Recent archaeological excavations at the ancient site of Philippi unveiled evidence of continued inhabitancy well into the Byzantine period. The discoveries were made during the ongoing installation of a fire safety network in the site, which includes monuments such as the theater, Basilica B, and the ancient market.
A building discovered during the works includes a statue of a youthful male figure. "It is a large-sized building, so we assume it had a public character," said Stavroula Dadaki, the director of the Kavala-Thasos Antiquities Ephorate, according to Enikos.
Another building found is a public bath. "The interesting thing is that it has an early Christian phase, overlapping a Roman road, and gives us elements about the urban planning of the city in the 6th century CE," Dadaki noted, as reported by LIFO. This building, located southwest of the palestra, features a semicircular hall layout and overlays a Roman road. Archaeologists have also uncovered thermae (public baths) with Roman and early Christian phases.
The excavations have provided new data about the multifaceted history of Philippi after the 6th century CE, overturning previous assumptions that the city was abandoned during this period. "During the works, we identified buildings dating from the 9th to the 11th century CE," said Dadaki, according to Enikos.
Philippi, included in the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2016, has seen an increase in visitor numbers following the COVID-19 pandemic. "In 2024, the visitation of Philippi reached 100,000 people, and this number is significant because until the coronavirus, visitation was around 40,000 people annually," Dadaki stated, according to Newsbomb.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq