GREEK CITIES IN ALBANIA (north epirus AND south illyria)
amantia...
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www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi...rd=Amantia
A town in Greek Illyria in the neighbourhood of Amantia [AMANTIA], said to have been founded after the Trojan War by the Abantes of Euboea and the inhabitants of the Locrian Thronium. It was taken at an early period by the inhabitants of the neighbouring town of Apollonia, and annexed to their territory, as appears from an epigram inscribed on a dedicatory offering of the Apolloniatae at Olympia. (Paus. v. 22. § § 3, 4.)
the way of the peaceful warrior:paradox,humor and change...
Re: GREEK CITIES IN ALBANIA (north epirus AND south illyria)
Phoenice...
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Phoenice was, according to Polybius ( ii. 5. 8 ) , the most important city in Epirus after the fall of the Molossian kingdom. It was probably therefore the capital of the Epirote Republic, and the place of mintage of the Federal currency (p. 324). In the same period it struck also municipal coins of bronze.
the way of the peaceful warrior:paradox,humor and change...
Re: GREEK CITIES IN ALBANIA (north epirus AND south illyria)
the graecoroman cities of albania...
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...and their names today
Re: GREEK CITIES IN ALBANIA (north epirus AND south illyria)
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www.latimes.com/travel/la...&cset=true
it is more than obvious that ancient greek and byzantine monuments will benefit albanian tourism very much...just like what happens in turkey...the greek cities of south albania-vouthroton,epidamnos,apollonia and others-already attract the interest of archaologists and some tourists...
was sipping an espresso at the Piazza bookstore, a trendy Tirana cafe where artists, writers and politicians hang out, listening to Neritan Ceka, Albania's leading archeological scholar. He was talking about a "spectacular" site under excavation in central Albania. "Byllis," Ceka said. "You must go to Byllis."
The Illyrian, Greek, Roman and Byzantine site, he said, is one of the most impressive recent discoveries, with a 20-row Greco-Roman amphitheater dating from the 2nd century, and 6th century Byzantine churches with mosaics rivaling any found in Greece or Turkey.
ADVERTISEMENTI had asked Ceka to help plan my visits to archeological sites, and his list blew me away. I'd had no clue of the scope and richness of the sites. Greek and Roman ruins in Apollonia. Modern Durres, built on top of Greek, Roman and Byzantine cities. Tombs belonging to (3rd and 4th century BC) Illyrian kings. Even in Tirana, a bustling modern metropolis, I saw a 4th century Roman house, uncovered recently at a construction site, its mosaic floors still intact.
Who knew Albania was such a treasure-trove? The Albanians I knew told me about the Balkan nation's mild Mediterranean climate, majestic Alps, pristine forests, untouched rivers and lakes, its magnificent vistas and miles of sandy beaches along the Adriatic. But archeological sites? No mention.
Albania, in the southeastern corner of Europe, was settled by the Illyrians, ancestors of present-day Albanians, in Paleolithic times. Situated where it is and surrounded by powerful, warring empires, Albania has seen a lot of violence throughout its history. Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans swept through, leaving their mark and their ruins.
For decades, the country's archeological treasures were virtually lost to the world. Communists took over in 1944, and dictator Enver Hoxha's iron grip kept the country isolated until the end of communism in the early 1990s.
That's when Albanian archeology captured the attention of experts around the world. The fledgling Albanian parliamentary democracy began a systematic program of excavation and conservation, in partnership with the Butrint Foundation, a British charitable trust, and other foreign organizations and colleges.
I came to Albania's capital last January to teach journalism at the University of Tirana under a Fulbright grant. After the semester's end in May — a good time to travel in Albania — I would have time to explore some sites around the country.
In the 15 years since the end of communism, Tirana has grown from a sleepy town of a few hundred thousand to a hopping metropolis, close to 1 million. The place, with garishly painted buildings, is crawling with cheerful sidewalk cafes overflowing with young people, Internet cafes, fitness centers, restaurants and clubs blaring rock and rap through the night. There's plenty to see and do here, if you can put up with the fumes and dust kicked up by the frenzied construction everywhere.
The capital was a great launch pad for most of my day trips to archeological sites. Albania is a tiny country, with a land area of 11,100 square miles and about 3 million people.
On Ceka's recommendation, I put Byllis on my list and planned my trip, leaving plenty of time for travel because, except for an 80-mile superhighway from Tirana to Lushnje, Albanian roads are a challenge, particularly at night.
(I advise traveling with a tour group or a guide, unless you are an adventurous, seasoned traveler. I made it a point to travel with an Albanian-speaking guide who could deal with unexpected police checkpoints, plus street vendors, beggars and hotel and restaurant staff. Although the country is safe for the most part, it's also wise to check with the State Department for travel advisories, www.travel.state.gov , before you visit.)
In May, the weather was balmy, the spring rains had finally stopped, and roads were clear to travel south, where most of the Greco-Roman sites are: Durres, Apollonia and extraordinary Butrint, which has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. I'd leave Byllis for last.
