[3] Hellenistic settlements were concentrated on the hills for defense, and for strategically dominating the valley, such as the nearby city of Antigonia.
In the Roman period, under more peaceful times, the settlement shifted to the valley and the town lay on an important road midway between Apollonia and Nicopolis.
[4] The oldest buildings found are from the early Roman Imperial age; a small temple in opus quadratum, and a circular structure later obliterated by the theatre.
Organised on an orthogonal urban plan, the town occupies an area of 400 m by 300–350 m.[6] The theatre's cavea of 58 m in diameter, was built on a large artificial embankment with vaults of opus caementicium.
As early as the 7th century AD, the city was abandoned but the name of Drynopolis and its bishopric continued to be attested throughout the Byzantine and medieval periods.
About twelve miles down river are the ruins of a fortress or small town of the Byzantine age, called Dryinopolis.