Hadrianopolis (Epirus)

Hadrianopolis or Hadrianoupolis (Ancient Greek: Ἁδριανούπολις), was a town of ancient Epirus and of Illyricum, founded by Hadrian, and situated on the road from Apollonia to Nicopolis, about midway between those two towns.[1] It was repaired and moved by Justinian I, and called Justinianopolis,[2] and became one of the cities of the government of old Epeirus and the see of a bishop.[3] The small theatre and other vestiges in the plain below Libókhovo mark the position of this city. Ten or twelve miles lower down the river are the ruins of a fortress or small town of the Byzantine age, called Drynópoli, which name has been taken for a corruption of the old city, though it really is derived from the river on which the place is situated, still called Dhrýno or Drýno. These remains are of a later age than the theatre, which belongs to Paganism. The probability is, that when Hadrianopolis fell in ruins Dryinopolis was built on a different site, and became the see of the bishop. Hadrianopolis in Epiro remains a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church.[4]

Its site is located near Sofratikë, Dropull, in Albania.[5][6]

References

1. Tabula Peutingeriana
2. Procopius de Aed. 4.1.
3. Hierocles. Synecdemus. p. 651.8.
4. Catholic Hierarchy
5. Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 54, and directory notes accompanying.
6. Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Hadrianopolis". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.