Hadrianopolis (Epirus)

Hadrianopolis, also known as Hadrianoupolis, was an ancient town in Epirus, founded by Roman Emperor Hadrian in the early 2nd century CE. It was strategically located on the road connecting Apollonia and Nicopolis and featured a small theatre, indicative of its cultural significance during the Late Classical Period. The town underwent significant changes when Emperor Justinian I repaired and relocated it in the mid-6th century CE, renaming it Justinianopolis, and it later became a bishopric. The ruins of a later Byzantine fortress, Dryinopolis, suggest a shift in settlement patterns as Hadrianopolis declined. Today, its remains, including a theatre and other structures, lie near Sofratikë, Albania, providing insights into the town's historical and cultural evolution.