I started with Durres and Apollonia, because I could get there and return to Tirana in time for an "American Idol"-type songfest that Albanians love to watch on "telly" almost nightly.
*
Durres and Apollonia
THE city, only 24 miles from Tirana, was the ideal place to combine a bit of archeology with a nice seaside supper before heading back to the capital.
Albanians regard the dreary, industrial seaport as a hot spot because of its white sandy beaches, resorts and great fish restaurants. If you close your eyes to the mad, untamed construction on the coastline and the rubbish on the beach, Durres is an amazing repository of ruins from various historical eras, one layered over another.
You can see the marks left by Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans simply by driving around town.
A 14th century Venetian rotunda looks out to the harbor. Roman baths are behind the Aleksander Moisiu Theater in the central square. A 15th century mosque is built onto a former church from the Byzantine era. In the center of town, a Roman, 2nd century amphitheater, the largest in the Balkans, was discovered when a man dug into his backyard in 1966. It stands neglected and only partially excavated.
We approached the entrance. Soon, an old attendant hobbled to the rickety gate and opened the lock with a huge key. Inside, the amphitheater became oddly magical. Here, gladiators felled starved lions, and chariots rushed through the tunnel to an open arena as thousands of spectators roared with excitement. Here too is an early Christian chapel with broken mosaic images of St. Stephen, St. Mary and the archangels Gabriel and Michael.
On the way to the amphitheater, I had spotted the Archaeological Museum, where most of the artifacts found during excavations are exhibited, and had planned to stop there on my return. But it was closed, and this served as a good warning: Don't expect hours and schedules to be precise. Telephone numbers are also risky — many change without notice or disconnect altogether. And often you won't find street names posted, so rely on your taxi driver for directions.
About that time, dinner sounded good, so I headed to the tavernas along the Durres seaside, which are renowned for their grilled fish — the best in Albania. I ended the day among locals, feasting on a plate of fish and crisp potatoes fried in olive oil, accompanied by an icy Albanian Pilsener.
In contrast to Durres, Apollonia was everything a tourist expects of the perfect Hellenic-Roman archeological site. The Greeks settled themselves in the midst of an Illyrian city in 588 BC.
Apollonia's breathtaking location — on a promontory overlooking the shimmering Adriatic and aquamarine Vjosa River — is worth the 77-mile drive from Tirana.
The open plan makes it easy to stroll about the grassy knolls, imagining Julius Caesar planning his campaign against Pompey in the magnificent six-columned Monument of Agonothetes. Or by the Odeon, built when Apollonia was a center of learning and the future Roman Emperor Augustus was a student there.
I sat on an overturned column along the path listening to the sudden burst of what sounded like a Mozart concerto echoing from the beautiful 14th century Church of St. Mary — a rehearsal, I later learned, for an afternoon performance at the amphitheater. I gazed at the ruins of a small temple to the Greek goddess Artemis (to the Romans, Diana) and a triumphal arch and wandered past the 2nd century outlines of what were once homes of wealthy Apollonians. Beyond were the Roman baths and finally, a small, 2nd century amphitheater facing the Adriatic.
Back in Tirana that evening, I remembered Ceka's words. "You won't forget Byllis, will you?" But Byllis would have to wait. My next stop was Butrint.
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Butrint
AFTER driving 170 miles in a torrential rain, my driver and I arrived in Saranda in early evening, too late for a visit to Butrint, a few miles down the road.
Although there are hotels and restaurants around the site, most tourists make the resort city of Saranda their headquarters because it is filled with hopping seaside cafes, bars and luxury hotels and restaurants along the palm-fringed seaside promenade.
Saranda is an archeological city in its own right. It was fortified with walls in the 4th century by Romans. An early Christian basilica is decorated with exquisite mosaics. The Monastery of the 40 Saints (from which Saranda derives its name) is also a tourist stop.
It drizzled the following day too.
"What can you see in the rain? No one will be there," said my driver, Robert, who picked me up under an umbrella outside my hotel. But I insisted we drive to Butrint.
Robert was right. No one was around, except for a few archeologists from the Butrint Foundation making their way to the excavations, which include a palace and the foundations of a Roman villa thought to have belonged to Cicero's correspondent, Atticus.
Butrint is magically situated on Lake Butrint, where such writers as Virgil, Racine and Baudelaire found inspiration.
I breathed in the fragrant, moist air along the woodsy glades and muddy paths. I passed ancient baths, thick mossy walls, an amphitheater and fallen columns. I almost expected Lord Byron to rise from the ruins; it has that languorous quality of the 19th century grand tour about it.
The rediscovered city of Butrint is probably more significant today than it was when Caesar used it as a provisions depot for his troops during his campaigns in the 1st century BC. It was considered an unimportant outpost, Ceka said, overshadowed by the likes of Apollonia and Durres. I felt transported to another time and space.
In 2000, the Albanian government established Butrint National Park, which draws about 50,000 visitors annually. Cultural performances are held in the huge amphitheater.
Next on my tour was Byllis, Ceka's favorite site, about halfway between Butrint and Tirana.
But I never did get there. Robert thought the muddy roads would be dangerous. "The rain could be a problem," he said again.
