“With the gaze upon Nicopolis” is a digital interactive book dedicated to Nicopolis, the roman city that occupies the plains at the neck of the peninsula of Preveza (Epirus, Greece) between the shores of the Ionian Sea to the west and the Ambracian Gulf to the east. The city was founded as a symbol of Octavians’ victory against Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt, in the naval battle near Actium in September 31 BC.

It was this victory that affected the history of the whole then known world the Mediterranean Sea and marked the beginning of a new period, the Imperial Age. After the fall of Alexandria and suicide of Antony and Cleopatra, Octavian emerged as the sole and uncontested ruler of the Roman state.

The digital story about Nicopolis was initially created as a European Heritage Days event during the celebration of European Heritage Days 2020, dedicated to heritage and education.

Due to its importance, the archaeological site of Nicopolis became an all-time major attraction for Greek and foreign scholars, antiquarians, artists, students and travelers, from as early as the 15th century, when e.g. the Italian merchant, diplomat and archaeologist, Cyriacus of Ancona, visited Nicopolis in 1437 admiring the imposing ruins of the city.

Composing “With the gaze upon Nicopolis” we gathered and chronologically organized a variety of material regarding Nicopolis, such as photos, paintings, sketches, architectural designs, press articles, poems, TV documentaries, sent to us by individuals and public or private institutions. More than one hundred and twenty archives narrate little stories of the monuments of Nicopolis, describing the history of the archaeological site to nowadays.

The narration begins in 1780, with an engraving of the French painter, diplomat and archaeologist, Louis-François-Sebastien Fauvel, depicting the Odeum, one of the best preserved monuments of Nicopolis and ends in 2020 with some photos of the “Domus of ekdikos Georgios”,  the most wealthy house of the roman city.

Given that this is a digital, dynamic story, we invite anyone to watch it as well as to enrich it by sending us any kind of material connected to Nicopolis, in order to be incorporated into it.

Our story aims mostly to create an interaction among citizens of Europe, with the possible exchange of information regarding Nicopolis, an ancient city that once determined the history of all people around the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, we believe Nicopolis is a significant part of Europe’s ancient history.

Moreover, our story wishes to promote general values of pan-European nature such as citizenship and participation, creativity, cultural education and understanding, scientific thought.

Finally, via this on-line story the “private” and unknown archive becomes public, available to every citizen of every European country. Every internet user has access to a variety of information that covers a period of more than two centuries and gains the opportunity to watch the evolution of an archaeological site from 1780 onwards.