Two sections of the Via Egnatia discovered in Northern Greece

Two sections of the ancient Via Egnatia have been unearthed in Iasmos Rodopi, Thrace, according to official information provided by the head of the Rhodopi Ephorate of Antiquities, Chryssa Karadima.

Section of the ancient Via Egnatia, viewed from the East
[Credit: Rhodopi Ephorate of Antiquities]

The statement by the Rhodopi Ephorate of Antiquities says that a series of stone slabs was discovered during the course of works by the Municipality of Iasmos for the installation of water pipes on 20 February 2019.

A rescue excavation was then carried out on 18 and 19 March 2019 in order to ascertain the nature of the above finding. A 3 × 14m section was opened and it was found to be part of the Via Egnatia, measuring 14 × 2.70m.

Section of the ancient Via Egnatia, viewed from the NW
[Credit: Rhodopi Ephorate of Antiquities]

Its state of preservation is quite good: the northern section of the road is preserved along its entire length, while the southern section is only partly preserved.

On March 19, 2019, a second part of the Via Egnatia came to light in the second project of the Municipality of Iasmos on the Polyanthos - Iasmos district road.

View of the excavation from the SE [Credit: Rhodopi Ephorate of Antiquities]

Only the southern part of this section of road, which measures about 3 metres in length, was excavated, as the rest lies under the asphalt.

The two recently discovered sections, within a short distance of each other, are very close to the already known section of the Via Egnatia, which passes through the area of ​​the EE. Rodopi 1km. east of Iasmos.

Second part of the ancient Via Egnatia, viewed from the East
[Credit: Rhodopi Ephorate of Antiquities]

They are the first local sections of the Via Egnatia after Kavala and until Mesta, where the best preserved sections in Thrace are found.

The Via Egnatia was constructed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. It crossed Illyricum, Macedonia, and Thrace as a continuation of the Via Appia.

Source: ERT [April 07, 2019]