Editing Butrint (section)

=== Byzantine and possible Slavic period ===
The walls of the city were extensively rebuilt, most probably at the end of the 5th century, perhaps by [[Byzantine Emperor]] [[Anastasius I Dicorus|Anastasius]]. The [[Ostrogoths]] under [[Indulf (6th century)|Indulf]] raided the Ionian coast in 550 and may have attacked Buthrotum. In the end of 6th century groups of Slavs possibly arrived at Buthrotum.<ref name="HodgesBowden2004">{{cite book|last1=Hodges|first1=Richard|last2=Bowden|first2=William|last3=Lako|first3=Kosta|author4=Richard Andrews|title=Byzantine Butrint: excavations and surveys 1994–1999|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V3lpAAAAMAAJ&q=Roman+villa|access-date=8 January 2011|year=2004|publisher=Oxbow Books|isbn=978-1-84217-158-5|page=54}}</ref> Evidence from the excavations shows that importation of commodities, wine and oil from the Eastern Mediterranean continued into the early years of the 7th century when the early Byzantine Empire [[Early Muslim conquests|lost these provinces]]. During the period of Slavic invasions and population movements in the wider region Butrotum was one of the few cities in Epirus that survived and retained its status as a seat of a bishopric without interruption.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chrysos |first1=E. |title=The Foundation of the Themes of Kephallenia, Dyrrachion and Nikopolis |journal=Epirus, 4000 Years of Greek History and Civilization |date=1997 |page=188 |isbn=9789602133712 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UV1oAAAAMAAJ |quote=The foundation of the theme of Nikopolis also marked the end of the transitional period associated with the Slavic invasions and settlements... only two of the old cities have survived -Hadrianoupolis, ... and Bouthrotos, for which we possess exiguous but sufficient evidence of continuity and survival.}}</ref> 

Because of the scarcity of sources, it is difficult to assess whether Buthrotos was controlled by Slavs or Byzantines between the 7th to 10th centuries.<ref name="Hodges2008">{{cite book|author=Richard Hodges|title=Rise and Fall of Byzantine Butrint|year=2008|publisher=Butrint Foundation|page=19}}</ref> Byzantine written sources of that time mention that Saint [[Elias of Enna]] was detained as a spy in Bouthrotos, while [[Arsenios of Corfu]] (876–953) noted the marine wealth of the town.<ref name=Decker>{{cite book |last1=Decker |first1=Michael J. |title=The Byzantine Dark Ages |date=25 February 2016 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4725-3605-1 |page=57 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GWTdCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT100 |language=en}}</ref> The Grand Basilica of Buthrotum was built during the first half of the 6th century on the northeast side of the settlement.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Giakoumēs |first1=Geōrgios K. |last2=Vlassas |first2=Grēgorēs |last3=Hardy |first3=David A. |title=Monuments of Orthodoxy in Albania |date=1996 |publisher=Doukas School |isbn=9789607203090 |page=96 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pNVOAAAAYAAJ |language=en}}</ref> Other monuments include the Acropolic Basilica (4th century), the Triconch Palace (6th century), the Baptistery with a large, complex mosaic (6th century), the Lake Gate church (9th century) and the Baptistery church (9th century).<ref>{{cite thesis |last1=Pratt |first1=Suzanna |title=The impact of heritage management on local communities in the hinterland of Butrint National Park, southern Albania |date=2013 |page=17 |url=https://www.academia.edu/4724922 |access-date=25 August 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Colonization by the Byzantine authorities seems to coincide during the reign of [[Leo VI the Wise|Leo VI]] (886–912). Imperial administrators of that time possibly governed the region from the "oikos" ({{langx|el|οίκος}}, ''residence'') from Vrina plain rather than from the citadel.<ref name=Decker/> Archaeological records become stronger in the 10th century.<ref name=Decker/>
[[File:2011_Butrint_02_Agora.jpg|thumb|293px|The [[Agora]] of Buthrotum]]

The inventories of bishoprics from the 10th to 12th centuries identify the bishop of Butrint as subject to the [[Metropolis of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios|metropolitan bishopric of Nafpaktos]], the ecclesiastical  province that took the name of the old provincial capital of [[Nicopolis]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hodges |first1=Richard |last2=Bowden |first2=William |last3=Lako |first3=Kosta |title=Byzantine Butrint: Excavations and Surveys 1994-99 |date=28 February 2020 |publisher=Oxbow Books |isbn=978-1-78570-870-1 |page=69 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C3zKDwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> Arab traveller [[Muhammad al-Idrisi]] noted in the 12th century that Buthrotum is a densely populated city with a number of markets.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Prinzing |first1=G. |title=Political, Social and Economic Developments |journal=Epirus, 4000 Years of Greek History and Civilization |date=1997 |page=194 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UV1oAAAAMAAJ |publisher=Ekdotikē Athēnōn |isbn=9789602133712 |language=en}}</ref>

It remained an outpost of the Byzantine empire fending off assaults from the [[Normans]] until 1204 when following the [[Fourth Crusade]], the [[Byzantine Empire]] fragmented, Buthrotum falling to the breakaway [[Despotate of Epirus]]. In the following centuries, the area was a site of conflict between the Byzantines, the [[Capetian House of Anjou|Angevins]] of southern Italy, and the [[Venice|Venetians]].