Northern Greece - Greece - page 540

Olympias to powerful Macedonian king Philip II brought conflict with emerging Rome.
King Pyrrhus (319-272 BC) famously defeated the Romans at Ausculum, at a heavy
cost; hence the concept of a 'Pyrrhic victory.'
The Roman Empire's split in AD 395 left Epiros Byzantium's westernmost province.
Centuries later, it became important after the 1204 Latin sack of Constantinople; Byzan-
tine nobles escaping here established a key successor state. Eminent Byzantines again
fled to Epiros' mountain fastnesses after the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in
1453.
Infamously linked with Epiros is 18th-century Albanian despot Ali Pasha, who kept a
harem of 400 women. Ali ransacked much of Albania and western Greece, while
wheeling-and-dealing with Turks, Brits and even Napoleon, before Ottoman troops fi-
nally killed him in 1822, on Ioannina's lake island. Nevertheless, Ali had tacitly aided
Greek freedom fighters elsewhere by wearing down and distracting the Turks.
Epiros was divided after 1912 when newly created Albania got a northern chunk of the
region. Mussolini's 1940 invasion was repelled in Epiros, which became a communist
resistance stronghold, first against the Nazis and then against the right-wing army in the
Greek Civil War (1946-49). Although the communists lost, Epiros remains generally
leftist.
WORTH A TRIP
METSOVO
South of the magnificent Katara Pass, idyllic Metsovo (met-so-vo) clings to a
mountainside at 1156m. It's best-known for its skiing, traditional architecture,
cheeses and hospitable locals - mostly Vlachs, descendants of a nomadic sheep-
herding people who spoke the Arromanian language. Since it derives from Latin,
some believe Vlachs descend from Roman soldiers stationed in these mountains.
Metsovo's shepherds were enriched by the Ottomans, who rewarded them for
guarding the Katara Pass (1705m), the only route across the Pindos Mountains.
However, in 1795 Ali Pasha abolished Metsovo's privileges. In 1854 Ottoman troops
caused considerable damage.
Nevertheless, Metsovo succeeded through commerce, industry and other non-
sheep-related enterprises. Local luminaries Georgios Averof (1815-99) and Mihail
Tositsas (1885-1950) donated heavily towards restoring Metsovo's former glory.
Today, the Tositsas Mansion houses the fascinating folk museum ( 26560 41084;
adult/student €3/2; 9am-1.30pm & 4-6pm Fri-Wed) , and the Averof Gallery ( 26560 41210;
adult/student €3/2; 10am-6.30pm Wed-Mon) exhibits 19th- and 20th-century works of
Greek painters and sculptors. Other old Metsovo houses have become hotels and