The town of Dyrrhachion was one of the most important Byzantine strongholds in the Adria from the 6th century to the 12th century. The importance of Dyrrhachion lied in the fact, that it was one of two adriatic heads (the other one was Apollonia) of the Via Egnatia. According to Šufflay, Dyrrhachion is the nucleus of the other fortresses in Northern Albania. The emperors Anastasios, Justin and Justinian issued many building and also the refortification and renovation of the fortifications after the retreat of the Ostrogoths and an earthquake in 518. From the 12th century on until 1501 the town was under changing Byzantine, Norman, Epirotes, Anjou Sicilly, Albanian and Venetian rule. In the year 1394, the Venetians again renewed the fortifications and built a canal to dry the swamps of Balta and transform the peninsula of Dyrrhachion into an island similar to Zara and Trau. The Ottomans conquered the town in 1501. (AA I, 80 (27) - Dalmatia et Dyrrhachio; LjS PP., I, 113 (109) - Duka Drački).