Complete Guide to Visit Phoenice Archaeological Park (8)

Foinike (Phoenice) has played a strategic role in the administrative-policy perspective in the Epirus region, thanks to its geographic position and economic development. Originally as the capital of the Kaonas and then as the capital of Koinoon Epirot (168 BC). Polibi is one of the ancient authors who testify to the wealth and the great values of this city in the ancient period. He named Foinike as the most lucrative city and with the strongest fortification walls throughout Epirus. This is also confirmed by archaeological discoveries, which have highlighted the fortification system, urban planning system with tarracing system, which includes the city agora, private residence and so on. In the political and administrative aspect of the Roman period, the role of Foinike weakened, but in the city a series of construction works were carried out, including the extension of the Roman city to the hillside, the restoration of buildings of a social character such as the theater, the construction of a public structure in the central part of the city (the size and general extent are still unclear), as well as water tanks. Even during late antiquity and medieval times, life in Fainike continues to be intense. One of the most important monuments of this period is the Paleochristian basilica with three nephes and an atrium at the front (5th - 6th anno domini). In this mosaic of monuments are added rich necropolises of the city, stretching on the lowland side down the hill in correspondence with the streets of the city entrance. Archaeological excavations started by Luigi Maria Ugolini in 1926-27, as well as the excavations of Dhimosten Budina, Astrit Nanaj, Dhimitër Çondi in the early 1980s and 1990s, resumed in 2000 by a joint Albanian-Italian project (Institute of Archaeology and University of Bologna), under the guidance of Prof. Shpresa Gjongecaj and Prof. Sandro De Maria, have excavated a number of monuments, including: Theatre, Two Peristyle Flats, Fortification Wall, Stera A, The Temple (Thesauros) and Paleochristian Basilica. In addition to the monuments inside the fortification walls, the Finiq hill offers visitors exceptional experience thanks to the geographical position from where Bistrica's lowland, Butrint's lake, and all the Delvina basin can be seen.

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In the central sector of the hill has been found a residential complex, part of it quite luxurious, based on a terrace system, following the natural shape of the hill which is divided into spoon forms. These houses were built close to each other and mostly belong to the Hellenistic and Roman period. The house called 'House with two Peristyles', constitutes actually the only evidence of the domestic architecture of the ancient city, as it is a complex environment with a layout typical of the Hellenistic period (3rd century BC). During the 2nd century BC in the lower floor, in front of the street some shops were added. Its layout is almost rectangular, with a central shaft and two peristyle yards, one on the east side and one on the west side, around which are placed different environments. Fragments of columns of the two courtyards and of the upper floor are found and they are of octagonal and cylinder type, of doric and ionic order. Some of the rooms are adorned with wall paintings. Apparently, these facilities had an official character and perhaps served as an andron room (reception room). During the Roman period until Late Antiquity the accommodation was in use, which changed gradually and modified its appearance. 

The urban area of Phoenice, has been surrounded by higher walls that follow the slopes of the hill with obvious ups and downs with straight angles and shaped curved strongholds, presenting an ellipse-shaped layout. Earliest phase of this fortification dates to the middle of the 4th century BC, when the urban area was limited on the east side of the hill. The blocks used in this first period are enormous. The second period dates to the middle of the 3rd century BC, when the urban area extended in the center and west side of the hill, built with smaller blocks than the first period. Polybius wrote saying 'Phoinike is the richest city, the most fortified, and the most powerful of all Epirus' is proved very well by the existing ruins of the fortification in Phoenice. This incredibly powerful fortification system, in combination with the strategic position of the hill, which covers a radius of 360° visibility all around the fertile valley, gave Phoinike the character of a great political service center of Kaonia, and further of all ancient Epirus.

In the early Chrsitian period, the ancient city of Phoenice, according to the ancient author Procopius of Caesarea, is part of those cities rebuilt by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565). This is best proved by the church's architectural style, the Basilica that was built next to the Hellenistic 'thesauros' (which was used as a baptistery). This church according to recent excavations is extremely large in size, consisting of three naves and transept, an apse, narthex and atrium. The church dates between the 5th and 6th century AD while traces of the most recent phase are visible. After the collapse (13th century) this area was used as a cemetery until the 16th century. The structure of this church was damaged by the communist regime, when Phoenice's hill served as a military base.

During the Hellenistic period the ancient city of Phoenice gets its biggest development, taking also the appearance of a political capital. In this period, public buildings of the city were built, and one of them is the temple, called the Thesauros by Luigi Maria Ugolini, due to its similarity with the thesauroi of Ancient Greek architecture. The Thesauros is a simple Doric temple in antis, with two columns in the front and square plan with a single naos (cella, inner chamber), similar to the Hellenistic phase of Asclepius temple in Butrint and the so called Temple of Aphrodite at Dodona. It is dated stratigraphically around the mid-3rd century BC. In the 6th century AD, in its internal environment, a baptistry was built over the south-eastern corner of the naos, dated to the same period as the close church. The baptismal font was destroyed shortly after its discovery in 1926. 

Phoenice was part of those ancient towns of Epirus which were favored by the conditions imposed by the policy of Rome. In Roman times inside the town were built new constructions which included the renovation of public buildings. A work of this period related to the water supply system of the town is cistern A. Labeled as such by the first digger of Phoenice, the Italian archaeologist Luigi Maria Ugolini, this cistern was built within the walls of the Hellenistic terrace. The cistern A has a rectangular form and it was severely damaged by the construction of a military facility (during the period of the communist regime) within its structure. The cistern A measures 18,5x15,2 m, and it has a higher point of max 3,4 m. It is built in an opus mixtum of incertum and testaceum with rows of bricks. It is dated to the Roman imperial period, probably to the 2nd century AD.

The theatre is the most identifying monument of the ancient city of Phoinike as not only reflects two main stages of this city, the Hellenistic and the Roman period, but also by having very large dimensions (the scene frons measure over 30 meters of length), attests to the importance of this great political capital. The orchestra occupies a large artificial terrace in the western slope of the hill. The cavea is geared totally in the natural terrain that forms a semi-circular beam, ideal for building the seats. The theatre was used for performances and probably for political reunions of the Epirote federation (Koinon). Based on architectural structures and archaeological material, consisting of black-glazed pottery and artwork that decorated the stage, the theater dates back to the middle of the 3rd century B.C. and it had a second period in the 2nd century B.C. The theater had a reconstruction in the Roman period (3rd century A.D.) and it seems clear of a scenic complex.