Under Roman rule, the Via Egnatia strategically connected Byzantium via Thessaloniki to
Rome thanks to the crossing of the Adriatic Sea between Dyrrhachium and Brundisium. But there
was another lesser road that led south to the city of Buthrotum,
modern Butrint right across from Saranda, one of the newest bay resorts in Albania.
Yet Buthrotum was not born
with the Romans but like most towns in the area, it was founded by colonists
from Corinth and Corfu at some
time during the 7th or 6th century BC – although according to the legend its
founder was a son of King Priam of Troy, which
is a more noble ancestry, of course. To me, this is Epirus, the homeland of Queen Olympias, Alexander’s mother and
it is not surprising that in her days the city was important enough to have a sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius with its own theatre and agora; besides, it was
protected by a city-wall with five entrance gates.
For some reason, I always thought
that all of Epirus was part
of modern Greece, but it
seems that this ancient country has been split up between Greece to the south and Albania to the
north. All I knew about it was the oracle of Dodona, so it is a surprise to hear
that Buthrotum
was important before the arrival of the Romans. The main attraction may
well have been the sanctuary of Asclepius which was built on a series of
terraces rising from a paved area in front of the theatre. The reconstruction as shown on the billboard at the entrance of the site is very clear but it is much
harder to find pre-Roman evidence on the site itself. The sanctuary included a
temple, a stoa, and a treasury, all modified by the 3rd century BC to
include a theatre and a building that may have served as a hotel for the pilgrims.
As early as 228 BC, Buthrotum
became a Roman protectorate and its influence spread steadily till the city was
included in the province
of Macedonia. Julius Caesar thought it was an
appropriate place to settle his veterans after fighting Pompey in 44 BC, but a wealthy local landlord, Titus Pomponius Atticus, objected to these plans and went so far as
to plead his case at the Roman Senate through his friend, the orator Cicero. He was successful and only a
small number of settlers were relocated to Buthrotum. They blended in pretty
easily with the locals and their presence left a definite Roman stamp on the
city.
It seems appropriate to take a
closer look at Titus Pomponius
Atticus, one of the richest men of his time. He lived in Athens for almost twenty years
(hence the name Atticus) and showed
great interest in Greek culture and philosophy. He bought an estate near Buthrotum
and probably acquired more land in neighboring Epirus
and Corfu. Although his villa is explicitly
mentioned in his correspondence with Cicero, it has
not yet been found but it is generally accepted so far that it was situated in
the river valley, where cool breezes soften the heat of summer. Atticus’ wealth, which he acquired as a financier and by managing his land properties, gave him great influence in
politics as we have seen above. He was a gifted politician who managed to
remain on good terms with both parties involved, the Romans and the locals. He
died in 32 BC, aged 78, shortly before the Battle
of Actium. Five years earlier, he gave his daughter Caecilia in marriage to Agrippa,
Augustus’ friend and general. Consequently, Atticus’ influence continued after his death through his
son-in-law.
In 31 BC, Emperor Augustus conceived plans similar to those of Caesar for after his victory over Marc Anthony and Cleopatra at Actium (some
200 km
south of Butrint) he considered Buthrotum
to settle his veterans. Once again, the new arrivals though limited in number,
blended in well and the city expanded rapidly, doubling in size even. At this
stage, Buthrotum required a major building plan, which was funded by Augustus in person as well as by his
family or private parties. The main projects were the construction of a new
aqueduct to feed the many fountains and bathhouses and a bridge across the
Vivari Channel. At this stage, the city appears as Colonia Augusta Buthrotum.
Most of what we see today at Butrint
may date from Augustus’ reign since statues of the emperor and of his wife
Livia have been found – a sure sign of the city’s loyalty and support.
As in any excavation site, the
theatre is what we see first. Although the earliest construction goes back to
the 4th century BC when it was part of the Sanctuary of Asclepius, it was
clearly rebuilt and enlarged during the 2nd century AD to become the Roman
centerpiece of the city. Today the lower part of the theater, mainly the stage,
is flooded by groundwater, adding a romantic touch with its reflection in the
pool. Unique are the many manumission inscriptions that have survived on the
outside walls of the theater, dating from shortly after 232 BC. The freeing of
slaves, which seems to have lasted for sixty years, was accomplished in the
name of a god, generally Asclepius, hence the close link between the theater
and its inscribed walls with the treasury of which close to nothing remains.
