The Roman Emperor needed a nice little retirement home late in the third century, and this solved those needs. It's right by the shore in Split. Half of the place went for Diocletian's personal use, while the rest of the space was devoted to the military. The walls used to be 80 feet high in the old days, and they are still quite substantial now.
He had served the Romans well in many ways. Diocletian's biggest accomplishment probably was to split the Roman Empire into East and West portions, as he kept the Eastern one for himself. The territory must have been getting unwieldy at that point. Besides, taking on a partner in government makes it less likely that the partner will turn on you down the road - which seemed to happen a lot back then.
The building has held up nicely over the years, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's become a major focus of Split's Old Town, as a few thousand people live and work there to this day. There are fewer souvenir stores than you might think, but restaurants and other businesses have adapted to the old environment nicely.
Come along for a walk.
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