Dimale

Dimale (Dimal) was an Illyrian fortified town in southern Illyria, located on a 450-metre limestone hilltop in modern Krotine, Berat County, Albania. Covering approximately 9 hectares, the city was first fortified in the mid-4th century BC and reached its peak during the Hellenistic period with new walls, stoas, a temple, theatre, and agora. In 219 BC during the Second Illyrian War, Roman forces under Lucius Aemilius Paullus captured the city after a seven-day siege. The site was first explored by Austrian archaeologist Camillo Praschniker in 1917, and Albanian archaeologist Burhan Dautaj (1963-1976) confirmed its identity through roof tiles stamped with the city's name in Greek. Necropolises yielded rich finds including jewellery and weapons.