Editing Nicopolis (section)

===2nd century===
Around 110, under Emperor [[Trajan]], the Roman government carved out parts of [[Macedonia (Roman province)|Macedonia]] and [[Achaea (Roman province)|Achaia]] to make a separate province of Epirus. It had been decided that the territory needed a stricter government to yield higher revenues. The new province included Acarnania to the south as far as the [[Achelous River|Achelous]], but not [[Apollonia (Illyria)|Apollonia]] to the north, plus the Ionian Islands – [[Corfu]], [[Leukas]], [[Ithaca (island)|Ithaca]], [[Cephalonia]], and [[Zacynthus]]. It was governed by a ''procurator Augusti'' headquartered at Nicopolis, together with other special ''procuratores'', including a ''procurator'' of the purple fisheries, whose sphere of office, however, extended to Achaea and Thessaly. This administrative set up appears to have remained intact through the reforms of Emperor [[Septimius Severus]] (193–211) and up until Emperor [[Diocletian]] (284–305).

In 128, Emperor [[Hadrian]] visited Nicopolis with his wife Sabina during his second voyage to the East (128–134). The imperial couple were received with the highest honours: small altars in the city attest to the worship of Hadrian and Sabina, respectively assimilated to Zeus Dodonaios, the most important deity of Epirus, and Artemis Kelkaia, a manifestation of the goddess unknown outside Nicopolis. Hadrian took advantage of his stay to build a temple to his late protégé, [[Antinous]].

Around this time the city's western gate was constructed, several hundred metres north of the south gate, becoming the main gate of Nicopolis.

Around 180, the next mention of Nicopolis in Church history concerns a bishop of Rome, [[Pope Eleutherius]], who reigned from around 174–189. He was born in Nicopolis, according to the ''Liber Pontificalis'', and served as a [[deacon]] in [[Rome]]. During his term in office as Bishop of Rome, the Church was involved in the [[Montanist]] controversy.

Around 193–198, Emperor Septimius Severus, based in Syria, campaigned in [[Mesopotamia]], with indirect consequences for Achaea and Epirus: to help pay for these campaigns, Severus apparently required several cities to mint special coins, including Nicopolis, [[Patrae]], [[Epidaurus]], Apollonia, [[Thuria, Messenia|Thuria]], [[Fulvia Plautilla|Plautilla]], and the Thessalian ''koinon''.

[[File:Overall Plan Nicopolis-en.svg|thumb|General plan of Nicopolis.]]
[[File:Statue of Athena from Nikopolis.jpg|thumb|150px|Athena from Nikopolis]]