• Hellenic Republic • Prefecture of Drama

The excavations carried out to date have not yet shed much light on the life and character of the settlements in the Prefecture of Drama during the archaic and classical periods. Examples of ceramics from the area around the Industrial Zone of Drama and the area of Potami make it clear that there were communications between the area and the coast of Macedonia even in the 7th century BC.
From the mid 4th century BC until the incorporation of the area into the Kingdom of Macedonia under Phillip II (356 BC), the area began to flourish again under the influence of the Macedonian royal family and the city of Amphibole. The Thracians who had lived in the area since early times were Hellenised and various works of a public and fortification nature were carried out.
The recently excavated ancient temple of Dionysus, found in the valley of the river Angitis at a distance of 2.5 km from the picturesque village of Kali Vrysi belongs to the early Hellenistic period. The location known as "Mikri Toumba" in the community of Kali Vrysi, set up on a raised flat area which dominates the whole beautiful valley, has been a natural passage between the mountains Menikio and Falakro down through the ages. Systematic excavations were carried out between 1991 and 1995 at this location and a rectangular building, monumental in character, with careful stonework was revealed, the building containing items of worship of a localised nature.

Dionysus also had his followers in the area around Kali Vrysi in ancient times during the last quarter of the 4th century BC and the beginning of the 3rd century BC. The worship of Bacchus-Dionysus was prominent in ancient Thrace and the basic element of his worship was the trame like state of dancers produced by wine and dance. In the wider area of Kali Vrysi sporadic finds from Roman times point to the continued worship of Dionysus even during the Roman period, these having been found at places where no excavation has yet taken place. Vestigial worship of Dionysus is maintained in traditional events held in Kali Vrysi at the beginning of January every year while the procession of "Bamboogeri" (decrepit old man in Greek) recalls ancient processions of the Farmer God Dionysius. Dionysius, the mask-wearing god of ecstasy and the fertility of the soil who was known to have been worshipped in the area of Pangeo and Drama. Right: the ancient temple of Dionysius at Kali Vrysi.

Dionysius, the mask-wearing god of ecstasy and the fertility of the soil who was known to have been worshipped in the area of Pangeo and Drama. Right: the ancient temple of Dionysius at Kali Vrysi.

The temple at Kali Vrysi was plundered and set alight and destroyed at the beginning of the 3rd century BC at a time when the Gauls passed through the area following the battle of Lysimachae. The temple was not reconstructed and fell into disuse. At various sites throughout the prefecture scattered graves, examples of necropolises from Hellenistic times, have been found. Simple box-shaped tombs as well as cremation burials have been unearthed in the lowlands around Kalamona, in the areas of Prosotsani, Mikropoli, Haritomeni, Grammeni, Kalambaki and elsewhere. Little is known about settlements during Hellenistic times since research in the area has not progressed greatly.
During Roman times, following the famous battle of Philippi in 42 BC, Anthony who was the first founder of the Roman colony organized the installation of the veteran soldiers from the 28th legion. However, the most significant colonization was carried out under Octavian Augustus in 30 BC. Rewarding veterans he granted them areas of land and settled them across large expanses of the Prefecture of Drama in valleys, plains and mountainous areas. Thus the borders of the Roman colony spread as far as the area around Platania and according to evidence found in inscriptions settlements here were mainly agricultural in character.
An extensive Roman colony was created - the Colonia Augusta Julia Philippensis - with many large villages and farmhouses.
The number of extensive villages and farmhouses was quite large and has not been completely ascertained to date. Evidence from inscriptions, grave monuments and various finds give valuable information about these "villages" in various areas of the Prefecture of Drama, such as those at the source of the river Angitis, Grammeni, Kalambaki, Platania, Kefalari, Mikromilia, Kali Vrysi and so on.
The various milestones which have been found show us the route of the Via Egnatia through the villages of Mavrolefki and Kalambaki and beside the marshes as far as Philippi (Archaeological Museum of Drama).

The various milestones which have been found show us the route of the Via Egnatia through the villages of Mavrolefki and Kalambaki and beside the marshes as far as Philippi (Archaeological Museum of Drama).

At Mikromilia in the area of Potami, at a location known as Tsifliki various scattered finds such as this form wearing a cloak point to the existence of a significant Roman town (Archaeological Museum of Drama)

The fortified acropolises played the most important role within the Roman colony. The "castles" as they were called were built in fortified locations atop hills which controlled roads and important rivers passages towards the interior and were mainly built near valleys such as the acropolis at Platania where there are traces of life from the distant Iron Age (1050 - 800 BC) right up to the early Christian period. The site at Platania has barracks and areas for military units probably deployed to guard roads along rivers. Other significant acropolises - castles - are those at Adriani, Pyrgi, the source of the river Angitis and Xiropotamos where the remains of a Roman aqueduct have been uncovered.
The grave monuments, which have been uncovered in different areas, fall into different categories; simple graves, box-shaped graves and monumental funereal buildings. During Roman times new road axes were created and old ones were repaired. These roads usually followed the path of natural passages across the countryside.
The largest road axis was the Via Egnatia built at the end of the 2nd century BC by the Roman vice-consul Gnaius Egnatius that connected Rome with Byzantium (Constantinople) and passed through the Prefecture of Drama. There would also have been other roads in the area allowing communication between towns and the interior but traces of these are difficult to uncover nowadays.