Drama.
Piges.
MACEDONIA
107
46.
Drama
.
In Drama, or in the vicinity, there was a settlement of unknown
form or size with its history dating back to antiquity. The Byzan-
tine town has been reported in literature since the 12th c: during
the Late Byzantine period it was raised to archdiocesan or met-
ropolitan level. Drama came under the rule of Stephen Dushan
of Serbia (r. 1331-1355) and was the seat of the Serbian Caesar
Vojihna over the approximate period 1345-65. In 1383 it was
conquered by the Turks of Gazi Evrenos. At the historic centre
of the modern town parts of the defensive walls with quadrilat-
eral towers are preserved: the walls were constructed mainly in
the Early Christian period with Mid- and Late Byzantine altera-
tions. Within the walls is preserved Aghia Sophia, a church of
transitional type (10th c.), while excavations conducted within
the enclosure have yielded pottery and coins of the Mid- and
Late Byzantine periods.
47.
Pyrgoi
.
At the top of the Kale (or Kastra) elevation, defensive walls of the
5th-6th c. survive, surrounding a settlement of the same period;
pottery of the 5th-6th c. has been collected. At the Kale site is a
small fortress, serving as military settlement and shelter (5th or
6th c.), with quadrilateral towers, gate and moat carved into the
rock. At the top of the Pyrgos hill are preserved the foundations
of a large watchtower (6th c.).
48.
Prosotsani
.
South of Prosotsani (at a distance of 2 km) a three-aisled, tim-
ber-roofed basilica with narthex, dating from the 5th-6th c., has
been excavated. It was destroyed in the 7th-8th c. and a small
church was erected in its place. The church of Aghios Pantelei-
mon is 2.5 km W of the settlement and may be a monastery
catholicon. It is a contracted cross-in-square church dating
from the second half of the 13th c.
49.
Piges.
Above the Cave of Maaras there is a fortress with towers that are
quadrilateral and circular (one is polygonal). Within the walls re-
mains of a settlement, possibly of the 5th or 6th c., survive and
Early Christian pottery has been collected.
48. Prosotsani, Aghios Panteleimon, ground plan (Προσοτσάνη, ο Άγιος
Παντελεήμων, κάτοψη)
46. Drama, enclosure, ground plan (Δράμα, ο οχυρός περίβολος,
κάτοψη)
