Augusta Bilbilis, Hispania Tarraconensis – Part II

Continued From Augusta Bilbilis Part I The forum of Augusta Bilbilis was inaugurated in 27 CE. It underwent renovations in the Flavian and Antonine periods. Like the theater, the forum too seems to have seen a decline in use during the 3rd century CE. The open plaza of the forum is supported on an artificial…

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Nicopolis, Epirus – Part I

Most Recent Visit: May 2021 In the lead up to the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, after wintering at Patrae and unsuccessfully attempting a move to Italy, Marcus Antonius moved his forces to the southern promontory at the mouth of the Ambracius Sinus (the modern Gulf of Ambracia), south of the town of Actium…

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Patrae, Achaea – Part II

Continued From Patrae Part I A couple of blocks to the southwest of Patrae’s odeon, along Sisini, just south of the intersection with Georgiou Roufou, is another set of remains that I wasn’t able to get any conclusive identification of. I wasn’t able to get a very good look either, as it was in a…

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Sicyon, Achaea

Most Recent Visit: May 2021 The founding of the settlement of Sicyon is attributed to the mytho-historical figure Aegialeus, who gave the city its original name, Aigialeia. At other points during the early history of Sicyon, it was apparently also called Telchinia after the mythological Telchines and Mekone, a reference to the poppies that grow…

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Argos, Achaea – Part II

Continued from Argos Part I Just across the street to the east is the archaeological area of Argos’ agora. The agora has the same hours as the theater and is included in the admission ticket. Though it may generally be open. Two guys seemed to be there watching over things and acknowledged me when I…

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Sanctuary of Asclepius, Achaea – Part I

Most Recent Visit: May 2021 Located about 8 kilometers away from the ancient city of Epidaurus, is the Sanctuary of Asclepius. Though administered by the Epidaurans, the sanctuary is a distinctly different entity than the city, but is often the sanctuary and not the city that is intended when many refer to ancient Epidaurus. A…

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Isthmia, Achaea

Most Recent Visit: May 2021 Near the narrowest part of the Corinthian Isthmus, less than a kilometer from the eventual site of the Corinthian Canal, the site known today as Isthmia began life as a localized sanctuary site. The name Isthmia is a modern description of the specific site, as the entire area of the…

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Corinth, Achaea – Part II

Continued From Corinth Part I From the area of the Temple of Apollo, it’s worth moving on to the museum. As it is on-site and part of the archaeological park, it is essentially open and accessible whenever the park is. It is a pretty sizable museum for an on-site location. Upon entering, there’s a large…

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Odessus, Moesia

Ancient Odessus (also called Odessos, Odesopolis, and Odyssos), the precursor to the bustling Black Sea port city of Varna in present-day Bulgaria, was originally founded by Greek colonists from Miletus in the first half of the 6th century BCE. Prior to the arrival of the Greeks, the area was inhabited by Thracian populations dating back…

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Segusium, Aples Cottiae

Tucked away among the foothills of the Cottian Alps in Northern Italy, the ancient settlement of Segusium is today located in the Val di Susa, which takes its name from the modern successor of Segusium, Susa. The settlement at the confluence of the modern Cenischia stream and the Dora Riparia (Dura Minor in antiquity) was…

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