Ruins of an early Byzantine fortification northeast of Asprovalta in Central Macedonia. The fortification was most probably a station in the Egnatia Road named Pennana.

History

Pennana is mentioned only in one historical source, the Itinerarium Hierosolymitanum but, strangely, not in Tabula Peutingeriana which depicts all the stations in the Roman roads. Therefore there are some doubts if this was actually an Egnatria station named Pennana.

But given the dating of the construction, the distance from Amfipolis (10miles), its layout etc. it was most probably indeed an Egaatia station and a spot for changing horses (mutatio).

The construction of the walls reveals at least 2 phases: two sides (north and south) with an embedded belt of ceramic tiles belong probably in the era of emperor Theodosius (late 4th century). The other two sides (east and west) are rather older and apparently built before 333 AD (the year of Itinerarium Hierosolymitanum).

The station must have been used for a long period after that, possibly long after the Ottoman conquest.

Structure, Fortification & Buildings

The fort covers an area of 1174 sq.m. The perimeter is 116m long. It has a rectangular layout with remains of 4 circular towers.

The walls have a maximum thickness of 1.70m and reach a height of 4m. However, none of the walls retains the original height, so the walls initially were much higher.

Only the northwestern curtain wall follows a straight line. The other sides are curved and especially the eastern side breaks in two curtain walls (so that the layout could be also called a pentagon).

Sources