Ruined Corinthian City
Western Albania, Albania
The ruined city of Apollonia is a 20 minute drive from the small Albanian town of Fieri and is certainly worth a stop when travelling en route between Tirana and the south. Although the site is not particularly extensive, the rural location is beautiful – set amongst hills and fields. It was founded by Corinthian colonists around 600 BC and at that time was a vibrant port.
Background
Archaeological investigations have revealed that for hundreds of years the Illyrian and Greek inhabitants of the site appear to have lived in separate communities. The economic prosperity of Apollonia grew on the basis of trade in slaves, and the local pastoral agriculture, with coins having been found as far as the Danube basin.
In the years from 214 BC onwards the city was involved in the war between the Illyrian Taulanti and Casander, the King of Macedonia. In 229 BC the city came under Roman control. In 148 BC it was integrated into the province of Macedonia.
For 200 years it was of central importance in the Roman effort to colonize the east and may have been an original terminus of the Egnatian Way. In the civil war between Pompey and Julius Caesar it was a vital stronghold for Caesar. In 45 and 44 BC Octavian (later to become the Emperor Augustus) studied for six months in Apollonia.
It was in Apollonia that Octavian heard the news of Julius Caesar’s death. Under the Roman Empire it remained a prosperous centre, but began to decline as the Vjosa River silted up and the coastline changed after the earthquake.