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== Culture ==
== Culture ==
Amantia's growth during the Hellenistic era could explain the bilingualism of the settlement in that era.<ref name="Shpuza2014">{{harvnb|Shpuza|2014|p=22|ps=:Tout comme Dyrrachium, Amantia fut prospère à l’époque hellénistique, ce qui pourrait expliquer le choix du bilinguisme. (..) Autre facette de l’évolution linguistique, la fondation de la colonie va amener non seulement le passage du grec au latin, mais également la transformation de l’onomastique de la ville, devenue à terme presqu’entièrement latine. Ce phénomène implique a contrario l’élimination progressive du stock anthroponymique grec et illyrien.}}</ref> The onomastics found in the inscriptions in the city are entirely Greek. The local deities are of the typical Greek pantheon, such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Pandemos and Pan.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hatzopoulos|first1=M. B.|last2=Sakellariou|first2=M.|last3=Loukopoulou| first3=L. D.|title=Epirus, Four Thousand Years of Greek History and Civilization|publisher=Ekdotike Athenon|year=1997|isbn=960-213-377-5|ref=harv|quote=The language od the inscriptions is undoudtedly Greek and, in particurlar, all known citizens have Greek names. The cults of Amantia are typically Greek ( Zeus , Aphrodite, Pandemos, Pan and the Nymphe).|page=143}}</ref> The temple of Aphrodite in Amantia is an example of the Hellenistic influence in present-day Albania via contact with the nearby Greek colonies.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hansen |first1=Inge Lyse |last2=Hodges |first2=Richard |last3=Leppard |first3=Sarah |title=Butrint 4: The Archaeology and Histories of an Ionian Town |date=8 January 2013 |publisher=Oxbow Books |isbn=978-1-78297-102-3 |page=170 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2X9-AwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> On the basis of language, institutions, officials, onomastics, city-planning and fortifications from that era it has been described as a "Greek city" by historians N.G.L. Hammond (1989) and [[Fanula Papazoglou]] (1986).<ref name=Hammond1989>{{cite journal |last1=Hammond |first1=N. G. L. |title=The Illyrian Atintani, the Epirotic Atintanes and the Roman Protectorate |journal=The Journal of Roman Studies |date=1989 |volume=79 |pages=11–25 |doi=10.2307/301177 |jstor=301177 |issn=0075-4358 |quote= The fallacy of supposing that the cities of northern Epirus were 'Illyrian cities', made clear in my book Epirus in I967, has been reasserted by F. Papazoglou I986, 439 as regards Amantia, Byllis, Nicaea and Olympe ('J'ai dit 'a bon escient "cites grecques"... There is little point in proposing an Illyrian label for cities in which the language, the institutions, the officials, the onomastics, the city-planning and the fortifications were Greek.}}</ref> It has been described as a Hellenized Illyrian city by Winnifrith (2002), Eckstein (2008), and Lasagni (2019).<ref name="Winnifrith2002"/>{{sfn|Lasagni|2019|p=73|ps=: "poleis illiriche ellenizzate di Byllis o Amantia" ... Eckstein 2008, 52-54 (cit. a pagina 53): «Whereas Apollonia was a Roman amicus, no links were established with the Hellenized Illyrian city-states of Byllis and Amantia, ...}}
