The city of Drama, a Byzantine stronghold in Macedonia
The history of the city of Drama comes back to the classical times, when the city was known as Hydrama or Dyrama, both meaning “rich in water”. The settlement was situated at the foot of Mount Falakro, in a lush area brimming with water sources.
During the Byzantine period, the history of the city of Drama and its surrounding region is pieced together primarily from fragmentary historical references. The surviving monuments, scattered architectural fragments, inscriptions, engravings, and various archaeological findings offer additional insights, though they allow only a partial reconstruction of the area’s history and everyday life.
History of the city of Drama during the Byzantine times.
Drama in the early Byzantine period.
During the early Christian period, between the 4th and 7th centuries, Drama was a small fortified settlement, with a few monuments. The city remained in the same location as the classical-era town and was both administratively and religiously connected to the Roman colony of Philippi. However, as Philippi declined in importance during late antiquity, Drama—despite its modest size—emerged as the leading urban center in the fertile valley shared by both cities.
Archaeological reserarch brought to light some ruins of this small settlement, including the remains of a basilica on the site of the present Hagia Sophia Church, as well as those of other settlements concentrated in the valley area, while two other were in the mountains.
A powerful stronghold during the Middle Byzantine times.
During the Middle Byzantine period, between 843 and 1204, Drama likely had a population of between 1,500 and 2,000 inhabitants. Although a relatively small city, it remained the most significant urban center in the wider region. However, Drama was still under the religious authority of the Metropolite of Philippi. The city did not have a bishop of its own and its church was led by a archpriest until the 10th century.
The city’s location, perched on a plateau with abundant water sources and a commanding view of the fertile valley below, made it an ideal strategic site for overseeing the surrounding area. The summit of the hill was fortified with strong walls, likely in the 10th century, transforming Drama into an important and powerful fortress. It also became the seat of a military commander under the Komnenian dynasty. This prosperity likely led to a change in the religious status of the city, which became the seat of a bishop, and possibly of an archbishop, as early as the 12th century, though this is only attested with certainty two centuries later.
The Church of Hagia Sophia, dating from the 10th century, stands as a remnant of this period, displaying architectural similarities to the earliest phase of the city walls.
Drama as a battleground in the late Byzantine period.
During the late Byzantine period (1204–1453), Drama and its surrounding region became a theater of warfare, with Bulgarians, Serbs, and the Despotate of Epirus temporarily occupying the area. It was eventually reclaimed by the Byzantine Empire under the Palaiologos dynasty, but soon became embroiled in the civil war between Andronikos II and Andronikos III. In 1303, Empress Irene of Montferrat, wife of Andronikos II, settled in Thessalonica. In 1316, she came to live in Drama, which counted imperial estates and residences, and died there in 1317 after a short illness. She was initially buried in Drama, possibly in the Church of the Taxiarches, but her daughter Simonis later transported her body to Constantinople.
In 1345, after Serres fell to the Serbian king Stefan Uroš IV Dušan, Drama likely passed under Serbian control, bordering the Byzantine lands. The Black Plague affected the region in the 1340s, while the civil war between John VI Kantakouzenos and the Palaiologoi further impoverished an area already devastated by decades of warfare and instability. In 1371, after the victory at Maritsa, Manuel II Palaiologos managed to reclaim the area. At the same time, the archbishopric of Drama, attested with certainty since the early 14th century, was elevated to a metropolis. The new metropolitan, Ioasaph, was also given the administration of the metropolis of Philippi—now an insignificant city—for a certain time. This prefigured the future fusion of both sees in post-Byzantine times.
Surviving Byzantine monuments in the modern Drama.
Despite its turbulent history and over five centuries of Turkish rule, the modern city of Drama still retains significant Byzantine remnants, and archaeology has also uncovered various findings.
Among the monuments inherited from this period are the city walls, which have been repaired multiple times throughout their history, the Church of Hagia Sophia, and the Church of the Taxiarches. In the surrounding region, the Church of Agios Panteleimon in Prosotsani and the Monastery of Ikosifinissa on Mount Pangeion have also survived.
The city walls.
The walls’ position atop the hill provided a strategic vantage point for monitoring the surrounding area, with the wall’s contour forming an irregular quadrilateral aligned along a north-south axis. Today, significant portions of the 850-meter-long wall remain, particularly along the north and east sides, with traces visible near nearby dwellings.
The wall is believed to have had two gates: one on the east side, near the present location of the Church of the Taxiarches, and another on the west. The bastions have been destroyed, leaving only a few surviving towers—four on the east side, one on the north, and one at the northeast corner.
Following the Ottoman occupation of the city, the castle’s importance waned, and only minimal construction work was carried out under the new rulers. By the mid-17th century, it had already fallen into ruin.
The Church of Hagia Sophia of Drama.
Constructed in the 10th century, the monument is situated in the northeastern part of Drama’s historical center. It is thought to have been built upon the foundations of an earlier Christian basilica and originally served as a monastery. During the Ottoman occupation, at some point during the reign of sultan Murad I (1359-1389) or as late as 1430, it was converted into a mosque. , only to be restored to the Diocese of Drama once the region became part of Greece.
The structure is quadrilateral, almost a square, with an interior length of 13,4 m and 10,46 m wide, with a roof that slopes north-south. Inside, the central chamber is supported by four massive piers, and above it rises an eight-sided dome, elevated by arches and spherical triangles, all resting on a rectangular base. The narthex is preserved, featuring vaulted conches on its narrow sides, likely designed to accommodate pseudo-sarcophagi—a typical feature of early Christian and Middle Byzantine churches.
The forecourt, lower than the main structure, takes on a pi-shaped form, with boundaries on the north, east, and south sides. On the eastern wall, two segments of marble inscriptions can still be seen. The southern end of the forecourt does not connect to the bema and has been transformed into a chapel dedicated to the Mother of God. This church exemplifies the domed style with a forecourt, resembling similar buildings found in Constantinople and Macedonia from the 6th to the 13th centuries.
A mural from the Byzantine period depicting the Dormition of the Mother of God was covered with plaster during Ottoman times, which helped preserve it.
The Church of the Taxiarches of Drama.
Situated near the northeastern part of the city’s walls, the small Church of Taxiarches is a significant Byzantine monument built in the early 14th century. Originally a single-nave church, it may have functioned as a funerary chapel. The presence of two Archangels Taxiarches in the paintings, along with the depiction of saints and the discovery of a vaulted ossuary on the southern side of the church, further support this hypothesis. According to Nikephoros Grigoras, Empress Irene of Montferrat died and was buried in Drama around 1317, and some scholars believe she may have been buried here before her body was later transferred to Constantinople by her daughter, Simonis.
The church’s frescoes, dating to the mid-14th century, depict scenes such as the Last Supper and the Prayer in Gethsemane, painted with remarkable freedom and spontaneity. These murals, particularly the depiction of architectural space in the Last Supper, highlight the mature phase of Byzantine painting.
During Ottoman rule, the church was converted into a mosque, but after Drama became part of Greece, the building was returned to its original function as a church. Between 1861 and 1892, the north and west walls were reconstructed, and a new entrance was added on the west side. In the early 20th century, further modifications included the removal of the surrounding ambulatory and the construction of a new belfry, giving the church its present form. Today, the church has a rectangular shape, measuring 7 x 3,45meters.
The most significant restoration occurred in 1992 under the supervision of the Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities. This project preserved the church’s wall paintings and marble iconostasis, which features decorative motifs such as interlaced circles and leaf designs. The restoration also led to the discovery of a Latin inscription on the church’s north side, further adding to its historical significance.
Sources.
Kazhdan, Alexander P., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. 3 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
