Archaeological museum of Nikopolis

At the new museum of the archaeological site of Nikopolis, a prestigious roman city – symbol of victory of Octavian at the naval battle of Aktio is displayed, as well as Nikopoli of earlier Byzantine years. At the first hall there is a historical overview of the city, while at the second,aspects of private life of the citizens of Nikopoli.

Nikopoli, the city that was founded to perpetuate the victory at the naval battle of Aktio, is located at the southwest part of Epirus, 7km northern of the modern city of Preveza. The excavations at Nikopoli began in 1913, after the integration of Preveza at the Greek state and led to the foundation of the first museum at the mosque of Preveza. The mosque was bombed during the II World War and the antiquities were moved back to Nikopolis, when in 1960 a second museum was built and it was opened to the public in 1972. The new Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis was built between the ages 1999-2003 and 2005-2006, at the entrance of Preveza and was opened to the public in 2009.

The Museum displays only findings from Nikopoli, the city – symbol for the victory of Octavian at the naval battle of Aktio, defining the central idea of the exhibition that can be summarized to the sentence “A naval battle – a city – an empire”. The main core of the exhibition is being displayed to the two main halls of the Museum, with a historic and thematic interest, respectively framed by separate units, developed across the corridors.

At corridor A the Chronology is being developed, with the most important facts that happened since the death of Alexander the Great until the naval battle of Aktio and the foundation of Nikopolis.

At Hall A the foundation and development of the city is being displayed until its decline and abandonment, through architectural members, altars, busts, coins, pottery, glass and metal findings. The exhibition is being developed through a triple scheme:

The naval battle of Aktio and the Victory of Augustus

The Roman City and its infrastructures

The transition to the Early Christian city and the earlier Byzantine period.

The roman Nikopolis is presented through the settlements, the mint processions, the public buildings, the worship and public life and even the transition to the new era is being presented, so the city regains its character as a crucial religious and administrative center, as its organization, religious life and basilicas prove.

At Hall B timeless aspects of the Nikopolis citizens’ life are shown, such as the commercial and industrial activities, everyday life and their attitude towards death. There is a kind of virtual “stroll”, from the port to the labs, to the houses and the cemeteries of the city. Amphorae, mudbricks, potteries, jewelry, tools, toys and funerary objects with sarcophagi and cinerary urns and glass or ceramic vessels.

While leaving Hall B, there is a part of Tabula Peutingeriana, a copy of medieval map, spotting Nikopolis on the map. At Corridors C and D the history of the archaeological site is being presented through archives, as well as the excavation records, since the beginning of the 20th century (Ioanninon Avenue, Preveza)

Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis: 2682 041336