The palace was built for the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the 4th and 3rd centuries, today it is about half of the old town of Split, Croatia. While it is referred to as a "palace" because of its intended use as the retirement residence of Diocletian, the term can be misleading as the structure more resembles a large fortress: about half of it was for Diocletian's personal use, and the rest housed the military garrison.