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Winnifrith writes about the period of Ottoman conquest that the boundary between Greekspeakers
and Albanian-speakers was continuously shifting and therefore it was difficult to
define the “exact” delineation (2002: 107). In spite of the Ottoman dominancy, strong faith in
Christianity that was prevailing in the villages of Himarë/Himara, Sarandë, Gjirokastër and
Delvina was an important reason for keeping the Greek language, which was also the
language of trading (2002: 108).
2.4.3. Roman and Byzantine Empire
While the trading relations across the sea started already in the antiquity, trading over the
mainland began sometime in the period of Roman Empire, from about 27 B.C. until 476 A.D.
(Hammond 1967: 699). In order to gain the access to ports and protect the coastal part of the
area which used to be political and administrative unit, the Roman administration built the
cobblestone road named Via Egnatia. The road connected the ancient Apollonia, situated
close to today’s Levani, with Rogozine and Dyrrachium (see Hammond 1967: 235). Though
nowadays Via Egnatia is hard to determine, many of the contemporary historians place it
along the river Shkumbin, which presents a demarcation line between northern Gegs and
southern Tosks (see Jacques 1995: 134). Besides Via Egnatia, the Roman administration
ordered the building of coastal road, connecting the ancient Apollonia with Valona (Vlorë),
Llogora (Lloghora), Chimaera (Himarë/Himara), Phoinike (Finiq), Vuthrotum (Butrint) and
the inland road connecting Vlorë with Amantia, Antigonea, Dodona, Ambracia and finally
Nicopolis (see Hammond 1967: 699-700 and Appendix 6).
In order to control the new province of Macedonia in the north, Roman administration
established military posts and a chain of fortifications along Via Egnatia (see Jacques 1995:
134, Winnifrith 2002: 67). The road brought trade, travellers as well as military forces. Later
on larger communities were established there (see Winnifrith 2002: 67) and large cities such
as Apollonia, Dyrrachium, Amantia, and Byllis, which were situated south from Via Egnatia,
had flourished throughout the years. Further south from Via Egnatia harbours like Oricum
and Onchesmus (Sarandë) became important (Winnifrith 2002: 67).
In the 1 st century A.D. missionary Saint Paul travelled along Via Egnatia and spread the
Christian Gospel. He gave an initiative to build the chain of churches along the ancient
highway. A century later the name Epirus, which marked the administrative province,
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