The ancient Greek amphitheatre, now slightly submerged by the marsh
A medieval basilica's or bishopric's apse
Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint has been the site of a Greek colony, a Roman city and a bishopric. The settlement became an important stop along the merchant trade routes and reached the height of its glory in the 300s BCE as one of the major maritime and commercial centers of the ancient world. The sight of the fortifications alone, which date from the 500s BCE, evokes the military and economic potential of the city at the time. The amphitheater (pictured in the image gallery) dates from the 200s BCE, and held nearly 1,500 people. Under the rule of the Romans the city was allowed to slowly fall into decay. In the palaeo-Christian period, two basilicas and a baptistry were built. Butrint’s later medieval history was turbulent. The town was involved, first, in the power struggles between Byzantium and successive Norman, Angevin and Venetian states and then the town was dragged int0 the conflict between Venice and the Ottoman Turks. Under Ottoman administration, the marshes that had grown around the nearby lake poisoned the city’s underground water supply. Butrint was abandoned, and left for the forests and marsh to cover its ancient and medieval ruins. (Photography credit to Pete Heck and Ko Hon Chiu Vincent)
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