The Via
Egnatia as mentioned earlier (see: Via
Egnatia, a road to remember) was built by the Romans in the 2ndcentury AD and served as a major connection between To name a city after the sun god Apollo seems to have been very popular in Greek history as we find several cities by the name of Apollonia in Turkey (Lycia, Mysia, Pisidia, etc.); in Sicily, Italy; in Greece itself (Thessaloniki, Chalcidice, Kavalla, etc) and in Crete; in Libya, where it was the harbor of wealthy Cyrene; and finally here in Illyria, modern Albania.
This time, I’ll be concentrating on Apollonia
in Albania , located at
about 7 kilometers
from Fier (see: Alexander’s
psychological warfare in Pelion, Illyria). The city is well
documented during Roman times and the remains are obviously very Roman too. For
Alexander this was deep into Illyrian
country, just beyond the northern border of Epirus
The original name was Gylakeia, after its
founder Gylax who belonged to the
Illyrian tribe of the Taulantii. It were the Greek colonists migrating from Corinth andCorfu
in 588 BC who changed the name into Apollonia. They were the ones who
controlled the city and ruled over the Illyrians. Money was made from slave
trade and agriculture, but maybe mostly through the supply of asphalt that was
a valuable material for the caulking of ships in antiquity. Located on a branch
of the Via
Egnatia, it is obvious that it was an important harbor along the
Illyrian coastline to link up with Brindisi on
the other side of the Adriatic Sea and a transit port for all kinds of goods
travelling between Byzantium andRome
This is the area where King Pyrrhus (a great-nephew of Olympias
and cousin of Alexander the Great) ruled
roughly from 306 till 272 BC, while mingling in Macedonian affairs in the wake
of the Diadochi Wars. He tried to keep the Romans out of 
The visitor’s attention is immediately drawn
towards a colonnaded façade that could be part of a temple but turns out to be
the entrance to the Bouleuterion from the second century AD – quite unusual
since generally the tiers of such a city council survive but not the portal. The
columns are definitely Corinthian and in the architrave above them we can still
read the Greek dedication: “To the memory
and in honor of Valentinus Villius Furius Proculus from his brother Quintus
Villius Crispinus Furius Proculus, prefect of cohort in Syria, tribune of the
Legion Gemina in Pannonia, and president of the sacred games. A fight of 25
gladiators was held for the inauguration.” This Bouleuterion is surrounded
on three sides by rooms, some kind of annexes to the 
Across from the Bouleuterion are two big stumps
of stone indicating the site of a triumphal arch at the end at the street
leading into Apollonia and dating from the 3rd century AD. To the right, but
difficult to make out are the remains of a Library from the 2nd-3rd century AD,
a proof of the city’s importance – if needed. On the other side of the street,
lies an Odeon that has been carefully restored and could hold as many as 650
spectators. Adjacent is a small Sacellum, an open sanctuary dedicated to an imperial
cult. The niche was most probably flanked by two Ionic columns and we still can
see the rosettes and lion paws of their base.
It is followed by a portico, 78 meters long, punctuated
by 17 niches that once held marble statues. This portico seems to date from the
4th century BC and was divided lengthwise in two by a row of Doric columns,
whereas the outside columns were of Ionic style. I am told that this kind of
structure is unique for Apollonia.
The portico ends at the Sacred Road Sacred Road
On the other side of this Sacred Road
Opposite this Sacred Road 2.9
m wide paved with little brick squares of 5x5 cm; the
back room overlooking the sea. It is thought that this house was used as a
gathering place for the believers before starting their procession over the Sacred Road
As every single Greek city, the location of Apollonia
was chosen with greatest care, overlooking the Aoos River and its fertile valley with the Adriatic Sea at the far horizon.
My greatest surprise, however, was the local
museum, housed in the 14th century monastery attached to the church of St Mary
Since I have been walking through Roman Apollonia,
I expect this museum to reflect that image. Well, not entirely so for
originally the city was founded by Greeks who imported the art from their
home-towns or created their own imitation. I walk among Attic vases and hydras
from the 5th century BC, Apollonian bottles and pots but also some Italic
imports. The Hellenistic period is also very present with several marble
steles, reliefs, busts and statues, but the eye catcher is this wonderful
shield that I immediately recognize as Macedonian. But wait a moment … according
to the label it seems to be Illyrian! How on earth is that possible? I take a
closer look at this splendid piece with three concentric circles in its center
around the frightening head of a Gorgon in Classical Greek style sticking out its
tongue and staring at me with shiny inlaid eyes. The border of the shield also
counts three concentric rows of circles framing six half circles around the
edge. I fail to see what makes it Illyrian, and inquire with the museum
director who tells me that the difference lies in the curving. Well, I suppose
he knows but I am not entirely convinced till I see other examples of Illyrian
shields later on in Tirana and at the Skanderberg Museum
So, all in all, Apollonia was definitely
worth a visit, including the local museum. Some artifacts, however, have been
moved to the national museum at Tirana where I discover a hoard of silver
drachmae from the 1st century BC, as well as a head of Demosthenes
(1st century AD) – of all people, what is he doing here?
I’m not too far away from Alexander after all!
I’m not too far away from Alexander after all!