Roman aqueduct of Nikopolis

On the north side of the valley of Louros, close to Agios Georgios village, north of Filippiada, the roman aqueduct of ancient Nikopolis dominates. The Roman Aqueduct travels a distance of around 50km, leaving its mark to Rizovouni, Thesprotiko, Stefani, Skala Louros, Sfinoto, Oropos, Archaggelos – Nea Sinopi and Nikopoli. The roman aqueduct was constructed after the foundation of Nikopolis by Octavian Augustus (1st century BC – 1st century AD) according to the prevailing view, while younger researchers consider possible that the construction was made in the years of Adrianos (2nd century AD). Julian the Emperor took care of it, but after the half of the 5th century AD it stopped functioning.

The aqueduct is consisted of a pipe that carried the water with the method of height difference from Louros sources to the two tanks of Nymphaeo and Nikopolis. The pipe was constructed in three ways:

– By carving a ditch with an arched sealed cover and square openings of ventilation to slopes,

– By tunneling the area of Kokkinopilos,

– By constructing a number of columns on valley areas that bridged parts of the hills.

Fixing and restoration work was carried out from 1978 to 1980 by the XII Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, at the foundations of the bridge’s archs, close to Louros springs, to Agios Georgios of Preveza.

Text by E. Saltagiannis (Archaeologist of Ephorate of Antiquities of Preveza)