#dodoni

The ancient Greek sanctuary and theater of Dodona are part of a uniquely historic site in the country, home to the oldest oracle, which even predated that of the more universally-known Delphi. Known in Doric Greek as Δωδώνα, Dōdṓnā, Ionic and Attic Greek: Δωδώνη, it is located in Epirus in northwestern Greece.

The historian Herodotus stated that the oracle there dated all the way back to the second millennium BC. Even Homer mentioned Dodona, saying that there was an oracle of Zeus there. Situated in a remote region, far from the main Greek poleis to city states, it was considered second only to the Oracle of Delphi in prestige.

Ancient Dodona

Did you know that the Roman emperor Nero took part in a cultural competition and (rather unsurprisingly) was declared the winner?

Did you know that you can take a stroll through the lanes of a settlement that fitted Aristotle’s description of an “ideal city,” and which featured an ancient hotel?

Did you know that there is a town where slave owners who decided to give their slaves their freedom were honored by having their names etched onto the seats of the local theater?

The Regional Authority of Epirus recently inaugurated the Cultural Route of the Ancient Theaters of Epirus, a project that aims to link the theaters found in five archaeological sites with the region’s other attractions: rivers and stone-built bridges, mountains, picturesque traditional villages, lakes, one-of-a-kind beaches on the Ionian Sea, lovely towns, Byzantine monasteries, churches and local products.

The rationale behind this ambitious undertaking was that a route through the ages in Epirus would be more meaningful for the visitor, allowing them to connect with the region on a deeper level.