The Archaeological Site of Nikopolis, with its ancient theater, the ancient odeon and the stadium, the Nikopolis Museum, the Roman Aqueduct of Nikopolis, the Archaeological Site of Kassopi with the second ancient theater of the region, the ancient city of Elatreia, as well as further north the Archaeological Site of the Nekromanteion, are just a few of the many places you can see and explore in the area.

Archaeological Site of Kassopi

Kassopi, the capital of Kassopaia, was built before the middle of the 4th century BC in a naturally fortified location, on a plateau at an altitude of 550–650 m, on the slopes of Mount Zalongo. Its purpose was to protect the fertile plain stretching further south from exploitation by the colonists from Elis. The city reached its peak in the 3rd century BC, when large public buildings were constructed and many houses were rebuilt.

Enclosed within its polygonal fortification walls, 3.20–3.50 m thick, were about 600 two-storey houses on plots of 230 m² each, all oriented to the south, with excellent construction and functionality, interconnected by streets and a shared drainage corridor with a covered sewer.

Kassopi was founded in the first half of the 4th century BC through the unification of settlements in the wider area. It was organized from the outset as a city-state, serving as the capital of the Kassopaians. Its strategic location allowed control of both the hinterland and the coastal zone. Kassopi followed a geometric urban planning system, in which a grid of horizontal and vertical streets formed residential blocks with an advanced drainage system. To fortify the city, strong polygonal walls were built at its most vulnerable points.

The heart of public life was the political agora, situated in the southeastern part of Kassopi, offering panoramic views of the Ambracian Gulf and the Ionian Sea. The layout of the agora was finalized at the end of the 3rd century BC, a period when the flourishing city had around 10,000 inhabitants. It was framed to the north and west by two stoas with Doric colonnades, and to the east by the council house (Bouleuterion). The North Stoa featured statue bases along its façade and eastern side, dedications to the city. Behind the West Stoa lay the Prytaneion, the administrative center and the seat of the city’s magistrates. To the north of the agora stood the Katagogion, a monumental building functioning either as a public guesthouse or as the city’s marketplace. At the northwest edge of the agora stood the large theater, with a capacity of about 6,000 spectators, while at the southwest edge a subterranean chambered tomb is interpreted as the Heroon of the city’s founder.

Outside the city walls, at the Zalongo pass, lie the remains of a small peripteral temple, attributed to Aphrodite, the patron goddess of the Kassopaians.

The destruction of the Epirote cities by the Romans in 167 BC also affected Kassopi. Its final abandonment, however, was linked to the foundation of Nikopolis in 31 BC, when its inhabitants were forced to relocate to the new city.

Today, at the Archaeological Site of Kassopi, restoration and enhancement works are underway in both the central part of the city and the great theater. Once completed, visitors will be able to gain a comprehensive picture of the urban planning and function of a Hellenistic city.

The archaeological site of Kassopi covers an area of approximately 350 acres and is located 27 km from Preveza.

Opening hours: 08:30 – 15:00 daily, except Mondays.