ANCIENT WOODEN BRIDGE
- The ancient wooden bridge of Amphipolis is a major technical achievement of antiquity, He played an important role in the economic and commercial development of the ancient city, a Struma River and connected with this. Amphipolis, was a city of strategic importance because of the timber naypigisimis offered the area but also because of the gold mines of Pageos. In this ancient bridge for the first time reinventing the way infrastructure construction and layout of piles during classical times.
- The first reference to the wooden bridge of Amphipolis was by the historian Thucydides, who says that the bridge was a focal point in the outcome of the Peloponnesian War. Specific, notes that the Spartan General Brasidas, the year 422 e.g.. in the battle with Cleon, as winner of the battle, captured the bridge, which connected the city of Amphipolis with the port of. Also, another testimony to the existence of the bridge from the Arriano, in ' Anabasis Alexandrou 11.1» where we learn that Alexander the great diabike the Struma during his campaign in Asia. In Roman times there is evidence for the existence of the bridge. The inscription "IMP. CAESEAR DIVIF. AYG. LTARIO RVFPR C PR LEG. X. FRET PONTEM. FECIT "the interpretation of (I). Sarikaki we have information that Emperor Augustus, the Governor of Macedonia Tarioys Rufus built the bridge 17 e.g.. By contrast Mr. (A). Keramopoulos argues that the inscription is the years of Emperor Tiberius and the bridge built the Tarioys Rufus, While Mr. Kanatsoylis, believes that the bridge was constructed by a prefect during the archistratigias of the time of Augustus. Reference to the existence of the bridge is done and in the project "Tour in North Greece» of the English General and archaeologist W. Leake. The Leake mentions that he passed from the bridge, at 9 November 1835, to go to the city of Serres. It also reports on the bridge we have and by Euripides, the Charwna and Herodotus.
- The excavations began in 1977 by archaeologist k. (D). Lazaridis and ended the year 1978. The ancient wooden bridge had a length of 275m of Amphipolis. and connected North Gate Iii towards the river. The bridge rests on stilts, from oak, circular or square cross-section, in the ground. Only have been saved 101 stakes, belonging to different phases. The 77 piles located outside of gate Iii and 24 internally this. The stakes of the deeper point of the territory of the banks of the River are placed chronologically in classical times, While those who are at the highest level belong to the Roman or even in the Byzantine period. There are many findings that confirm the dating of the bridge belongs to the classical period in the late 5th century BC.
- For the first time becomes known and the infrastructure provision pile wood deck classic slots. Unfortunately the stakes reaching only up to the modern Bank of the Struma, because beyond that have destroyed all, like on the opposite bank of the river, due to the drying of Lake Kekrinitidas operations and settlement of new bed of Strymon from the company ULEN, during the years 1929-1932.
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