AMBRACIA, or Ampracia, an important city of ancient Epirus, situated on the eastern bank of the river Arachthus, about seven miles from the Ambracian Gulf, According to tradition, it was originally a Thesprotian town, founded by Ambrax, son of Thesprotus, or by Ambracia, daughter of Augeas. About 635 b.c. it was colonised by Corinthians, and so became a Greek city. Its power increased rapidly until the time of the Peloponnesian war, when it commanded the whole of Amphilochia, including the town of Argos, from which the original inhabitants were expelled. In 432 b.c. the expelled citizens, with the assistance of the Athenians under Phormion, retook Argos. In 430 the Ambracians made an unsuccessful attempt to recover the town, and a second attack in 426 resulted in a still more disastrous failure. The power of Ambracia now declined as rapidly as it had grown. In 338-7 it was compelled to submit to Philip of Macedonia, and it remained subject to that kingdom until it was ceded by Alexander V. to Pyrrhus of Epirus about 295. The latter made it his capital, and enriched it with numerous works of art. It subsequently came under the power of the Aetolian League (239), and sustained a memorable siege in the war between the latter and Rome (189). In the end the city opened its gates to the enemy, who removed many of its most valuable works of art to Rome. In 31 b.c. the inhabitants of Ambracia were removed by Augustus to Nicopolis, the town he had founded in commemoration of the victory of Actium. The site of Ambracia is occupied by the modern Arta, near which remains of the ancient fortifications may be seen.