Berat County – Antipatrea, founded in 314 BC, and the Berat Codices
In 314 BC, Cassander founded the city of Antipatrea, named after his father Antipater, on the site of today's Berat; its ancient fortress is still visible. The Dassaretae lived in the area as early as the 6th century BC, and the Romans captured the city in the 2nd century BC. Under Byzantine rule the town was known as Pulcheriopolis. Berat became famous for its manuscripts: the 6th-century Codex Purpureus Beratinus and the 9th-century Codex Aureus come from here, and 76 of the 100 codices in Albania's National Archives originate in Berat. Bronze Age finds from Pëllumbas add to this rich history. Do you know more stories from Berat County? Share them here in Local History!