Butrint, an Epirote port on the southern Albanian coast, was a cultural and political centre throughout classical antiquity and into the middle ages. The Italian Archaeological Mission, directed by Luigi Maria Ugolini, undertook major excavations of the Hellenistic and Roman theatre between 1928 and 1932. The original reports and surveys are published here for the first time and provide a significant contribution to our knowledge of the development of Butrint. Contents List of illustrations Introduction and acknowledgements, by Oliver J. Gilkes Foreword, by Lord Rothschild Part 1 Luigi Maria Ugolini and the Italian Archaeological Mission to Albania Chapter 1 Luigi Maria Ugolini and the Italian Archaeological Mission to Albania, by Oliver J. Gilkes Chapter 2 Ugolini and Aeneas: the story of the excavation of the theatre at Butrint, by Lida Miraj Chapter 3 The Ugolini manuscripts in the Museo della Civilta Romana, Rome, by Anna Maria Liberati Chapter 4 The documentary evidence 4.1 The Ugolini archive: surviving documents relating to the Italian Archaeological Mission to Albania and their location, by Oliver J. Gilkes and Lida Miraj 4.2 Bibliography of the Italian Archaeological Mission, compiled by Oliver. J. Gilkes and Barbara Polci Part 2 Luigi Maria Ugolini's Excavations in the Theatre at Butrint Chapter 5 Gli scavi del teatro, by Luigi Maria Ugolini Chapter 6 The Greek and Roman theatres of Butrint: a commentary and reassessment, by John Wilkes, with a contribution by Oliver J. Gilkes Chapter 7 The theatre at Butrint: parallels and function, by Frank Sear Chapter 8 The sculpture from the theatre, by Luigi Maria Ugolini, with an introduction and commentary by Iris Pojani 8.1 The sculptural material, by Luigi Maria Ugolini 8.2 Ugolini updated: the sculptural material today, by Iris Pojani Glossary / References / Index