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| Phoenice | |
|---|---|
| Name | Phoenice |
| Region | Epirus |
| Period | Classical period; Roman period; Byzantine period |
| Notable features | Fortifications; basilicas; inscriptions |
Phoenice
Phoenice was an ancient urban center in the region of Epirus that figured in Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine sources. It appears in accounts of diplomatic contacts, military campaigns, and ecclesiastical disputes, and archaeological remains attest to fortifications, public buildings, and burial assemblages. Scholarly discussion ties Phoenice to networks linking the Adriatic, the Ionian Sea, and inland Balkan routes, with recurring mention alongside cities, kingdoms, tribes, and empires in ancient historiography.
The name appears in ancient Greek and Latin sources and is discussed in studies of Greek toponymy and Illyrian onomastics alongside names such as Dodona, Ambracia, Apollonia (Illyria), Dyrrachium, and Byllis. Classical authors compare local ethnonyms with wider Hellenic nomenclature evident in accounts by Thucydides, Strabo, Polybius, Pliny the Elder, and Pausanias. Medieval and Byzantine chronicles, including works associated with Procopius and Anna Komnene, preserve variants transmitted through Syriac and Latin manuscript traditions, producing philological debates in modern studies published in journals tied to institutions like the British School at Athens, École française d'Athènes, and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
Phoenice features in narratives of the Peloponnesian War, the expansion of the Macedonian Empire, and the campaigns of Pyrrhus of Epirus and Philip V of Macedon. In Hellenistic times it is implicated in the power struggles following the Battle of Cynoscephalae and the wars between Rome and Hellenistic kings such as Perseus of Macedon. Roman-era references connect the site with the provincial reorganization under governors linked to Augustus and later imperial administration noted in the writings of Cassius Dio and Appian. During Late Antiquity Phoenice is cited in accounts of barbarian incursions alongside Visigoths, Huns, and Slavs, and later in Byzantine sources during the reigns of emperors such as Justinian I and Heraclius in the context of ecclesiastical councils and military logistics. Ecclesiastical histories referencing bishops and synods situate Phoenice within episcopal lists comparable to sees like Nicopolis and Buthrotum.
Located in the coastal and inland transition zone of Epirus, Phoenice occupies terrain referenced in ancient itineraries alongside Via Egnatia, Ionian Sea, Gulf of Ambracia, and river valleys feeding into the Adriatic Sea. Archaeological surveys and excavations by teams from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, German Archaeological Institute, and local university departments have exposed fortification circuits, basilica foundations, mosaics, and inscriptions comparable to finds at Nikopolis, Orikos, Butrint, and Amantia. Numismatic evidence links craft production and trade to mints known from coin hoards associated with rulers such as Pyrrhus of Epirus and Hellenistic dynasts recorded in catalogues curated at institutions like the British Museum and the Louvre. Pottery sequences demonstrate connections with workshops in Corinthia, Attica, Apulia, and Campania.
Inscriptions and administrative documents place Phoenice within shifting hegemonies, from alliances with neighboring Greek poleis to incorporation into Hellenistic kingdoms and later Roman provincial frameworks akin to those documented for Epirus Vetus and Epirus Nova. Civic organization reflected institutions similar to boule and ecclesia attested at polis centers like Ambracia and Dodona, while imperial-era administration aligned with provincial capitals cited in the Notitiae and discussed in the work of Zosimus and Theophylact Simocatta. Military garrisons, supply depots, and road networks linked the town to strategic nodes used by commanders such as Flavius Belisarius and regional governors documented in papyrological fragments preserved in archives comparable to the Vatican Library and the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Material culture indicates participation in Mediterranean exchange, with imported amphorae, luxury tableware, and locally produced ceramics paralleling assemblages from Corcyra, Issa, and Tarentum. Craft specialization in metalwork, textile production, and ship provisioning is attested by workshop remains and tool finds resembling those excavated at Naupactus and Sicca Veneria. Literary patronage and epigraphic dedications show affinities with Hellenic religious festivals recorded at Dodona and theatrical practices documented by Aristophanes and commentators preserved in the libraries of Alexandria and Constantinople.
Sanctuaries, altars, and votive deposits uncovered near Phoenice reflect cultic patterns comparable to sanctuaries of Zeus (Dios), Apollo (Delphi), and regional cult centers like Thesprotia sites. Tomb types, grave goods, and epitaphs exhibit continuities with burial customs observed in Illyria, Macedonia, and the Greek mainland, including inhumation and secondary burial rites documented in epigraphic corpora curated by the Packard Humanities Institute. Christianization is recorded through basilica construction and episcopal records connected to councils similar to those of Nicaea and regional synods preserved in Patrologia Graeca.
Phoenice figures in modern historiography on Epirus, Balkan frontiers, and Mediterranean connectivity; it is discussed in syntheses by scholars associated with universities such as Oxford University, Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and research centers like the Institute for Advanced Study. Interpretive debates engage with themes addressed in studies of urbanism, identity, and frontier dynamics evident in comparative work on Byzantium, Roman Empire, Hellenistic kingdoms, and post-classical remapping by cartographers referenced in atlases from the Royal Geographical Society. Archaeological conservation efforts and heritage management involve partnerships with bodies including the UNESCO advisory networks and national antiquities agencies, shaping how Phoenice is presented in exhibitions at museums like the National Archaeological Museum (Athens) and the Museum of Byzantine Culture (Thessaloniki).
Category:Ancient settlements in Epirus