Apollonia, Its history and monuments, Neritan Ceka

Title: Apollonia, Its history and monuments
Author: Neritan Ceka
Translated into english by: Pranvera Xhelo
Publisher: Migjeni
Year: 2005
Pgs. 100
Weight: 0.21 kg
ISBN: 978-99943-672-5-0

Fragment from the book

Origins

It would be inappropriate to consider Apollonia the Pompeii of Albania, given the sheer richness of the archaeological heritage concentrated there. An important economic and cultural centre, continuously, over a thousand years, it was gradually abandoned during the Middle Ages.

Thereafter it was neither destroyed by enemies, nor overlain by a modern city, as happened at Dyrrhacion (modern-day Durres), Aulona (Vlora) and Onchesmus (Saranda). Apollonian is enchanting in its combination of monuments and unspoiled nature, taking visitors two thousand years back in time as they wander for hour after hour, relaxed and meditative, through a landscape that has little changed since Antiquity.

Strbo the geographer suggests 588 BC for the founding of Apollonia, when settlers from Corinth and Corcyra first arrived. According to Stephanus of Byzantium, the Corinthian settlers discovered an indigenous population of the Taulantii tribe. He adds that the first of their number were 200 settlers from Cicysium and Dyspontium in Elis, in Pelopnnese, led by one Gylax. Indeed, the current Myzeqeja Plain was known, after this supposed ktistes (founder), as Gylachion Pedion (the Plain of Gylax).

However , Pausanias infers from his reading of the inscription on a monument at Olympia dedicated by the "longhaired Phoebeus", in other words by Apollo. This should be understood as a matter of fact that, before they would decide on founding a city, the settlers had consulted the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, this being quite common when it came to founding a colony.

This is the reason why a new city would often by named by Apollo, who was considered protector of settlers. As a result, there were about thirty ancient Greek colonies called Apollonia and called "Apollonia of Illyria" rather than "Apollonia of Ionian Sea", or "Apollonia of Epirus", made our city distinguishable from the rest of them.