By the 1st century BC, the romans had seized control, and their imprint is undeniable. Roman Dalmatia, with its mosaic of roads, linked the coast to the far reaches of the empire. Salona, the former capital of Roman Dalmatia, had an amphitheater capable of holding up to 18,000 spectators. And yet, Salona’s fate was sealed by the great migrations of the Slavs and Avars in the 7th century.

The early Slavic settlers, who would later form the foundation of the Croatian identity, brought their own traditions and customs. These tribes were masters of survival, establishing small, self-sufficient communities, and often adapting to the land’s mountainous terrain and dense forests. Their influence on the region is so deep that many of today’s rural customs in Croatia, such as the construction of drystone walls, date back to these early settlers.

By the time the medieval period dawned, Croatia’s identity had already begun to take shape. The Christianisation of the region, driven by missionaries and the construction of early churches, would play a key role in uniting the tribes. The early Croatian rulers, such as Trpimir and Tomislav, laid the groundwork for what would later become a kingdom, with a royal lineage that still fascinates historians.