• Hellenic Republic • Prefecture of Drama

The natural wealth of the city in terms of abundant running water is something which srtikes all visitors to the area.Through the ages people have organized their lives close to the water, a link which connects the centuries long presence of man with the modern city.
The oldest permanent human settlement at the site of the present day city of Drama was uncovered after systematic excavations in the prehistoric settlement of Arkadikos, which lies to the south of the Agia Barbara park.
From the mid 6th century BC this Neolithic settlement formed the first residential core of the present city. Life in the settlement continued during the Early Copper Age and there were sporadic settlements during early historical times. However, the core of the settlement from later classical times, according to excavations, lay inside the Byzantine complex of walls that ringed Drama. This meant that the size of the ancient settlement could be identified with that of the Byzantine fort.
The size of the ancient settlement, This area, was almost certainly known as 'Draviskos' which is now forms the neighbourhood of Neokromni on its western boader with the northern area known as ' Ambelia' and its southern border, the Agia Babara springs. Valuable information on the topography of the area comes from portable archaeological finds uncovered in graves, houses and buildings in the city of Drama. Continuous habitation of the area during Byzantine and post-Byzantine years and the passage of various conquerors have destroyed important sources of information about life in the city during the past.
During Roman times, the city was an important stop on the road network within the extensive colony known as Daravescos. From the large number of Gods in the Greco-Roman pantheon and local Gods who were worshipped in the area, it is Dionysius who stands out. The worship of the god of the vine and wine continued until later Roman years and came to be identified with the worship of the Roman deity "Liber Pater". In votive dedications that have been unearthed in the wider area of Drama the existence of a temple to Dionysius dating from the Hellenistic period is referred to, however, to date its site has not yet been located.
During the early Christian period (4th - 7th century AD) Drama was a small-fortified town that occupied roughly the same area as the settlement from the classical period. Being the most important settlement in the fertile valley of Philippi, it was, in administrative terms, part of the territorium of the Roman colony of Philippi, the so-called Augustus Julius Phillipi. This colony was founded following the battle of Philippi in 42 AD that was decisive for the course of Roman history and the colony covered the whole of the area occupied by the modern day Prefecture of Kavala as well as large sections of the Prefectures of Serres and Drama.
The colony became universally known with the passage of the Apostle Paul and his retinue through Philippi in the winter of 49 AD and the establishment of the first Christian church. The Christian community in Philippi gradually developed into a strong diocesan centre of the new religion with many bishops. The fortified town of Drama fell within this diocese, the size of the town approaching that of the area protected by the Byzantine walls whose ruins we can still see today.
During the mid Byzantine period (9th - 13th century AD) Drama developed into a strong-castled garrison town with strategic importance and a vibrant commercial life while it continued to belong to Philippi from an administrative and ecclesiastical point of view. The town was a fortified plateau enclosed by walls occupying roughly 40,000 m2 with a population of 1,500-2,000 and home to a military governor charged with monitoring the surrounding area. Written sources from the end of this period that have survived give the names "Darma" (1172) and "Dramme" (1206) for the Castle which has links with the probable ancient name of the place but also with its present day name.
Throughout the whole late Byzantine period (beginning of 13th century - 1453 AD) Drama constantly changed its rulers as did all Byzantine provinces. In 1204 it fell into the hands of the Crusaders. In 1223-1224 Theodoros I Komnenos Doukas, emperor of Thessaloniki conquered it. In 1230 Ioannis Asen II, Tsar of the Bulgarians while in the years 1242-1243 and 1246 it returned to Byzantine hands when Ioannis Vatatzis reconquered Eastern Macedonia, conquered it.
During the first half of the 14th century there were disturbances and conflict as part of the Byzantine civil wars between Andronicus II and III Paleologos (1321-1328) and later between Ioannis Kantakouzinos and members of the Paleologos dynasty (1341-1347). During these years Drama was home to empress Irene Momferratiki, wife of Andronicus II, who was later buried in the castle during the first twenty years of the 14th century.
Drama first appeared as an archdiocese, independent of Philippi, during the reign of Michael VIII Paleologos (1258-1282). It is thought that during this time it developed into an important ecclesiastical and military centre. During the years 1344-1345 the Serb prince Stefan Dousan conquered it. Re-conquered in 1371 by Manuel Paleologos it remained in the hands of the Byzantine Empire until capture by the Ottomans in 1383.
