Hidden treasures of Epirus

Northern Greece and Epirus, in particular, are not top destinations for the common tourist – unfortunately so. 

Epirus is wedged in the northwestern corner of Greece, and this rugged mountainous landscape shares borders with Albania. It is also the homeland of Queen Olympias, Alexander’s mother. 

[Picture from Wikipedia]

The best-known site is the sanctuary of Dodona, which King Pyrrhus of Epirus promoted as the religious capital in 290 AD. It features a remarkable theater and is seen as the oldest Hellenic oracle. Other notable places are Gitana (3^rd century BC), Amvracia (founded in the 7^th century BC. It was given to Pyrrhus by the son of Cassander in 294 BC); Cassope (founded in the 4^th century BC), and Nicopolis (founded in 28 BC by Octavian after his victory at Actium). 

At present, a project has been conceived to link the theaters of these towns together and to create a brand new tourist trail. The idea behind this plan is that from antiquity onward, theaters are places where people met and interacted on different levels. 

These five archaeological sites are stringed along a circuit of 344 kilometers which the intrepid traveler can discover. Although the theater shares a common link, it is obvious that the sites have much more to offer when it comes to archaeology, history, culture, art, and modern daily life. 

The article from the Archaeology News Network puts the accent on developing tourism in the region. Still, the underlying historical value of the antique cities is not in the least described. Without their appropriate background, it is difficult to truly appreciate the theaters as their focal points.