So I threw up my hands and called it a day. We headed toward Vlora via the Logora Pass to pick up the coastal road back to Tirana. We climbed limestone cliffs overlooking the aquamarine waters where the Adriatic and Ionian seas meet. We passed quaint villages, plush pine forests, groves of oranges and olives and medieval churches.
For dinner, we munched on spit-roasted lamb at a roadside restaurant, mesmerized by the beauty of the forest against the blue sea miles away. It's a good thing, I thought, that the construction barons had not yet tapped into this beautiful segment of Albania. I hope they never will.
the way of the peaceful warrior:paradox,humor and change...
Re: GREEK CITIES IN ALBANIA (north epirus AND south illyria)
i had included vouthroton in the greek cities of illyria (page 12) by mistake...but this city is located in epirus,specifically in chaonia...it was the greatest city of these epirote greek people...today it belongs in south albania,north epirus,and it is called butrint by the albs...
whc.unesco.org/sites/570.htm
Brief description:
Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint has been the site of a Greek colony, a Roman city and a bishopric. Following a period of prosperity under Byzantine administration, then a brief occupation by the Venetians, the city was abandoned in the late Middle Ages after marshes formed in the area. The present archaeological site is a repository of ruins representing each period in the city's development.
Threats to the Site:
The civil disturbances in the country in early 1997 did not cause any irreversible damage to the archaeological site itself, but the showcases of the museum were opened and looted. No inventory of the stolen objects has yet been made, but fortunately the site's most famous treasure, the marble head of the 2nd-century BC ?Goddess of Butrint? had been moved to Tirana before the event.
The Committee's concern over the continued lack of adequate protection, management, and conservation of the site led to its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1997 with the full support of the Minister of Culture of Albania who voiced his government's concern and commitment to the preservation of the site.
A joint mission to Butrint in October 1997 had noted that the site remains vulnerable for a number of reasons, including the lack of proper fencing. Two water pumps used to preserve the ancient theatre from infiltration had been stolen earlier that year and had to be replaced. Computers and other equipment were also needed to prepare an inventory, and other urgent needs had to be met. The Committee allocated an amount of US$100,000 as emergency assistance in December 1997.
The Butrint Foundation organised in April 1998 a workshop to define the guidelines for a master plan and in September 1998 on the presentation and preservation of the baptistery and its extremely well preserved mosaics. The Government of Greece made a high-level expert available for the workshop. Consultations are underway with the European Union, The World Bank and public and private organisations, with a view to incorporate the planning for Butrint in local and regional planning schemes.
The Government of Albania decided in August 1998 to create an Office for the Protection of the World Heritage Site of Butrint for co-ordination and implementation of coherent actions for the site.
The World Heritage Committee on the other hand, confirmed that it places particular importance on the redefinition of the boundaries and buffer zone of the site, as well as the preparation of a management and master plan.
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Walking around the archaeological site, admiring its rich array of Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian monuments set in woodland glades, it became clear that to focus only on excavating one or two monuments or to survey the archaeology of the region would be indulgent. Of these monuments, the most striking were the elegant fourth-century B.C. Greek theater with its fine cavea and Roman scaenae frons, the associated Greek sanctuary of Asclepius, immediately to the west of the theater, the line of Roman-period courtyard houses and bath-houses, east of the theater disposed around the forum (as yet unexcavated), the ruins of a Byzantine palace close to the Butrint canal, the large Byzantine baptistry with its intact mosaic pavement dating to the early sixth century, the well-preserved sixth-century basilica (refurbished in later medieval times), the ruins of a second-century nymphaeum immediately adjacent to the basilica, and the kilometers of high, imposing walls dating from Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and medieval occupations.
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In 1925 he journeyed through Albania and chose two sites for excavations. The first, a saddlebacked hilltop known as the Phoenice, had been a capital in the early Greek era. After two years, in 1928, he re-located his mission to Butrint.
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Historians argue whether Butrint in these centuries was a Chaonian tribal city or a Corfiot colony. In either case it was a notable port on the Adriatic seaway.
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Re: GREEK CITIES IN ALBANIA (north epirus AND south illyria)
butrint a greek city? it was established by illyrians man, invaded by romans , byzantium etc
Re: GREEK CITIES IN ALBANIA (north epirus AND south illyria)
the original name of butrint was actually vouthroton...
the way of the peaceful warrior:paradox,humor and change...
Meltdown711 Honorary Member XMod
Posts: 6913
(11/25/06 10:27 pm) Reply
hmm
Quote:butrint a greek city? it was established by illyrians man, invaded by romans , byzantium etc
It was a Greek city Xhamlliku. It lasted until the 14th century. However the Greeks there could not deal with all of the Albs raiding and pillaging so instead of fighting they packed their bags and abandoned the area. Thats why its not a city today... And the misquito filled marshes around it played a good part.
Leandros, you should visit Butrint one day. Very interesting place the Italian have excavated, just make sure you bring a lot of misquito repellent and possibly a cure for malaria. Edited by: Meltdown711 at: 11/25/06 10:28 pm
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