PREHISTORICAL AND CLASSICAL MONUMENTS OF CULTURE

Classical period

From the time of Philip II of Macedonia entering in the region of Lychnidos, the cultural influences of the Greek-Macedonian world were more present. This notable culture left its mark in this territory and various artifacts have been found: from marble molds, through ceramic and bronze pots, to small pieces of jewelry made of gold, semiprecious gems and glass paste.

Recent archeological examinations have shown that the line starting from St. Erasmus through Gabavci, Paterica and Kozluk to Koselska Reka was an urban entity. This entity in archaeology is known as "Hermeleia". The acropolis is located high in the hill of Gabavsko. Its southeast footage is the lower town, and the sacred and secular buildings are located on the eastern and western sides.

Two necropolises from ancient times were discovered near Ohrid. One of them is located in Trebenisko Kale, and the other was discovered on the site Crvenica near Prentov Most. On the ruins of the former a stronghold was found built in several different periods, as well as ceramic pots and 17 grave units. On the site near Crvenica, 143 tombs dating back to the Hellenic period and the early Middle Ages were found.

Also one Macedonian crypt was found in the area of Varosh, the old part of Ohrid. On the locality Deboj, the central necropolis of Lychnidos and the medieval Ohrid were discovered.

There is another building that is usual for this period - the Roman theatre. It is located in Varos (the old part of Ohrid). It was built in accordance with the Greek and Roman type of theatres. The first findings of this monumental structure, without which a town centre in the classical period would have been inconceivable, date from the beginning of the 20th century, with two relief plates depicting Dionysus with the Muses. The first archaeological probes were carried out during 1959 - 1960, when nine rows of seats in the theatre were discovered. Some of the stone seats contain inscriptions of the names of the families that had subscriptions.

The theatre covers an area of around 4,000 m2. In the excavations carried out in three occasions, the locations of the entrances, theatre building, orchestra with seats reserved for honourable people as well as the arena volume were defined.

In this period in the region of Lychnidos the presence of religion was rather significant. One notable sculpture found in the region of Lychnidos is the goddess of human destiny, Isis.

Lychnidos. Many towns of that period, with the consent of the Macedonian rulers, used the mines and minted coins with the common inscription of MAKEDONWN and the name of the region. Only in the case of Ohrid, the name of the town was also imprinted.