Amantia's growth during the Hellenistic era could explain the bilingualism of the settlement in that era.<ref name="Shpuza2014">{{harvnb|Shpuza|2014|p=22|ps=:Tout comme Dyrrachium, Amantia fut prospère à l’époque hellénistique, ce qui pourrait expliquer le choix du bilinguisme. (..) Autre facette de l’évolution linguistique, la fondation de la colonie va amener non seulement le passage du grec au latin, mais également la transformation de l’onomastique de la ville, devenue à terme presqu’entièrement latine. Ce phénomène implique a contrario l’élimination progressive du stock anthroponymique grec et illyrien.}}</ref> The onomastics found in the inscriptions in the city are entirely Greek. The local deities are of the typical Greek pantheon, such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Pandemos and Pan.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hatzopoulos|first1=M. B.|last2=Sakellariou|first2=M.|last3=Loukopoulou| first3=L. D.|title=Epirus, Four Thousand Years of Greek History and Civilization|publisher=Ekdotike Athenon|year=1997|isbn=960-213-377-5|ref=harv|quote=The language od the inscriptions is undoudtedly Greek and, in particurlar, all known citizens have Greek names. The cults of Amantia are typically Greek ( Zeus , Aphrodite, Pandemos, Pan and the Nymphe).|page=143}}</ref> The temple of Aphrodite in Amantia is an example of the Hellenistic influence in present-day Albania via contact with the nearby Greek colonies.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hansen |first1=Inge Lyse |last2=Hodges |first2=Richard |last3=Leppard |first3=Sarah |title=Butrint 4: The Archaeology and Histories of an Ionian Town |date=8 January 2013 |publisher=Oxbow Books |isbn=978-1-78297-102-3 |page=170 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2X9-AwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> On the basis of language, institutions, officials, onomastics, city-planning and fortifications from that era it has been described as a "Greek city" by historians N.G.L. Hammond (1989) and [[Fanula Papazoglou]] (1986).<ref name=Hammond1989>{{cite journal |last1=Hammond |first1=N. G. L. |title=The Illyrian Atintani, the Epirotic Atintanes and the Roman Protectorate |journal=The Journal of Roman Studies |date=1989 |volume=79 |pages=11–25 |doi=10.2307/301177 |jstor=301177 |issn=0075-4358 |quote= The fallacy of supposing that the cities of northern Epirus were 'Illyrian cities', made clear in my book Epirus in I967, has been reasserted by F. Papazoglou I986, 439 as regards Amantia, Byllis, Nicaea and Olympe ('J'ai dit 'a bon escient "cites grecques"... There is little point in proposing an Illyrian label for cities in which the language, the institutions, the officials, the onomastics, the city-planning and the fortifications were Greek.}}</ref> Some Albanian historians consider it as an Illyrian settlement, nevertheless in terms of language, institutions, officials, onomastics, city-planning and fortifications Amantia displays the typical features of a Greek city.<ref name=Hammond1989/> It has been described as a Hellenized Illyrian city by Winnifrith (2002), Eckstein (2008), and Lasagni (2019).<ref name="Winnifrith2002"/>{{sfn|Lasagni|2019|p=73|ps=: "poleis illiriche ellenizzate di Byllis o Amantia" ... Eckstein 2008, 52-54 (cit. a pagina 53): «Whereas Apollonia was a Roman amicus, no links were established with the Hellenized Illyrian city-states of Byllis and Amantia, ...}}


