EPIDAMMN - DYRRHACHION

Historical and cultural observations


Epidammnus was one of the earliest emporia in the Eastern Adriatic .In 627 BC the first hellenistic colonists arrived from the tribe of the Heraclides , and from that time on the city had two names : Epidammn and Dyrrhachion. In the archaic period ( 627 – 480 BC ) Epidammn lay in a territory of 100ha , and became the most developed city on the Adriatic coast . Signs of this development are the ruins of a shrine near the hills of Spitalla and another shrine constructed with colomns of the doric order , near the former swamp of the city In the classic period ( 480 – 355 BC ) according to Aristotel known as the man who composed Dyrrhachium’s constitution , the city was governed by institutions similar to those in Athens . In the hellenistic period ( 355 – 30 BC ) the city was under the Illyrian kingdom and it was fortified with walls . The city had a principal street , temples and luxury buildings . After the wars between Illyria and Rome , in 228 BC Dyrrhachium became a Roman protectorate . In the first two centuries under the romans , the city had the status of “civitas libera” and it was transformed into a cosmopolitan mediterranean city . Plautus wrote about this in his comedy “Manaechmi”,( end of third century – 189 BC ) and Dyrrhachium earned the appreciation of Marcus Tullius Cicero , who stayed for some months and called it an “admirable city” . The Via Egnatia which was the main artery of communication linking west and east , started from Dyrrhachium. The years 48 – 43 BC were very difficult for Dyrrhachium because the city was transformed into a military arena during the wars between Caesar and Pompey . When Dyrrachium was a colony of Rome ( 30 BC – 335 AD ) it is mentioned in the ancient sources as : Colonia Julia Augusta ; Colonia Julia Venera ; Colonia Augusta Veneria Dyrrhachium . During this period the city was considered the most important colony in the roman province of Macedonia , one of the most notable ports in the Mediterranean , and an “Admirabilis urbs” for the patrici and the Italian colonists , amongst which were many well-known families like the Emilia Valeri and Flavi , all of whom were in Dyrrhachium during this time . During the first and second century AD major roads ( the decumana and cardia ) the amphitheatre , temples , libraries , aquaducts and villas for the rich were all built in the city . From around the first century AD there was a rise in craftsmanship in the city ( seen in the production of sigillati utensils , lamps , glassware etc ) Dyrrhachium and then later the Roman province of Epirus Nova was the region in which christianity spread very easily . The christian community in Dyrrhachium ( which numbered about seventy families ) represented one of the first centres of churches with apostolic foundation and the city was in the second order of bishoprics after Thessaloniku , Korinth , Nicopolis and Crete . During the years AD 98 – 100 , Astius , the bishop of this community was martyred on the orders of the emperor Trajan . Byzantine civilization 395 – 1371 . After the roman empire was divided, all the administrative divisions were preserved as they had been under Diocletian . Dyrrhachion was again part of the province of the Epirus Nova . In the early Byzantine period ( 395 – 565\ 602) and especially during the reigns of Anastasius I and Justinian I , the Forum , the castle , hyrdo-sanitation and christian buildings were all constructed in Dyrrhachion . During Late Antiquity the most protected castle in all the western Balkans was built in Dyrrhachion . Arnalasontha , the queen of the Gothic tribes ( 526 – 534 ) moved her treasury from Ravenna to Dyrrhachion during a troubled period . The Middle Byzantine period ( 565\602 – 1081 ) is characterized by the preservation of urban structure .At the start of the eighth century the “Dyrrhachion Archoridia” was created and later the thema ( 815 – 816 ) with the same name . Until the end of the tenth century Durres was the centre of fifteen other bishoprics ( Stephania , Kroia , Kunaria , Elisoni etc ) Durres and its region played a very important role in political events during the tenth and eleventh centuries . Following the invasion of the Bulgars under king Samuel ( 998 – 1004 ) , the Byzantine emperor Vasili II ( 996 – 1023 ) mounted a strong attack and liberated the city . The late Byzantine period .( 1081 – 1341 ) began with the attack of the normans in 1081 when the army of the Byzantine emperor Alex I Komnen ( 1081 – 1118 ) was defeated by the army of Robert Guiscard . Between the eleventh and fourthenth centuries Durres was attacked , invaded and burnt down many times by serbians , venetians , angevins and others . In 1341 at the time of emperor Andronik III Paleologus ( 1328 – 1341 ) the city was almost separated from the Byzantine Empire . This marks the time of the end of a thousand year period of a great civilisation that had left rich cultural , spiritual , and material heritage . * * * In the last decades of the fifteenth century Durres came under the political jurisdiction of the Venetians . Durres was invaded by the turks on the fifteenth of August 1501 . Erasmus of Rotterdam was very concerned about this invasion which had dire consequences , not only for the city of Durres , but also for the whole of Albania.

