Philippopolis, Thracia – Part III

Continued from Philippopolis Part II Theater The ancient theater of Philippopolis is located on the saddle between Taksim Hill and Dzhambaz Hill (two of the three hills of Trimontium) straddling Boulevard Tsar Boris III Obedinitel, which runs through the hill directly below the theater. The actual address of the theater is Tsar Ivaylo Street 4….

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Philippopolis, Thracia – Part II

Continued from Philippopolis Part I Not far to the northeast of the northern part of Philippopolis’ forum is the area of the Great Basilica or the Bishop’s Basilica. When I first visited in 2017, the area was exposed but inaccessible. It appeared to be in an active state of excavation and conservation. Many of the…

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Brixia, Venetia – Part II

Just to the south of the Capitolium are a few areas to visit Roman remains. The first is right across the street at Via Agostino Gallo 6, at the tourist information office housed at the Palazzo Martinengo Cesaresco Novarino. Housed in the basement and accessible via the tourist office are some remains associated with the…

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Brixia, Venetia – Part I

The modern town of Brescia is situated in Northern Italy at the foot of the Alps, between Lake Iseo and Lake Garda (Lacus Sebinus and Lacus Benacus in antiquity, respectively) and along the Mella River (seemingly retaining it’s ancient name). In the Roman period, the settlement was called Brixia, seeming to derive from the Celtic…

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Verona, Venetia – Part II

Continued From Verona Part I Arch, Gates, and Forum From the amphitheater, it’s a short 5 minute walk west to the Arco dei Gavi, the arch of the Gavii family. There is no entrance fee though there is a small gate that might restrict access at some times. Even with the gate, the arch is…

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Verona, Venetia – Part I

Situated along the present day Adige River (the Athesis in antiquity) is the city of Verona, bearing the same name in the Roman period as it does today. The pre-Roman origins of settlement in the area are a matter of some debate. By some accounts it was the territory of the Euganei, a semi-historical italic…

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Paestum, Lucania – Part II

Continued From Paestum – Part I Southern Sanctuary Heading toward the southernmost part of the city and the southern sanctuary are the other two major temples of Paestum. The northern most of these two temples is the Temple of Hera II, or the Second Temple of Hera. Built between 460 BCE and 440 BCE, the…

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Paestum, Lucania – Part I

Today located in the fertile region of modern Campania (but was in antiquity part of the region of Lucania), the city of Paestum was founded by Greek colonists as Poseidonia sometime in the middle to late 7th century BCE. Strabo claims that the colonists were Achaean settlers from Sybaris, a Greek colony on the toe…

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Tibula, Sardinia

Tibula The exact location of the city of Tibula, the northern terminus of the Tibula Sulcis road, is a matter of some debate. The generally accepted area is somewhere along the north coast of Sardinia. One theorized location is in the vicinity of present-day Castelsardo, just up the coast from Turris Libysonis. The other most…

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Olbia, Sardinia

History Located on the northeast coast of the Sardinia, Olbia is today, as it was in antiquity, the primary city on the eastern coast of the island. The city has taken on a number of names throughout history; Civita, Phausania, and Terranova Pausania, before being changed back to Olbia under Mussolini. Historically, the founding of…

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