In the Roman era, the city's language onomastics and transitioned almost entirely to Latin. This transition to Latin implies the gradual fading out of Greek and Illyrian names.<ref name="Shpuza2014"/>
In the Roman era, the city's language onomastics and transitioned almost entirely to Latin. This transition to Latin implies the gradual fading out of Greek and Illyrian names.<ref name="Shpuza2014"/>

Revision as of 02:17, 6 December 2020

Amantia
Ἀμάντια
Arched entrance in Amantia
Amantia is located in Albania
Amantia
Location in Albania
Alternative nameἈβάντια, Abantia
LocationPloç, Vlorë County, Albania
RegionEpirus or Illyria
Coordinates40°22′37″N 19°41′59″E / 40.37694°N 19.69972°E / 40.37694; 19.69972
TypeSettlement
History
Periods
  • Iron Age
  • Classical
  • Hellenistic
  • Roman
Cultures
  • Illyrian
  • Greek
  • Roman
Site notes
OwnershipGovernment of Albania

Amantia or Abantia (Template:Lang-gr; Template:Lang-la) was an ancient city in northern Epirus or southern Illyria.[1][2][3][4] The site has been identified with the village of Ploç, Vlorë County, in modern Albania.[5] According to historical accounts, it was founded by Locrians from nearby Thronium and Abantes from Euboea. The massive walls of Amantia were built before the end of the 4th century, and literary sources report them as an Illyrian rather than Epirote or Macedonian foundation. Later Amantia acquired the trappings of a Hellenistic town.[6] In terms of fortifications, masonry and general architecture, language and religion Amantia shares the same features as the rest of the settlement of the Greek world of that time.[1]

Amantia occupied an important defensive position above the Aoos/Vjosë river valley to the east, and on the road to the coast and the Bay of Aulon. A temple dedicated to Aphrodite, a theatre, and a stadium have also been found in the city.[7]

Amantia was designated as an archaeological park on 7 April 2003 by the government of Albania.[8]

Etymology

It has been suggested that the root morpheme *Amant- was perhaps a "barbarized" version of *Abant- in relation to the Abantes.[9] The name Amantia is generally accepted as Illyrian.[10] Pseudo-Skylax (Periplus. 26) and Lycophron (Alexandra. 1043) recorded the toponym Ἀμάντια, Amantia. The Delphic list of theorodokoi reported the form Ἀβάντια, Abantia. The city-ethnic is recorded as Ἀμάντιεύς, Amantieus by Pseudo Skylax (27).[5] The town's demonym was Amantieus (Template:Lang-grc).[5]

History

According to Pausanias, the settlement was founded by Locrians from nearby Thronium and Abantes from Euboea.[11] Stephanus Byzantius - based on Pausanias - mentions that Amantia was founded on Illyrian terrirory by the Euboean Abantes "returning from the Trojan war".[12][13] Hesychius states that it was an Epirote settlement. One foundation legend had Elpenor, who actually dies at Troy, acting as a nostos and leading the colonists.[14] The tribe itself was called Amantes[disambiguation needed].[15]

In historical times, the inhabitants of Amantia are described as an Illyrian people in the Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax (mid. 4th century BCE).[16] Proxenos in 3rd century B.C considers them Epirotes, while Pliny the Elder calls them barbarians.[12] Amantia is mentioned for the first time in the 4th century BC. It is situated on the slope of a high hill and had only its acropolis fortified.The massive walls of Amantia were built before the end of the 4th century, and literary sources report them as an Illyrian rather than Epirote or Macedonian foundation. Later Amantia acquired the trappings of a Hellenistic town.[6] In terms of fortifications, masonry and general architecture, language and religion Amantia shares the same features as the rest of the settlement of the Greek world of that time.[1]

According to M. Hatzopoulos, the fact that Amantia received theoroi from Delphi during the early 2nd century BC, indicates that it was listed among the Greek cities in the area north of the Acroceraunian mountains.[17] By the 3rd century BC, the town was strengthened economically and minted its own coins.

Following the Roman conquest of the region, the city became part of the Roman province of Epirus Novus. Eulalius, one of the Eastern bishops at the Council of Sardica who refused to recognize its right to revoke the condemnation of Athanasius of Alexandria and withdrew in a body to Philippopolis, was probably bishop of this town, but some think he was bishop of Amasea.[18][19][20][21] During the early 4rth century a basilica was erected.[22] No longer a residential bishopric, Amantia is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see.[23]

Culture

Amantia's growth during the Hellenistic era could explain the bilingualism of the settlement in that era.[24] The onomastics found in the inscriptions in the city are entirely Greek. The local deities are of the typical Greek pantheon, such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Pandemos and Pan.[25] The temple of Aphrodite in Amantia is an example of the Hellenistic influence in present-day Albania via contact with the nearby Greek colonies.[26] On the basis of language, institutions, officials, onomastics, city-planning and fortifications from that era it has been described as a "Greek city" by historians N.G.L. Hammond (1989) and Fanula Papazoglou (1986).[27] Some Albanian historians consider it as an Illyrian settlement, nevertheless in terms of language, institutions, officials, onomastics, city-planning and fortifications Amantia displays the typical features of a Greek city.[27] It has been described as a Hellenized Illyrian city by Winnifrith (2002), Eckstein (2008), and Lasagni (2019).[6][28]

