and shoulders above any previous emperor. Most of his successors would replicate his hard-won stability by adopting his dictatorial
leadership style. It is safe to say that Diocletian resuscitated Rome, and due to his efforts, the empire carried on until the 5th century.

 

 

Diocletian is also known as the only Roman emperor that retired voluntarily. Diocletian’s Palace became a retirement home, and it is believed that Diocletian spent the rest of his life quietly in his palace, gardening.