Temple of Zeus the Martial
The state of Molossoi which had as a capital Passarona, had kings who had as their primary duty the war. So the worship of the god of the war made them construct the temple of Zeus the Martial which was the official place of worship for the state of Molossoi.
Ruins of it there are nowadays at the same location where there was probably the city of Passarona, the capital of Molossoi on the foothill of Gardiki, 11 km. west to the city of Ioannina, close to Rhodotopi. On the top of the hill is still saved the cittadel.
It was built on the 4th century B.C. It was destroyed in 167 B.C. by Aimilios Paul. It was recontructed during the Roman period and finally the place became a graveyard. Its location was found in 1914 by the curator of antiquities of that period D. Evagelidis, who made an attempt of escavation of the place in 1935.
Finally in 1952 the archaeologist S. Dakaris discovered the monument. It is about a temple of Ionian rhythm with a yard which coincides with the ancient temple. Findings from the temple of “Zeus the Aryan” are exhibited at the Archaeological Museum of Ioannina.
