Episode 84

Episode 84 - Theater #4

Welcome back, prijatelji! It’s time for another edition of Podcast Theater with LLC.

We hope you’re as excited as we are!

Uncle Mike, Tony D. and DJ Moe are getting together to watch Croatia in the World Cup and only speaking Croatian.

Join in the fun!

Lesson

to bring - donijeti

to fall asleep - zaspati

to wake up - probuditi se

to eat - jesti

later - kasnije

soon - uskoro

against - protiv

Super Slatko Report

Today’s Super Slatko report is on Diocletians Aqueduct.

For those of you who have never been to Split, one of the things they tell visitors is that it’s ok, better yet encouraged, to drink from any of the public water fountains in Split. As the water is famous for being extremely clean and fresh. And according to who you ask, it has been this way since Roman rule.

Much of what I heard from my stay is that the water has always been clean, since Diocletians era, so let’s start there.

As we heard in Super Slatko 70 & 77, Diocletian had a palace built for himself on the Riva in Split. A grand palace that functioned as both his retirement estate and a military garrison, right on the Adriatic Sea.

The question is, how did Diocletian support himself and the mass entourage of soldiers and local infrastructure for a fresh water source? 

Turns out that when the palace was under construction, a second build was taking place simultaneously, known as Diocletians aqueduct.

A 9km (5.5 mile) 3% sloping water way, that diverted water from the Jadro River to Split and surrounding areas. The water way begins at the mouth of an underground river called the Mosor. The water way stays underground for a bit, crossing beneath two valleys working it’s way south before reaching Solin. Here is where the aqueduct makes its way topside, the water was then carried across archways, as it slopes its way toward Split. In Dujmovaca, the lowest depression of land along the water way, 28 arches are at their tallest, with streets just beneath. From there it makes its way to the city of Lovret where it makes its way back underground and over to Diocletians palace and Split.

Today Diocletians Aqueduct is more of a landmark than anything else, a symbol of great ingenuity and architectural prowess. The water supply to Split and  it’s surrounding areas has been updated, as well as the water you can find at the public water fountains. The water is still sourced from the Jadro River, but it now flows in an updated water system, which is vigorously tested along the way to ensure purity and safety to all that wish to consume it.

Croatia has a well-developed water safety system, which includes community education, water safety signs, and continuous monitoring of water quality. The country is well aware of its water rights and obligations. According to researchers, the Jadro River supplies a clean source of fresh water to begin with, so the Diocletian Aqueduct wasn’t probably too far off in its day.

And that it for my Super Slatko Report.