In the Roman era, the city's language onomastics and transitioned almost entirely to Latin. This transition to Latin implies the gradual fading out of Greek and Illyrian names.[24]

Institutions

The organisation of Amantia is quite similar to that of a polis rather than of a federal state.[29] The local official titles and institutions display typical names of a Greek settlement of that time, such as: prytanis (Template:Lang-el, "the one that presides"), grammateus (Template:Lang-el, "secretary"), toxarchis, agonothetes and the boule.[12]

The town was surrounded with a walled enclosure roughly 2,100m long. A large fort was built with two gates and two defensive towers in the north.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amantia (Albania).

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Winnifrith, Tom (13 July 1992). Perspectives On Albania. Springer. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-349-22050-2. cities such as Lissus, Amantia... were 'Illyrian cities'. The archaeological evidence seems to be against them. For in sites fortifications, towers gates and masonry and in the construction of theatres, odeons, temples and agoras the cities of Epirus and Illyris are indistinguishable, in the titles of the city-officials and the language of their decrees these cities are entirely Greek."
  2. ^ Hansen & Nielsen 2004, p. 342.
  3. ^ Casson, S. Macedonia, Thrace and Illyria: their relations to Greece from the earliest times down to the time of Philip, son of Amyntas. Greenwood Press, 1971. p. 322 [1]
  4. ^ Pojani 1999, p. 251: "Nga njohjet e deritanishme kulti i Dionisit eshte shume pak i perhapur ne Epir dhe aq më pak në Apolloni apo në qytetet e Ilirisë Jugore si Byllis, Amantia e Orik."
  5. ^ a b c Hansen & Nielsen 2004, p. 342.
  6. ^ a b c Winnifrith 2002, p. 58: "There are however, some other sites in Southern Albania which cannot be attributed to sudden Macedonian or Molossian advance, notably Amantia, Byllis and Selce, thought by some to be Pelium, where Alexander the Great fought a difficult campaign. Their massive walls were constructed before the end of the fourth century, and the literary sources talk of them as Illyrian rather than Epirote or Macedonian foundations. Later Amantia and Byllis acquired the trappings of a Hellenistic town."
  7. ^ Anamali S. Amantie. Iliria 2 (1972), pp. 67-148.
  8. ^ Tusa, Sebastiano. "Menaxhimi Fiskal dhe Struktura Drejtuese e Sistemit të Parqeve Arkeologjike në Shqipëri në vëmendje të veçantë: Parqet Arkeologjike: Apolloni dhe Antigone" (PDF) (in Albanian). United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  9. ^ Walker, Keith G. (2004). Archaic Eretria: A Political and Social History from the Earliest Times to 490 BC. Routledge. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-134-45097-8.
  10. ^ Baldi 1983, p. 168.
  11. ^ Pausanias. Description of Greece, 5.22.3-5.22.4.
  12. ^ a b c Hatzopoulos, 1997, p. 143
  13. ^ Amantia: Illyrion moira, plesion Orikou kai Kerkuras eks Abanton apo Troias nostesanton oikismene.
  14. ^ Malkin 1998, p. 79.
  15. ^ The Illyrian Atintani, the Epirotic Atintanes and the Roman Protectorate N. G. L. Hammond, The Journal of Roman Studies Vol. 79 (1989), pp. 11-25 "There were Illyrian Amantini in Pannonia and Greek Amantes in North Epirus"
  16. ^ Shipley 2019, p. 115.
