Ancient Cassope
The ancient city of the Cassopaeans on a plateau overlooking the Ambracian Gulf, abandoned when Nikopolis was founded.
- Founded
- Mid-4th century BC
- Heyday
- 3rd century BC
- Damaged
- 168–167 BC, by the Romans
- Abandoned
- 31 BC, move to Nikopolis
Cassope was an ancient Greek city of Epirus, on a high platform overlooking the sea, the Ambracian Gulf and the fertile land to the south. Mount Zalongo lies to the north. It was founded in the mid-4th century BC as the capital of the Cassopaeans, a sub-tribe of the Thesprotians.
History
It is mentioned in 312 BC in Cassander's war against Alcetas II. It flourished in the 3rd century BC, when large public buildings were built. It was heavily damaged by Roman forces in 168–167 BC and abandoned in 31 BC, when its inhabitants moved to the new capital, Nikopolis.
What survives
Cyclopean walls, an agora, a theatre, civic buildings and private houses survive. Sotiris Dakaris excavated it in 1952 and 1955, and a team from the University of Ioannina and the German Archaeological Institute in 1977–1983.