Titus 3:12
Paul wrote to Titus about the establishment of church order on Crete but in his closing remarks included this: "As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there."
This is the only mention of Nicopolis in the Christian scriptures.
Nicopolis literally means Victory City. In antiquity, a number of cities were established to commemorate victory in battle. Most commentators agree that the Nicopolis to which Paul refers is the city established by Augustus in honour of his victory over Anthony and Cleopatra at Actium.
The remains of the city are just north of Preveza in western Greece.
Click here for a Google Earth view of Nicopolis.
Remnants of the city walls are scattered over a wide area.
The cavea has concrete seats faced with brickwork, something I have not observed elsewhere. Presumably because it was constructed from scratch in the Roman period?
Both are in a sorry state.
Over the years the theatre has been plundered for building materials to be used elsewhere, even if it was just as a source of lime for mortar, as is indicated by the three lime kilns inside the structure! The site is fenced off as too dangerous, but teams of archaeologists are at work under shade cloth when we visited.
The stadium is wildly overgrown.
The monument Augustus had built in honour of his victory at Actium incorporated up to 36 bronze 'rams' from the prows of the opposing fleet and a large altar in honour of Apollo, one of his patron gods. Crumbling edifices like this always remind me of Ozymandius (I must have learned something in 3rd Form English) and also reinforce the wisdom of the Hebrew prohibition on making images of God. The only thing that will not crumble with time is the true Church - a body of people made new in Christ and living in the power of the Holy Spirit - even 'the gates of Hades will not overcome it.' (Matthew 16:18, NIV)
The museum is well worth the visit.
Nicopolis' water supply arrived in town via a 50 km delivery system, with a fall of about 80 m over that distance. Water from the springs at Agios Georgios was collected in a reservoir, then a controlled flow directed into an enclosed channel with plastered walls. Crossing valleys required 'arcade' bridges, such as these (see photo above). The arcades on the left, from which the water channel is missing, are constructed entirely of concrete and brick! Further on, the channel runs underground for a distance of about 5 km - the tunnel is complete with inspection shafts at regular intervals.