Apollonia, Fier, Albania - SpottingHistory

Apollonia was an ancient Greek city located on the right bank of the Vjosë river. Apollonia was founded in 588 BCE by Greek colonists from Corfu and Corinth, on a site where native Illyrian tribes lived, and was perhaps the most important of the several classical towns known as Apollonia.

Apollonia flourished under Roman rule and was noted by Cicero in his Philippicae as magna urbs et gravis, a great and important city. Christianity was established in the city at an early stage, and bishops from Apollonia were present during the First Council of Ephesus (431) and the Council of Chalcedon (451).

Its decline, however, began in the 3rd century AD, when an earthquake changed the path of the Aoös, causing the harbour to silt up and the inland area to become a malaria-ridden swamp. The city became increasingly uninhabitable as the inland swamp expanded, and the nearby settlement of Avlona (modern-day Vlorë) became dominant. By the end of antiquity, the city was largely depopulated, hosting only a small Christian community. This community (which probably is part of the site of the old city) built on a nearby hill the church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, part of the Ardenica Monastery.

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User Reviews

Victoria Ivanes (3 years ago)
I've been to this place years ago and now that came to visit it again I was pleasantly impressed! It's much better developed now for tourists to visit, so it's not only the historical attraction, but a very nice park to take a walk, have lunch or drinks at the rustic style restaurant which is located just next to museum, there are security police on the area and generally it's a great place to spend your day!

Silvana Skotarczak (4 years ago)
Beautiful site about historical buildings and their functions. Little tourism so not too crowded. Very worthwhile to pay a visit to this place.

Jure Merkač (4 years ago)
Bigger than expected, a few things to see and learn. The museum is actually stocked quite nicely, and adequate Information is provided.

Ken Van der Veken (4 years ago)
Nice little museum with some local finds of the excavation. The lables are available in different languages but offer little explanation. The excavations are very large spread and do have clear and extensive explanations available. It certainly is worth a visit when you are in the neighbourhood.

Márta Kovács (4 years ago)
Little bit confused by the map. The museum was nice. Hardly found Nimfeum. A lot of turtles has seen. The theater was in pieces.

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