HISTORICAL TIMELINE
627 BC-Foundation of the Greek colony

516 BC - In the sixty – sixth Olympical the Champion was Kleostheni from Epidamnos

436 – 435 BC - Civil war in Dyrrhachion

320 – 310 BC - Dyrrhachion minted its own coins

317 – 307 BC - The city came under the control of the taulation king , Glaukia

280 BC - The Illyrian king Monuni minted coins with the emblem of Dyrrhachion

229 BC - The Illyrian navy of Queen Teuta entered the port

228 BC - Dyrrhachion became a Roman Protectorate

Beginning of II century BC - The Roman author Titus Marcius Plautus wrote his comedy “ Manaechmi” , based on life in Epidamnus.

II century BC -Philonid Dyrrhachini wrote forty-five books on medicine

5th November-August 57 BC - The Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero ( 106-43 BC ) lived in the city

48-43 BC - Dyrrhachion became a centre of military operations in the wars between Caius Julius Ceasar ( 100-4 BC ) and Craeus Pompeius Magnus ( 106-44 BC )

30 BC - The emperor C. Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus transformed the city into a roman colony.

58 AD - A Christian Community with seventy families was mentioned existing in Dyrrhachion.

100 AD - Bishiop Asteios was martyred in Dyrrhachion ( this was celebrated on fifth of july)

I-II century AD -The Amphitheatre , the aqueduct , the library and many rich religious and social buildings were constructed in the city.

222 - The emperor Alexander Severus ( 222-235 ) reconstructed the city aqueduct

284 –305 - The province of “ Epirus Nova” was created , with Dyrrhachion as the capital.

431 - Flavius Anastasius I ( Dicorus ) was born in the city ( he died in 518)

431 - Bishop Eucherios took part in the council of Ephesus.

459 - Dyrrhachion was sacked by the Ostrogoths

500-516 - The emperor Flavius Anastasius I constructed the castle , the hippodrome , the forum , and the church of St. Arnagirois in the city

530-535 - The Gothic Queen Arnalasuntha ( 526-534 ) had her treasury in the city

545 - Belisarius the army commander of Justinian , stayed in the city with his troops on some occasions

614-630 - Many refugees from Salonica and cities in Dalmatia came to the city , because of attacks by Avars

691 - Sisinnius bishop of Dyrrhachion took part in the council of Trullo in Constantinople

714 - The church of Anargyroi of Dyrrhachion was mentioned

732 - The metropoly of Dyrrhachion was separated from Rome

787 - Bishop Nichefore took part in the council of Nicea

VIII cent. - The “Archontiai Dyrrhachion” (an autonomous administratuve region) was created

811-815 - The Byzantine “Theme Dyrrhachion” was created with thirty castles in its dependance

813-826 - A monastry was built in the city

879 - Bishop Lucianus took part in the council of Photius

X century - The Archdiocese of Durres had fifteen bishoprics under it

998-1005 - The bulgar king Samuel (991-1014 ) invaded and took contol of the city

