Albanian Telegraphic Agency: Antigonea, “City of Love”, part of 100-village project

The first landmarks of Antigonea are the villages of “Arshi Lengo” and “Asim Zeneli”, the latter one the most populous settlement of the Antigonea Commune.

 

But, the ancient Antigonea was founded in 295 BC by Pyrrhus of Epirus.

 

The city was built as an expression of love and ruined by hatred.

 

At the outset of the 3rd-century BC Pyrrhus was forced to go and fight in Egypt.  His abilities impressed Berenice, the wife of King Ptolemy of Egypt, who decided to offer him her daughter, Antigone, in marriage. In token of his gratitude to his mother-in-law and his first wife, Pyrrhus decided to build Antigoneia.

 

Antigoneia was a very short-lived city, lasting for approximately 100 years.

 

In 198 BC the Romans defeated the Macedonian armies of King Philip V.  The inhabitants of Antigoneia had sided with the Macedonians in their war against the Roman Republic and hence when the Romans obtained total victory in 167 BC, they decided to punish the Epirots who had fought against them. The Roman Consul Aemilius Paullus looted and set fire to 70 towns in Epirus including Antigoneia. The town was never rebuilt.

 

Antigonea developed as an important economic, social, cultural and political centre and by the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the second century BC it assumed the shape of a city-state and got transformed into one of the most important places of antiquity.

 

Nowadays, the remains of Antigonea consist of just some mural ruins located in the hills of the Drino Valley.

 

There are several villages built around the antique park under different names, but Antigonea of Pyrrhus is at the core of them.

 

At present, the ruins of Antigonea are evidence of a glorious story.

 

There are numerous tourists who go there to see from very close the ruins and have a taste of its ancient glory.

 

It is located in the vicinity of the Southern Albanian city of Gjirokastra and the road to the archaeological park is rather good.

 

To support economic development of these villages and especially of Antigonea implies more foreign and local visitors.

 

There are several villages along the Drino Valley which are part of the 100 village-project of priority for their economic and tourist development.

 

Source: Albanian Telegraphic Agency

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