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What’s left of ancient Thessaloniki mostly dates back to Roman times and Emperor Galerius. The city center is home to a few interesting ancient sites.
Palace of Galerius
First, at Navarinou Square (Plateia Navarinou), it’s possible to see the Palace of Galerius. The Roman Emperor thought highly enough of the city to build a palace there around 300 AD. It sits in a square surrounded by high rise apartments. Located there are a basilica, baths, a two-storied structure, a central building complex, and an octagon.
The site is open Tuesday and Wednesday and admission is free (as of November 2023). Don’t worry if it’s closed during your visit. It’s easy to see from the outside, but you can obviously get a lot more information if you’re able to enter the site.
Apsidal Hall
Walking down the pedestrian street of Dim. Gounari from Navarinou Square is the northernmost building of the palace, the Apsidal Hall. It was probably used for banquets and other ceremonies and sits in the middle of the street. The information center is open daily except Mondays and admission is free (as of November 2023).
Arch of Galerius
Continuing north to Egnatia, you will find the Arch of Galerius. Built in 299 AD by Emperor Galerius, it’s a triumphal arch dedicated to his victories over the Sassanid Persians and the capture of the city of Ctesiphon. It once had eight pillars in two parallel rows forming triple arches and spanned through the ancient Via Egnatia, but only three of the original pillars survive. A road used to connect the arch to the Rotunda of Galerius.
The reliefs on the arch depict battle scenes and the Roman victory over the Persians. One of them shows Galerius in a personal battle with Shah Narseh, which historically never occurred.
Via Egnatia
Further west along Egnatia at the corner of Venizelou, there was always a lot of construction during my visits to Thessaloniki. I took a peek underneath the covering and saw the original Via Egnatia, the Roman road that ran from what is now Durrës in Albania to Constantinople, and the remains of several buildings which once stood along it. The significant discovery has yielded over 28,000 artifacts in over 28,000 m², but has drastically slowed work on the city’s much-needed metro system. The metro is scheduled to open in 2024 (as of November 2023).
Roman Forum
At Dikastirion Square (Plateia Dikastirion) along Egnatia is the Roman Forum, also known as the Agora. It was built in the 2nd century on top of an older complex and was accidentally discovered in the 1960s. A small theatre sits at one end while the rest of the complex features two baths, a stoa, and a Roman road. Admission to the site is €2 (as of November 2023). It’s open daily except Tuesdays.
Ancient Foundations
Across the street from the old Ottoman Government House, there are some ancient foundations that date back to Roman and Greek times. The Roman ruins are from a building constructed in the 1st century BC over a Hellenistic structure from the 4th century BC. The site is not open to the public but can be seen from the road.
