On April 14, 1966, the Amphitheater of Durrës was discovered, built in the last decades of the 1st century AD. The Roman occupation interrupted for a time the normal economic, political and cultural lifestyle of Illyria. Thus, large number of cities disappeared, especially in Epirus, while other cities were restricted. However, Dyrrachium and Apollonia, being situated at key road junctions, continued to develop. At the beginning of the new era they changed their appearance. New architectural forms were created using building materials with brick and mortar structures, such as amphitheaters, only witnessed so far in Dyrrachium. The amphitheater of Durrës is the largest monument of antiquity with a length of 150 m and a height of over 20 m. The city of Dyrrah, turned into a roman colony, became the main economic center of Illyria. (In the photo: Moment during the works at the Amphitheater of Durrës, 1966.)
Text: Vangjel Toçi, Dyrrah Amphitheater , 1971, “Monuments”, no. 2, pp. 39–40.
Photo: © Xhoxhi L., personal archive
Graphic processing: AHCF
