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Tabula Imperii Romani J 34 – Athens: Epirus

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Vyron Antoniadis
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J 34 – ATHENS
EPIRUS
Published by the Research Centre for Antiquity of the Academy of Athens
14, Anagnostopoulou Street
106 73 Athens, Greece

© Academy of Athens

ISSN 2241-2824
ISBN 978-960-404-308-8

Editing: Eftychia Achladi

TABVLA IMPERII ROMANI

J 34 – ATHENS

EPIRUS

by

VYRON ANTONIADIS

ACADEMY OF ATHENS

2016
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 11
ABBREVIATIONS 13
EPIRUS 21
AMBRACIA 23
INDEX 24
Ambracia 24
Ambracus 25
Korfovouni 25
Koronisia 25
Kostakioi 25
Salaora 26
Sellades 26
Sykies 26

CASSOPAIA 27
INDEX 28
Agios Georgios 28
Alepochori-Botsari 28
Alonaki 28
Ano Rachi 28
Archangelos 28
Batiai 28
Bestia 28
Bouchetion 29
Cassope 29
Chalikia 30
Charadros 31
Comarus 31
Elatria 31
Fragkoklissia 31
Grammeno Plain 32
Kamarina 32
Kanali 32
Kastrosykia 32
Kokkinopilos Area 32
Louros 32
Loutsa 33
Mazoma Lagoon 33
Michalitsi 33
Nea Sampsounta 33
Nicopolis 33
Panagia 46

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Pandosia 46
Pnevmatikos Pharos-Tarana 47
Pogonitsa Lake 47
Preveza 47
Riza 47
Rizovouni 47
Romano 48
Sistrouni 48
Spilaion 48
Stefani 48
Strongyli 48
Thesprotiko 48
Trikastro 48
Valanidorachi 48
Valanidoussa 48
Vathy bay 49
Vouvopotamos 49

MOLOSSIS 51
INDEX 51
Aetopetra 51
Agia Marina 51
Agios Georgios 51
Anthochori 52
Areti 52
Artopoula 52
Dipotamo 52
Dodona 52
Dramesioi 55
Giourganista 55
Grammeno 55
Horraon 55
Iliorrachi 55
Ioannina 56
Kalogeritsa hill 56
Kastaniani 56
Katsikas 56
Kerasea 56
Kerasovo 56
Konitsa 56
Kopani 57
Ktismata 57
Longades 57
Lyngos 57
Manassi 57
Metsovo 57
Oraiokastro 57
Passaron 58
Pedini 59

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Perdika 59
Pistiana 59
Santinia 59
Serviana 59
Stavraki 59
Tekmon 59
Vasiliko 60

THESPROTIA 61
INDEX 61
Agia 61
Agia Kyriaki 62
Agia Kyriaki 62
Agios Georgios 62
Anthousa 62
Avlotopos 62
Chalasma 62
Cocytus Valley 62
Elea 64
Elina 65
Ephyra 65
Filiates 65
Gitana 65
Gkrika 66
Glyki 66
Glykys Limen 66
Grekochori 66
Igoumenitsa 66
Karioti 66
Karteri 67
Kasnetsi 67
Kefalochori 67
Kiperi 67
Koritiani 67
Koroni 67
Kryovrysi 67
Krystallopigi 67
Ladochori 67
Lia 69
Limnopoula 69
Mandrotopos 69
Margariti 69
Mastilitsa 69
Mazarakia 69
Nea Seleukeia 70
Nekromanteion 70
Neochori 70
Palaiokastro 70
Paramythia 70

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Phanote 70
Phoiniki 71
Photike 71
Polydroso 72
Polyneri 72
Ragiou Tower 72
Smertos 72
Torone 72
Toryne 72

INDEX OF PLACE-NAMES

MAPS
Map J34 Athens
Map 1: Ambracia
Map 2: Cassopaia
Map 3: Molossis
Map 4: Thesprotia
Map 5: Cocytus Valley
Map 6: Ladochory, Igoumenitsa, Grekochori
Map 7: Nicopolis

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 INTRODUCTION

This volume of the Tabula Imperii Romani (TIR) covers an important part of Map J34-Athens, which explores the
region of Epirus. Following the tradition of previous TIR volumes published by the Academy of Athens, it
records and analyses the Roman presence and activity in Epirus. The index and maps, hopefully, will permit a
better experience in visiting and comprehending the various sites, which in many cases are located in rather remote
and isolated areas.