Behind the cavea of the theater
are the remains of the Roman Baths rather appropriately flooded also. Part of
the hypocaust is being preserved exposing some of the fire-resistant bricks
used in the floor heating – always an exciting element, I’d say.
The Forum is located next to the theater
and the Baths and originally was located at the heart of the Hellenistic city.
In those early days, i.e., late 2nd/1st century BC, it measured a modest 4.5m x 25m. Towards the 2nd century AD, the area was enlarged to the size we see
today, 52m x 20m, but most of it still remains buried.
Further down the island, around
the corner of the abovementioned buildings are the remains of a rather imposing
Nymphaeum that must have lined up with the Roman aqueduct that ran across the
Vivari Channel and the valley floor to the hills from where the water was
transported. Thanks to one of the billboards, I am able to locate the header
tank of this aqueduct on the other side of this channel. The spring itself has
not been located with certainty but seems to be found near Çuka e Aitoit (Eagle Mountain),
a rough 12 km
away. This fountain, once enhanced with statues of Dionysus and Apollo, appears to lean against the city wall, basically built in the 6th century AD but mixed
with remains of earlier Roman constructions. The access to the Vivari Channel
however was preserved as there are several entrance gates in this wall, still easily
recognizable. Today it is a very peaceful water channel where time seems to
have come to a standstill. It is not certain, but this aqueduct may well have
served as the first bridge across the channel, and as such adding to Buthrotum’s
status since the city was now connected with the wider Roman world. Aqueducts
were very costly enterprises and only rich cities or those sponsored by private
patronage could afford them. Great cities like Athens or Corinth, for
instance, didn’t have any aqueducts till the rule of Emperor Hadrian! That
definitely proves how wealthy and how important Buthrotum was in its heyday!
This is also the area once
occupied by the Gymnasium but which in Byzantine times was filled by the Great
Basilica and its dependence. It is here that we find a Baptistery from the 6th
century AD with an exquisite mosaic floor, covered for its own protection which
is unfortunate for us visitors. It consists of seven circular bands around the
baptismal font thus creating the figure eight, the Christian number for
salvation and eternity, I am told (although I have not encountered this explanation
before). The mosaics show animals (representing land), birds (representing air), and fish (representing water), in accordance once again with early Christian
symbols of salvation. The entrance is flanked by two mosaics of large peacocks
(symbolizing paradise and immortality) with a vine growing out of a vase
(symbol for the blood of Christ). Apparently, the roof of this Baptistery was supported by two circular rows of columns of
which only the bases remain. It is worthwhile to mention that this is the
second-largest Baptistery in the Eastern Roman Empire after the Aya Sophia in Istanbul.
From the 3rd century onward, Buthrotum
started to decline and a severe earthquake destroyed large parts of the city. It shrunk and a new smaller city wall was needed. The relief of the so-called
Lion Gate on the road to Epirus
which was added in the 5th century to reduce the size of the gate is a clear
illustration. Even an untrained eye can see how this wall has been altered time
and again, with steps leading nowhere and dead-end tunnels. When Buthrotum
became the seat of a bishop in the 6th century, the Baptistery and Basilicas mentioned
above were built and at the same time, the city walls were reinforced.
But like
its neighbors, it was attacked and sacked by the Huns. Over the following
centuries, Butrint was occupied in
turn by several foreign forces till it turned into a malaria-infested swamp.
The very top of today’s Butrint is crowned by a castle that was
reconstructed over the ancient acropolis and now serves as a museum that badly
needs some improvement or modernization – unfortunately. It houses finds from Butrint itself but also from other
nearby sites, showing some pieces from Hellenistic occupation but mostly from
the prosperous Roman period.
Today a flat barge ferries men
and cars across the Channel to the Vrina plain on the other side. In Roman
times, that was the location of a thriving suburb of Buthrotum where the rich
and famous had their vast residences. It is here that archaeologists are looking
for the remains of Titus Pomponius
Atticus’ estate. Work in progress …
No comments:
Post a Comment