Diocletian's Feast

Gastronomy through history, and how Split began with the food choices of Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian’s Feast is a themed event in which the Emperor himself welcomes the guests, dressed in imperial robes. He tells the story of his journey across the Mediterranean and of why he chose Split, of the Palace as the home he had dreamed of, of the people who lived there, and of the dishes they prepared and the way they enjoyed them.

The aim of this project is to create content that is attractive to visitors and that connects the Palace, the historical story and gastronomy.

Diocletian’s Feast takes place in the ideal setting, the cellars of Diocletian’s Palace. There is one premiere event each year, and as a visitor attraction it runs once a week in the evening on available dates. The feast lasts about 2 hours. It includes a welcome speech by Emperor Diocletian in English, togas for all guests, laurel wreaths, and 7 imperial courses prepared and presented by Diocletian’s chef, with fine wines, full service and Diocletian’s certificate of thanks.

Eating and drinking together was an important social ritual in the Roman world, generally known as the banquet. Public banquets, such as civic feasts, were open to all residents of the city and gathered a large number of guests.

The dinner we organise as a Roman banquet is a different kind of event. The imperial approach is closer to the meals held in private residences, where the host entertained a small group of friends, family, business partners and clients.

Roman literary sources describe elite private banquets as a feast for the senses, where the host set out to impress his guests with extravagant food. The food and drink served were meant to please the guests and to add an element of spectacle to the meal. Exotic products, especially those from wild animals, birds and fish, were favoured at elite dinners because they were rare. That made them hard to obtain and expensive, and it showed the wealth of the host.