Butrint, ancient Buthrotum, has taken many forms in different ages, shaped by the near-constant interaction between the place, its lagoonal landscape and the Mediterranean. Though Butrint does not appear on any of the records of early Greek colonization to identify it as a Corcyrean settlement, strong links must have existed between it and the metropolitan Corinthian colony of Corfu. Blessed with springs that possessed healing qualities, a small polis was created - extended to incorporate a healing sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius. Julius Caesar, harboring at Butrint in urgent need of supplies to sustain his struggle against Pompey, must have viewed the sanctuary, ringed by largely dried-out marshland, as the perfect site to settle veterans as a colony. It was an obvious cornerstone in controlling the passage from the Adriatic to the Aegean. The early settlers seem to have been limited in number and possibly mainly of civilian status. However, the political changes to the city's magistrature were immediate, and within a relatively short time-span fundamental changes to the physical make-up of the city were set in motion. Its new Roman status also located Butrint as a directly before the highest authorities in Rome, and within fifteen years or so, under Augustus's guidance following his victory at Actium, the city was refounded as a colony and awarded a pivotal role in Virgil's court-sponsored foundation epic, The Aeneid. Now linked to the Victory City of Nicopolis rather than in the shadow of Corfu, Butrint prospered. The urban fabric evolved, sometimes faltered, but was essentially sustained until the later 6th century A.D. This present volume is an assessment of the Roman archaeology, a compilation of studies and field reports that focuses upon the foundation and early history of the colony.

"Butrint (ancient Buthrotum) in southern Albania witnessed the many social, political and cultural changes that have characterised the history of the central and western Mediterranean over the last three millennia. Since 1994 Butrint has been the focus of a major archaeological research project, supported by the Butrint Foundation. The project aims to chart the changes in the city during the late antique and Byzantine periods of its history, and also examines the relationship between the city and its hinterland." "This volume, describing the investigations made in 1994-99, includes chapters on environmental, geophysical and field surveys, excavations of a major late Roman house (the Triconch Palace) and the 6th-century Baptistery, and ceramic and faunal assemblages. It also includes synthetic studies of the city's medieval history, topography, churches and fortifications." --Book Jacket.

Butrint, an Epirote port on the southern Albanian coast, was a cultural and political centre throughout classical antiquity and into the middle ages. The Italian Archaeological Mission, directed by Luigi Maria Ugolini, undertook major excavations of the Hellenistic and Roman theatre between 1928 and 1932. The original reports and surveys are published here for the first time and provide a significant contribution to our knowledge of the development of Butrint. Contents List of illustrations Introduction and acknowledgements, by Oliver J. Gilkes Foreword, by Lord Rothschild Part 1 Luigi Maria Ugolini and the Italian Archaeological Mission to Albania Chapter 1 Luigi Maria Ugolini and the Italian Archaeological Mission to Albania, by Oliver J. Gilkes Chapter 2 Ugolini and Aeneas: the story of the excavation of the theatre at Butrint, by Lida Miraj Chapter 3 The Ugolini manuscripts in the Museo della Civilt Romana, Rome, by Anna Maria Liberati Chapter 4 The documentary evidence 4.1 The Ugolini archive: surviving documents relating to the Italian Archaeological Mission to Albania and their location, by Oliver J. Gilkes and Lida Miraj 4.2 Bibliography of the Italian Archaeological Mission, compiled by Oliver. J. Gilkes and Barbara Polci Part 2 Luigi Maria Ugolini's Excavations in the Theatre at Butrint Chapter 5 Gli scavi del teatro, by Luigi Maria Ugolini Chapter 6 The Greek and Roman theatres of Butrint: a commentary and reassessment, by John Wilkes, with a contribution by Oliver J. Gilkes Chapter 7 The theatre at Butrint: parallels and function, by Frank Sear Chapter 8 The sculpture from the theatre, by Luigi Maria Ugolini, with an introduction and commentary by Iris Pojani 8.1 The sculptural material, by Luigi Maria Ugolini 8.2 Ugolini updated: the sculptural material today, by Iris Pojani Glossary / References / Index

The Hellenistic city of Butrint, with its flourishing sanctuary of Asclepius, was transformed when it was made a Roman colony, first by Caesar then Augustus. Being able to deploy its heroic ancestry linked to Aeneas and Troy, the city articulated its special relationship with the imperial family in fine portrait dedications and drew inspiration from Augustus' own city of Nicopolis. Drawing on the latest archaeological research from Butrint, this richly illustrated book presents a new understanding of the making and development of the ancient Epirote city - from colonial provisions, to public benefactions, to spacious villas and townhouses - and discusses the impact of patronage bestowed on it by the emperor and elite families in Rome.

"The rules of the Numismatic Society of London" bound with New Ser., v. 1.