Summary The opening of the borders of Albania in the 1990s stimulated an increased interest in its cultural heritage and led to extensive research, as well as archaeological investigations. These, however, have mainly concentrated within Albania's present-day borders and have lacked broader contextualization. Very recent excavations in Greece, which resulted from the construction of the new Ionia Odos highway, have, however brought to light unexpected and interesting material that changes our image of the monumental topography and the settlements in Epirus. New studies concerning Epirus and its broader connections during the early and later Ottoman periods provide a broader impression of the region and its relationships with the large economic centres of the West, as well as with the spiritual-religious and political centres of the Balkans. TABLE OF CONTENTS Brendan Osswald, The State of Epirus as Political Laboratory Christos Stavrakos, The Albanian Family of Spata in Late Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Epirus: The Epigraphic Evidence Katerina Chamilaki, The Excavation of a Late Antique Building Complex, at Drymos, Aetoloakarnania. Ioannis Chouliaras, Excavation of an Early Byzantine Basilica in Drymos of Vonitsa (Akarnania). Halls "A" and "D". Björn Forsén and Brikena Shkodra-Rrugia, The Early Christian Landscape of Dyrrachium: The First Miles along the Via Egnatia. Galina Fingarova, The Church of Saint Mary in Apollonia: An Expression of Byzantine Imperial Claims Lorenzo Riccardi, Incomplete and Partly Lost: On the Mosaic and Sculptural Decoration of the Paregoretissa Church in Arta. Katerina Kontopanagou, The Christian Monuments of Epirus in the 17th and 18th c.: Creating the Artistic, Social and Economic Profile Efstratia Sygkellou, A Tour Around the Abrakian Gulf Through the Eyes of the European Travellers (17th - 19th Century) Demetrios Georgakopoulos, The Despots of Ioannina and Albanians According to the Author of the Chronicle of Ioannina (1367-1399)