Event: Excavations At The Victory Monument Of Octavian Augustus At Nikopolis, Epiros: A Monument That Marks A Turning Point In The History Of The Ancient World

Konstantinos Zachos Director Emeritus Of Antiquities For Epiros
Saturday, October 10th, 10:00am PT

On September 2, 31 BC, Octavian’s forces defeated those of Mark Antony and the queen of Egypt Cleopatra off the west coast of Greece. Known as the Battle of Actium, from the peninsula of the same name, at the entrance of the Ambracian Gulf, on which was located an ancient sanctuary of Apollo. Few episodes from ancient history have been commented on more than the battle of Actium. It marked the beginning of a new world order and, above all, the beginning of Octavian’s “monarchy,” at which time he became Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome. After his victory, Augustus undertook a series of actions aimed at the economic and social reorganization of northwestern Greece, at the same time incorporating elements of political and religious propaganda. He founded a city which he named Nikopolis— Victory City—he renovated the sanctuary of Apollo at Actium and on a hill sacred to the god and, where he had encamped, he erected a Victory Monument. Excavations at this imposing, extravagant monument over the past few decades, have revealed a wealth of finds, some of astonishing artistic rendering.

Konstantinos Zachos is Ephor of Antiquities (Emeritus) of the Greek Ministry of Culture. He holds a B.A. from the University of Thessaloniki and an MA and Ph.D. from Boston University. Following his graduate work, he entered the Greek Archaeological Service, worked in several Ephorates of Antiquities and was promoted to Ephor of Antiquities. He has excavated widely in Epirus, the Peloponnese, the Cyclades, and in Albania. He was also responsible for conservation work at Dodona and Nikopolis. He established three new museums (at Leukas, Nikopolis, and Arta) and supervised the renovation of the Archaeological Museum of Ioannina.

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