Table of Contents
Can you walk the Via Egnatia?
The Via Egnatia was built by Roman soldiers between 146 and 120 BC paving the road to make it suitable for walking, riding and pulling carts. The trail is still easy to travel and anybody who is reasonably fit can do it. The climb up to the Macedonian/Albanian border.
Who built Via Egnatia?
Gnaeus Egnatius proconsul
Via Egnatia
| Location | Dyrrachium to Byzantium (later Constantinople) |
| Type | Roman road |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Builder | Roman Republic, Gnaeus Egnatius proconsul of Macedonia |
| Periods | 2nd century BC |
How long was the Via Egnatia?
about 1120 kilometers
The total length of the road must have been about 1120 kilometers. After Byzantium had become the capital of the eastern half of the Roman Empire, a special gate was made for the Via Egnatia, called the Golden Gate. It was used for the triumphal entries of the Byzantine emperors.
Did the Byzantine Empire have roads?
As the Byzantine Empire is the Roman Empire of the east, Byzantine roads are in effect the Roman roads of the eastern provinces, which the Byzantines in the course of their history little by little adapted to changing circumstances, needs, and means.
Where is modern day Thessalonica?
Thessaloniki
Thessalonica (also Thessalonike) was an ancient city of Macedon in northern Greece which today is the city of Thessaloniki.
What means Egnatia?
Via Egnatianoun. A Roman road running across the Balkan peninsula, from Dyrrachium to Byzantium. Etymology: Named for Gnaeus Egnatius, the Roman proconsul of Macedonia, who ordered its construction.
What does Via Egnatia meaning?
Filters. (historical) A Roman road running across the Balkan peninsula, from Dyrrachium to Byzantium. pronoun.
Who are the Thessalonians today?
Thessalonica (also Thessalonike) was an ancient city of Macedon in northern Greece which today is the city of Thessaloniki.
Is Thessaloniki part of Turkey?
An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. It was conquered by the Ottomans in 1430 and remained an important seaport and multi-ethnic metropolis during the nearly five centuries of Turkish rule.
Where is Thessalonica today?
What was the history of the Via Egnatia?
When Caesar’s rivalry with Pompey the Great reached its peak and a civil war broke out, both armies marched along Via Egnatia. One more exciting moment in Roman history occurred along the Via Egnatia; the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian followed Cassius and Brutus along this road to avenge Julius Caesar’s murder (the battle of Philippi).
Who was the Apostle Paul who walked the Via Egnatia?
Via Egnatia has been an integral part of many historically significant moments in Roman history and has been mentioned by many historians. Paul the Apostle (Saint Paul) walked the Via Egnatia during his famous second missionary journey when he traveled from Philippi to Thessalonica.
Who was the Roman Emperor who repaired the Via Egnatia?
In later years, the Via Egnatia was revived as a key road of the Eastern Roman Empire; Procopius records repairs made by Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I during the 6th century, though even then the dilapidated road was said to be virtually unusable during wet weather.
Is the Via Egnatia parallel to the Evros river?
Today’s modern highway, Egnatia Odos, runs in parallel to the Via Egnatia between Thessaloniki and the Turkish border on the Evros river. Its name means “Via Egnatia” in Greek, alluding to its ancient predecessor.