Epidamnos, Dyrrachion/Dyrrachium, Durrës

Greek, Roman and Byzantine Architecture of the city, in the view from the third millennium

Abstrakti

The modern city of Durrës, Albania’s second largest city, is built on the remains of the ancient known as Epidamnos or Dyrrachion, transformed into Dyrrachium in Roman period, dates from the seventh century BC.

Durrës is the first and the most strategic city on the Adriatic Sea. It was a major port of Illyria for Italy, whence a branch of the Via Egnatia runs past (technically bypasses) Salonica to Constantinople subsequently to link New with Old Rome. 

This city on the Eastern Shore of the Adriatic Sea was very important in Balkans and Mediterranean basin.

Being in the same territory for around 27 centuries it was always difficult for archaeological excavations. Few monuments discovered such as the Archaic Temple decorated with painted architectural terracotta and dated in the third quarter of the sixth century BC; the Hellenistic villas, decorated with mosaics, dated in fourth century BC; the roman villas decorated with black and white or polychrome mosaics, dated in first and fourth centuries AD; the Public Bath, constructed at the end of first century or the beginning of second century AD; the Acquaeduct, constructed during the reign of Hadrian Emperor (117-138 AD). (the water was from the natural sources 15 km far from the city); the

Amphitheatre, constructed in the beginning of second century AD; the Chapel in the Amphitheatre is adapted on the constructions of amphitheatre perhaps in the second half of fourth century; Byzantine Round Forum, constructed under the reign of Anastasius (491-518 AD);the St. Michel Monastery, well known for the beautiful mosaic;the Byzantine Walls, constructed under the reign of Justinian (527 to 565 AD); are a good testimony of architectural development of the city in Greek, Roman and Byzantine period.

In these days, from the third millennium, I wanted to present the flourishing architectural heritage of this very important city, through its long history, that’s in thispaper covers13 centuries.