Dyrrhachium

Dyrrhachium, Latinized as Dyrrachium and known in Greek as Dyrrhachion, is an ancient city on the Adriatic coast of Illyria, at the site of present-day Durrës, Albania. It began as a Greek colony in the 7th century BCE, traditionally founded by settlers from Corcyra and Corinth and known in antiquity as Epidamnos. Under Roman influence it came to be called Dyrrhachion.

The city occupied a strategically important harbor at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea, opposite Brundisium (Brindisi). Its port facilitated trade between the Greek world and the Illyrian hinterland, and it served as a key link in the overland Via Egnatia route connecting the eastern provinces with the western Mediterranean. As a major urban center, Dyrrhachium developed Roman infrastructure and remained an important military and commercial hub through the late antique period.

A notable episode in its history occurred in 48 BCE during the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey. Caesar besieged the city without success in forcing Pompey to surrender, and Pompey managed to evade a decisive defeat by retreating toward Brundisium. The encounter underscored Dyrrhachium’s military importance as a fortified harbor and supply base during the conflict. In the Roman era the city was a municipium and continued to function as a regional center linked to the broader Adriatic economy.

Today, the ancient site is overlapped by the city of Durrës, Albania. Archaeological remains include portions of city walls, theater, baths, and harbor facilities, reflecting its long-standing role as a major Mediterranean port.