Courtesy of The Butrint Foundation
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Butrint under Byzantine Control
In 330 AD, the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great founded a new capital at Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople in his honor. The founding of Constantinople is often seen as the beginning of the Byzantine Empire, and the division of the western and eastern halves of the Roman Empire. The territories of modern Albania became part of the new Byzantine Empire in the east, and Butrint emerged as the major port on the Adriatic route from Venice to Constantinople. Three centuries passed and in the fifth century, with the dominance of Constantinople, Butrint began to enjoy another period of great prosperity.
Constantine the Great established Christianity as the official religion, and celebrated the new religion by erecting public places of worship throughout the Empire. Christianity, therefore, brought new structures to Butrint, adorning the city with two basilicas and a baptistry, which is considered to be among the most beautiful baptistries in the Mediterranean region. Sixteen granite columns, forming two concentric circles, supported the roof of the main hall. The floor is paved with a magnificent mosaic representing the tree of life and decorated with medallions embellished with animal motifs.
Under Byzantine rule, the region began to suffer the devastation of raids by barbarian invaders. Between the 6th and 7th centuries, Slavs settled in the territories, and took over Butrint's prosperous ports for some three centuries.
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