1005 - Byzantine administration was restored to the city

1022 - Benedictus Papa VIII separated the bishopics of Tivar and Durres

1040 - The city was reinvaded by the bulgars

1041-1042 - The anti – Byzantine insurrection of Peter Dajlan occurred

1043 - The anti – Byzantine insurrection of George Maniakes occurred

1054 - The final separation of the orthodox and catholic churches occurred

1070 –1075 - The arberesh musician Joan Kukuzelis was born

1078 - The anti – Byzantine insurrection of Nikophorus Bryennios occurred

1081 - The Byzantine emperor Alexis Komnenos ( 1081 – 1118 ) protected the city from norman attacks.

1084 - The church of St. Andreas was constructed

1084 - The place name Albeinje was mentioned on the headland of Pal

1082 – 1085 - The city was governed by the norman R. Guiscard

1085 - The city became a venetian colony

1096 - The army of the first crusade passed through the city

1185 - The city was burned by the normans

1204 - The army of the fourth crusade passed through the city

1204 - The catholic archdiocese of Durres at twenty-two bishopics under it .

1205 – 1212 - The bishopry of Arbanon

1212 – 1214 - Durres was part of the despotate of Epirus

1225 - A tower was constructed at the castle by Teodore Komnenus , while Ducas Angelos ( 1212 – 1230 ) was despot of Epirus .

1246 - The church of the Holy cross at Durres was mentioned

1254 - Bishop Nicolaus of Durres published in Crotone studys about christian doctrine .

1254 - Durres was under the Nicean empire

1266 – 1272 - Carle I Anzhu invaded the city

1273 - A very strong earthquake completely destroyed the city

1273 - Durres minted its own coinage

1294 - The Republic of Ragussa issued fake coins of Durres

1296 - King Uroshi II Milutin of Serbia invaded the city .

End of 14th - The Cathedral of St. Astius in the centre of the city century was mentioned .

1308 - “Anonymis Gorkia” considered Durres to be the centre of Albania

1315 - A big church was mentioned to exist in Durres

1343 – 1385 - The city was invaded by the serbians

1368 - The city was invaded by Carl Toppia ( 1358 – 1388 )

1372 – 1374 - The city was invaded by the Angevins

1382 - The city was invaded by Balsha II

1385 - Carl Topia again became the ruler of the city

1386 – 1392 - Durres was under the protection of the family of Topiaj

1392 – 1501 - The Venetian occupation

1425 - The architect and sculptor Andreas Alexis was born in the city ( he died in 1506 )

1447 - The city was surrounded by Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeu

1456 - Leonic Tomeo astronomer of Padova University was born , of Durres origin .

November 1462 - Archbishop of Durres Pal Engjelli ( 1416 – 1464 ) published the formula of Baptism in the spoken northen dialect using latin alphabet

15 August 1501- The city was invaded by the turks

1502 – 1503 - The mosque known as “Fatih” was built over a Byzantine church .

1700 - The Venetian had their consulate in Durres

1716 - The orthodox bishop of Durres Grifor Durrsaku translated the new testament into Albanian .

1879 - The famous actor Alexander Moisiu was born ( he died in 1935)

26 November 1912 - The national flag was raised in Durres

3 November 1912-May 1913 - The city was invaded by the serbians,br>

7 March – 3 September 1914 - The city was the capital of the government of Prince Wilhelm Wied ( 1846 – 1945 )

1916 - The city was invaded by Austro - Hungarians

25 December 1918 -The Congress of Durres created the provisional government that was overthrown by the Congress of Lushnja

1925 – 1939 - The government of king Ahmet Zog ( 1895 – 1961 )

April 1939 - The resistance against the facist invasion , and the death of Mujo Ulqinaku , National Hero

16 October 1942 - The National Liberation Council of the city was created

June 1944 - The port was blown up by the germans

14 November 1944 - The city was liberated from the nazis

March 1991 -Durres comes under the control of the democratic movements