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 Nikopolis

The ancient city of Nikopolis extends over an area of 9,000 acres on the Preveza peninsula, in southwestern Epirus, located just 10 km from the modern city of Preveza.

On September 2, 31 BC, at the entrance of the Ambracian Gulf, one of the most significant naval battles of antiquity took place: the Battle of Actium. The fleet of the Roman general Octavian, led by Agrippa, confronted and defeated the allied fleets of the Roman general Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt. This victory ended the civil war, decisively shaping the form of the Roman Empire and altering the course of history. It marked the beginning of a new era, the Pax Romana, inaugurated with the sole rule of Octavian Augustus over the entire Mediterranean world.

In commemoration of his victory, Octavian Augustus founded the city of Nikopolis, adorning it with splendid buildings and making it a center of Greek culture as well as a meeting point between East and West. The city enjoyed special political and economic privileges and had its own mint. At the same time, Augustus reorganized the Actian Games, the annual local contests of the Acarnanians, granting them new prestige and proclaiming the new order of things in western Greece. The games – athletic, musical, and theatrical – now called the New Actia, were held every four years on the anniversary of the battle and were considered equal to the Olympic Games. Nikopolis became a hub for intellectuals of the era, such as the philosopher Epictetus (89 AD). The city continued to be inhabited during the Byzantine period.

Today, the imposing monuments of the site remain indisputable witnesses of the thousand-year history of ancient Nikopolis. In the sacred grove suburb, the facilities for the Actian Games can be found: the theater, stadium, gymnasium, and the Monument of Augustus on the sacred hill. Along the route, one encounters the impressive Early Christian Walls, the necropoleis, and the aqueduct, while in the city center the streets lead to the “royal residence”, the Basilica A (Doumetios) with its magnificent mosaic decoration, the odeon, and the villa of Manius Antoninus. Most of these monuments are open to the public by arrangement.

Archaeological Site of Ancient Nikopolis
Tel.: +30 26820 51.010

Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis
5th km, Preveza – Ioannina National Road
Tel.: +30 26820 89892
Fax: +30 26820 89893
Email: [email protected]