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:

Comments

Your name



Address

SH7, Bradashesh, Albania
See all sites in Bradashesh

Details

Founded: 2nd century AD
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Albania

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

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)
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Doune Castle

Doune Castle was originally built in the thirteenth century, then probably damaged in the Scottish Wars of Independence, before being rebuilt in its present form in the late 14th century by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340–1420), the son of King Robert II of Scots, and Regent of Scotland from 1388 until his death. Duke Robert"s stronghold has survived relatively unchanged and complete, and the whole castle was traditionally thought of as the result of a single period of construction at this time. The castle passed to the crown in 1425, when Albany"s son was executed, and was used as a royal hunting lodge and dower house.

In the later 16th century, Doune became the property of the Earls of Moray. The castle saw military action during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and Glencairn"s rising in the mid-17th century, and during the Jacobite risings of the late 17th century and 18th century.