Prof. Dr. Cabanes was a historian of antiquity and a well-known researcher in the field of Greek epigraphy.

His rich scientific life has been closely connected with the territory of South Illyria and Epirus. Therefore, his scientific and humane personality has taken a worthy place alongside the founders of Albanian archeology of the 20th century.

“The scientific activity of Prof. Cabanes is very extensive, published in 20 volumes and over 120 scientific articles. His closest Albanian colleague and collaborator, the epigrapher Faik Drini, has said that it is precisely his contributions on South Illyria and Epirus that best affirm his name as a historian of antiquity and as a specialist “par excellence” of the ancient history of Albania.

Prof. Cabanes undertook two trips to Albania in 1971 and 1974.

In the following years, he kept in constant contact with Albanian archeology colleagues, although at that time Albania was experiencing a totalitarian regime, he managed to avoid many obstacles.

In 1991, Prof. Cabanes took over the management of the project of the French archaeological and epigraphic mission in Albania, with the main focus being the excavations in the ancient city of Apollonia, exactly in that place, where a French team led by the archaeologist Leon Rey, had already carried out excavations interrupted by World War II. He successfully led this project for a period of more than ten years.

He continued to visit Albania almost every year, until the age of 85. Under the auspices of the UNESCO, he directed the publication of the Archaeological Map of Albania, presented by his Albanian colleagues Myzafer Korkuti, Apollon Baçe and Neritan Ceka./p.s./