The Region
Epirus, for the purposes of this volume, is geographically confined within the borders of the Modern Greek
state. It is an area which extends from the northern coast of the Ambracian gulf to the Greek-Albanian border
and from the Ionian Sea to the Pindus mountain range. The landscape is dominated by many rivers, their tributaries
and the distinctive mountain ranges. Modern Epirus is divided into four Regional Units (formerly prefectures,
nomoi): Ioannina, Thesprotia, Preveza and Arta. It would be rather confusing to separate and investigate Epirus
only in modern geographical and administrative terms which in fact have changed quite frequently. Additionally,
ancient place-names and areas within Epirus do not always match with their modern use. The Regional Unit of
Thesprotia for example, does not occupy exactly the same territory as the Epirote ethnos of Thesprotians did in
antiquity. Moreover, even in ancient times the borders and areas controlled by the various Epirote tribes and
southern Greek colonies were by no means fixed: before the Roman conquest, the Molossians expanded from
the Ioannina basin mainly towards the west and south. Even earlier, Elis and Corinth had founded colonies in
Epirus and there was a constant struggle for the control of arable land and ports.
In order to study the modern region of Epirus in the cultural and historical framework of the Roman Re-
public, the Imperial and the Late Roman periods, attention must be paid first to the people who dwelt in this area
at the time of the Roman conquest. For this reason, Epirus, in the present study, is separated into four sections
that represent the areas occupied and controlled by the main Epirote ethnoi and the southern Greek colonies:
Molossis, Thesprotia, Cassopaia (including the colonies of Elis) and Ambracia. Even under Roman hegemony,
the boundaries between those ethnoi and the autonomy of each remained important at least until the victories of
Octavian. For each area an account of the territorial changes throughout antiquity is provided, especially during
the Roman period, as well as its current administrative and geographical status. Since only the areas located in
the modern Administrative Region of Epirus will be studied, the Ionian Islands and the southern coast of the
Ambracian Gulf, which once formed part of Epirus Vetus, have not been included. The same applies to the
Epirote Chaonian ethnos and the cities located in modern day Albania. The Athamanians will be considered in the
volume on Thessaly.

Chronological Framework
This research begins after the Roman victory at Pydna in 168 BC with the historical turning point in 167 BC
when the Romans proceeded to destroy the Epirote cities and establish their sovereignty. The end of the period
under consideration is not defined by a single event but by factors of more political and religious character which
extend further than the fourth century AD: the gradual rise of Christianity and the creation of the Eastern Roman
Empire in the late fourth century AD, do not entirely wipe out the previous way of life. Even in the fifth century
AD there is evidence of public and private buildings, as well as burials, which provide an uninterrupted chrono-
logical sequence with previous periods and may still be associated with the ancient Greco-Roman world. Hence,

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 the present volume includes a selection of archaeological finds from the beginning, the middle and, in few cases,
even the end of the fifth century AD. This is the period that has been described as Late Roman, Late Antique,
Early Christian or Proto-Byzantine, according to the preference of the excavator or investigator of each site.
Contemporary Christian monuments are not included in this volume, unless they are directly associated with
Roman finds, in order to avoid overlap with the Tabula Imperii Byzantini.

Index-Maps-Abbreviations
The form of the index, as well as of the maps, is identical to that in Karvonis – Mikedaki, TIR: J35-Smyrna I:
Aegean Islands with minor changes: The Greek form of the place-names and the main modern administration di-
vision (Municipality, Regional Unit), in accordance with the Kalikratis Administrative Plan (2010), are two signif-
icant changes in comparison to the index of J35.
Four new symbols have been added to the maps (Gate/Porta, Amphitheatre/Amphitheatrum, Stadium, Gym-
nasium). Some of the symbols depicting common archaeological finds (pottery, architectural remains, etc.) are
deliberately omitted in the case of long-term ongoing excavations to avoid “overcrowding” on maps. In certain
cases, modern settlements are marked, although they lack Roman antiquities, in order to make the map more
user-friendly, not only for experts but also for visitors.
Abbreviated references to ancient authors follow H. G. Liddell – R. Scott – H. S. Jones, A Greek English
Lexikon (1925-1930) xvi – xlviii and A. Souter – J. M. Wyllie et al., Oxford Latin Dictionary (1963). Abbreviations
of journals and series follow Archäologischer Anzeiger 1997, 611-628 and Archäologische Bibliographie 1993, ix-xliii,
and for those of epigraphic texts the abbreviations of Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum. For the transliteration
of the place-names, the spelling proposed by UN/ ELOT system is used with the exception of the ancient and
very well established anglicised place-names (e.g. Ambracia not Ambrakia, Corinth not Korinthos).

Acknowledgments
I am grateful to the supervising Academician of the TIR project V. Petrakos, for his constant help and support.
P. Karvonis, V. Machaira and G. Zachos made important suggestions throughout the research and writing of this
volume. I am especially thankful to D. Sakkas. The work was benefited from many discussions I had with him on
Nicopolis. G. Pliakou, N. Choinas and Y. Stoyas kindly provided invaluable topographical evidence regarding
Molossis and Ambracia. Regarding the manuscript, Evangelia Georgiou made some very important observations.
I would also like to thank the staff of the Archaeological Society at Athens Library. Maps were created by Pinelopi
Matsouka and the English editing was carried out by Nicola Wardle.
Vyron Antoniadis
December 2015, Athens

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