Location information

Assopos - Year of establishment and History

Year of establishment and History. In comparison with other historical events of Lakonikis, the year of establishment of the city of Asopos is somewhere between the prehistoric year and the descent of the Doreis, who conquered Lakonia and did not allow the establishment of colonists. The Town had great prosperity during the Roman Years, and with 18 other coastland cities of Lakonia, were part of the so-called people of the Liberal - Lakonians. It had the luxury of independence, but that didn’t mean they had full independence, native minions commanded them and because of their privilege, they had cut their own coin, one side of it illustrated, the Gods of Posidona, Artemis, Nemesis, and the other side the inscription "Asopiton" or with the head of Dionysus in one and the other with Posidonas and the inscription "Asopiton". A coin like that is now exhibited in the Museum of Sparti.
During the Byzantine Years Asopos had a remarkable presence. Round 450ac. the Bishop of Salonika was elected Exarch of the Church of Greece, which consisted of 12 Cathedrals. In the Cathedral of Achaia came under the Bishopric of Asopos, which during the last Byzantine Years came under the Cathedral of Monemvasia. After the conquest of Lakonia from the Turks in 1461 ac., Asopos came under them. But it was a meaningless little village. The fear of the invasions of Pirates, made the colonists to move higher and build a village called "Kalivia", called like that most likely because of the sloppily and small houses. With the war of the Heneto-turkish, 1669ac. a lot of Cretes came and settled in the area, that is why a lot of names end with -akis. In the memory of their homeland, they named the village Konte-Vianika, the second theme of the name dictates the toponym of Creta, Vianos.

This extract is cited Apr 2003 from the Municipality of Assopos URL below.

• http://www.asopos.gr/istorikaUK1.htm