Greek, Roman and Byzantine Architecture of Epidamnos, Dyrrachion/Dyrrachium, Durrës

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 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 second quarter of the sixth century BC; the Hellenistic villa, decorated with polychrome opus vermiculatum 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 aqueduct, constructed during the reign of Hadrian Emperor (117–138 AD); the Amphitheatre, constructed in the beginning of second century AD; the Chapel of the amphitheatre is adapted on the amphitheatre in the second half of fourth century, first decorated with frescos and later, in the sixth century, decorated with mosaics; Byzantine Round Forum, constructed under the reign of Anastasius (49–518 AD) or Justinian (527 to 565 AD); the Byzantine Walls, constructed under the reign of Justinian (527 to 565 AD); the St. Michel Monastery, with the beautiful mosaics; are a good testimony of architectural development of the city in Greek, Roman and Byzantine period. The city used an orthogonal system in the town planning.