The geographic location of Macedonia allowed contact between two cultural spheres: the Aegean and the Anatolian. This contact was the reason why Macedonia since prehistory took a significant part in the cultural development of the Balkans. The influence of ancient cultures in Macedonia is beyond doubt, considering the direct contacts of Macedonia with civilizations in Greece and Asia Minor. From the 8th to the 6th century B.C., more than 30 Ionian colonies were founded along the Lower Macedonian coast and on the peninsula of Chalcidice, whereby contact with inland Macedonia increased in strength, frequency and duration. In such a way, the late pre-Classical cultures spread to Macedonia.  The ancient town of Heraclea, an important military centre and strategic point along Roman Via Ignatia highway, is located at a distance of two kilometres from Bitola. The town was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC in Lynkestis, after its conquest. The region became then the north-western region of the ancient kingdom of Macedon. The town was named in honor of the mythological Greek hero Heracles. The epithet Lyncestis means "the Land of the Lynx" in Greek. Today its ruins fall within the borders of the Republic of Macedonia, near the modern town of Bitola. By the middle of the II c. BC the Romans conquered Macedonia and destroyed its political power after which Macedonia was turned into province and was divided in four regions. Heraclea was part of the fourth region. The city had great prosperity due to the fact being an important stop allong the Via Egnatia.The city was honoured by Septimius Severus which can be proved with an inscription. The Roman emperor Hadrian built the theatre in the centre of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in the roman province of Macedonia were being restored.  It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius . In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important Episcopal centre. Some of its bishops have been noted in the acts of the Church Councils as bishop Evagrius of Heraclea in the Acts of the Sardica Council from 343 AD. From this period are the ensembles of the Small and Great (Large, Big) basilica. The Grave (Funeral) basilica with a necropolis is located east of the theatre.