Nicopolis was founded by Caesar Augustus in commemoration of his victory in 31 BCE over Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium nearby. The Roman emperor established a sanctuary to Apollo adorned with the rams of captured galleys and forced many inhabitants of the surrounding area to relocate to Nicopolis. For the next millennium the city was the regional political center, embellished with impressive temples, public edifices, and private mansions. Most residents were Greek but there were also numerous Roman veterans. Around 94 CE the prominent Stoic philosopher Epictetus established his school here after Emperor Domitian expelled philosophers from Rome.