  17. ^ Hatzopoulos, M. B.; Sakellariou, M.; Loukopoulou, L. D. (1997). Epirus, Four Thousand Years of Greek History and Civilization (in Greek). Ekdotike Athenon. p. 145. ISBN 960-213-377-5. Ωστόσο, την πιο αδιαμφησβήτητη μαρτυρία για την ελληνικότητα των πόλεων αυτών πρός Β των Ακροκεραυνίων και συνάμα γιά τα όρια του Ελληνισμού στην περιοχή αυτήν δίνει το ηπειρωτικό τμήμα του μεγάλου καταλόγου των θεαροδόκων των Δελφών των αρχών του 2ου αι. π.Χ. Σ'αυτόν, εκτός από την Κασσώπη, Δωδώνη, Φοινίκη, τις Κεμάρες την Απολλωνία και το Δυρράχιον, αναφέρονται ο Ωρικός, η Αβαντία (Αμαντία) και η Βυλλίς, που αποτελεί την βορειότερη μη αποικιακή Ελληνίδα πόλη στην περιοχή αυτή. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  18. ^ Michel Lequien, Oriens christianus in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus, Paris 1740, Vol. II, coll. 250-251
  19. ^ Daniele Farlati-Jacopo Coleti, Illyricum Sacrum, vol. VII, Venezia 1817, [https://books.google.com/books?id=z1zLr_T1esUC&pg=PA394 pp. 394-395
  20. ^ Siméon Vailhé, v. Amantia, in Dictionnaire d'Histoire et de Géographie ecclésiastiques, vol. II, Paris 1914, coll. 953-954
  21. ^ P. Feder, Studien zu Hilarius von Poitiers, Wien 1911, tomo II, pp. 71-72.
  22. ^ Chrysos, E. (1997). "Roads, Cities and Fortresses of Epirus". Epirus. Ekdotike Athenon: 154. ISBN 9789602133712.
  23. ^ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 830
  24. ^ a b Shpuza 2014, p. 22:Tout comme Dyrrachium, Amantia fut prospère à l’époque hellénistique, ce qui pourrait expliquer le choix du bilinguisme. (..) Autre facette de l’évolution linguistique, la fondation de la colonie va amener non seulement le passage du grec au latin, mais également la transformation de l’onomastique de la ville, devenue à terme presqu’entièrement latine. Ce phénomène implique a contrario l’élimination progressive du stock anthroponymique grec et illyrien.
  25. ^ Hatzopoulos, M. B.; Sakellariou, M.; Loukopoulou, L. D. (1997). Epirus, Four Thousand Years of Greek History and Civilization. Ekdotike Athenon. p. 143. ISBN 960-213-377-5. The language od the inscriptions is undoudtedly Greek and, in particurlar, all known citizens have Greek names. The cults of Amantia are typically Greek ( Zeus , Aphrodite, Pandemos, Pan and the Nymphe). {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  26. ^ Hansen, Inge Lyse; Hodges, Richard; Leppard, Sarah (8 January 2013). Butrint 4: The Archaeology and Histories of an Ionian Town. Oxbow Books. p. 170. ISBN 978-1-78297-102-3.
  27. ^ a b Hammond, N. G. L. (1989). "The Illyrian Atintani, the Epirotic Atintanes and the Roman Protectorate". The Journal of Roman Studies. 79: 11–25. doi:10.2307/301177. ISSN 0075-4358. JSTOR 301177. The fallacy of supposing that the cities of northern Epirus were 'Illyrian cities', made clear in my book Epirus in I967, has been reasserted by F. Papazoglou I986, 439 as regards Amantia, Byllis, Nicaea and Olympe ('J'ai dit 'a bon escient "cites grecques"... There is little point in proposing an Illyrian label for cities in which the language, the institutions, the officials, the onomastics, the city-planning and the fortifications were Greek.
  28. ^ Lasagni 2019, p. 73: "poleis illiriche ellenizzate di Byllis o Amantia" ... Eckstein 2008, 52-54 (cit. a pagina 53): «Whereas Apollonia was a Roman amicus, no links were established with the Hellenized Illyrian city-states of Byllis and Amantia, ...
  29. ^ Cabanes, P. (1997). "Political Developments". Epirus: 4000 Years of Greek Civilisation and Culture. Ekdotike Athenon: 89. ISBN 9789602133712.

Bibliography

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