Following the capture of the city of Drama by the Ottomans in 1383, it continued to be a small castle in the vast territory of the Sultan, cut off from Constantinople until the fall of the city in 1453 and from Thessaloniki until its conquest in 1430. Gradually, the Christians who made up 80% of the population, even during the 15th century, began to decrease in numbers due to their exodus into the mountains and the number of Christians there in the 16th century was reduced to 40% with the Muslim population constantly increasing and taking over a large area within the otherwise Christian castle.
Heavy taxes, poor administration of resources and frequent robberies caused the residents of the city to feel insecure and this slowed down the development of the agricultural economy until the beginning of the 18th century.
However, according to the Ottoman traveller Tselembi the city began to expand outside the limits of the old Byzantine walls or the "Varosi" as they were known, creating new Muslim neighbourhoods. By the 17th century a market had been created between the Christian and the Muslim areas around the stream that once braversed the centre of the city.
During the 18th century, however, increased agricultural production combined with the operation of small workshops and industries in the city gave the place a new lease of life in terms of commerce. Based on data for other areas in Macedonia it is safe to assume that the population in Drama increased at this time, especially among the Muslims, creating Muslim neighbourhoods both inside and outside its boundaries.
Nonetheless, poor administration and the heavy taxation of the residents by powerful landowners did not allow for real economic growth of the city. Even though Drama was the capital of a large region during the 19th century with administrative authorities, courts and the army it could not compete with the port of Kavala as a transit centre for the wider area.
Major changes took place in the city following 1879 when the production and trade in tobacco brought about an increase in population and strengthened commerce. The arrival of the railway in 1895 and the improvement of the roads to the port of Kavala connected Drama to the large centres of the empire and commercial sea routes. Large tobacco-trading firms established branches in Drama, tobacco storehouses were built, banks opened offices here and in England there was even a vice-consulate representing the city.
Soon new neighbourhoods were created around the waters of Agia Barbara and to the west of the walled area in order to meet the needs of a population which now reached 6,000-7,000. The new residents, Muslims, Christians and Jews formed separate residential areas in accordance with the practice widespread in the Ottoman empire of segregation. The Christians whose numbers were constantly being added to by families from Western Macedonia and from Epirus in particular, numbered at least 200 in 1880 and they lived within the old walls and south of the Agia Barbara area. The Muslims were concentrated to the west of the market and the Jews settled in the area around the waters of Agia Barbara.
The new public buildings and private residences erected at this time reflected economic prosperity and the influences of European trends. The Greek community during the period 1870 to liberation was marked by its economic development, the formation of educational societies, the construction of schools and by its charitable bodies.
At the beginning of the 20th century as the population reached 14,000 and economic growth continued, sporadic violent episodes began as part of the undeclared war for the liberation of Macedonia. The Bishop of Drama, Chrysostomos, town dignitaries and its people organized the defence of the Greek community.
Following the troubled period of the struggle for Macedonian liberation and the first Bulgarian occupation, the Greek Army liberated the city on 1st July 1913 following 530 years of foreign occupation. The Bulgarians recaptured the city and difficult times were to follow but the three religious communities in the city gradually began to form neighbourhoods where members of all three groups cohabited, these mainly being in what is now today's commercial centre.
Drama finally acquired its Greek character with the transfer of populations that took place in accordance with the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. Refugees from Pontus, the western coast of Asia Minor and from Thrace radically changed the face of Drama after they settled there creating many refugee neighbourhoods around the old core of the city and strengthening its market.
By 1928 Drama had 32,000 residents, having doubled its population in just one decade and among these people formed a significant Armenian and Jewish community.
The commercial centre moved westward while the tobacco storehouses in the area of Agia Barbara became the symbol of the modern city, recalling periods of prosperity for the residents thanks to trade in tobacco during the inter-war years.
Following the war, Drama became the administrative, economic and cultural centre of the Prefecture of Drama. With so many activities gathered in the city its development looked favourable given too that the population was increasing with young people from the area, Greeks from the diaspora and other refugees. Furthermore, with good connections to other cities in Greece and Europe and the imminent opening up of the Bulgarian border, the city was being given new prospects.