Ad Quintum, Bradashesh, Albania

Ad Quintum was an ancient Roman city in Illyricum, on the Via Egnatia connecting Dyrrhachium with Byzantium. The settlement was probably founded in the late 2nd or in the early 3rd century AD, and continued to be populated until the 4th century AD. Its well preserved ruins can be seen near the present-day village Bradashesh, right next to the SH7 road. The site was extensively excavated around 1968 which uncovered a fine Roman villa and a remarkably well-preserved thermae (bathhouse) taking advantage of the abundant springs nearby.

The bathhouse consists of five main rooms. At the eastern end there is an apsed exedra that was used as a dining room. This connects to the small rectangular cold plunge-bath.

The apodyterium (undressing room) also survived with fine paintings and frescoes on its walls. Further to the western end of the building the ruins of the laconicum (heated sweating room) can be seen with the traces of the hypocaust (underfloor heating), along with the adjacent praefernium (furnace).

References:

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Erdi Myrtaj (3 years ago)
The road station Ad Quintum is an architectural complex consisting of a nymphaeum and thermae, built in the 2nd century and used as a road station along the Via Egnatias. Road stations were resting places where travelers or merchants could stop for the night. The road station Ad Quintum is located on the right side of the Elbasan-Durrës national road (Sh. 7). It has a rectangular layout, with an area of 130 m2, with the following environments: dressing room, warm environment, hot environment, and cold water environment. Inside was the dressing room, which served to connect the environments. Water was supplied by means of channels from a deposit on the wall of the nymphaeum and left by another system of channels. This monument is of the "Architecture" type, approved with number "6 on 15.01.1963". Roman architectural complex of the second half of the second century and the first half of the third century AD. It consists of 25 meters, width 11 meters. It has the dressing rooms (lat: apodyterium) of fresh water and cold water. It now reveals with dignity all the values it has carried for centuries. The Nymphaeum and the baths constitute a single architectural complex, which is thought to have been built around the 2nd century III of our era.

Alex Cheyne (3 years ago)
Missable to be honest.

Mikel Zavalani (4 years ago)
The place is almost unknown to other outside visitors. The state must intervene in the maintenance of this archaeological treasure.

Eldisa Zhebo (4 years ago)
A great place to visit 1 min drive from crossroad entrance to Elbasan

Carlheinz Lietz (6 years ago)

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