Listed 2 sub titles with search on: Archaeological sites for wider area of: "AKTIO - VONITSA Municipality ETOLOAKARNANIA" .
PALEROS (Ancient city) ETOLOAKARNANIA
The most important site is the ancient city of Paleros which was situated
in the current position of Κechropoula in the SE of the peninsula. The city is
believed to exist since the Mycenaean period.
Evidence of that are the walls of the city, part of it belongs to
the second millennium B.C.
The construction of the walls varies between trapezium and polygon
system and they belong to different time periods. The oldest part of the walls
belongs to the Mycenaean period. The port of ancient Paleros was situated in the
current position of Pogonia,
in the SE part of the peninsula. Ruins of marine construction have been found
East of the village.
The fortress was constructed in the middle of 5th century; some believe
is identical to the ancient city of Sollion,
colony of the Corinthians. Today, in that location still exist ruins and the views
of historians regarding the fortress of sterna vary, if there was an ancient city
and what was its name. Others place Sollio, others Νiriko, others place in Sterna
another ancient city with great power. For this opinion substantiates the fact
of the position in which the fortress is located, from which one can have control
of a vast area. Sollio was a marine base of Corinthos, was conquered during the
Peloponnesian war by the Athenians and according to Thoukidides ( 430 B.C.) came
under the control of Palerians-Akarnanians.
The strategic interests of the Athenians from 454 B.C. bring many
conflicts in which the Akarnanian cities are involved during 5th century B.C.
Akarnania during the Peloponnesian war is on the side of the Athenians and at
the end of 5th century B.C. gains power.
North of the city of Paleros is situated lake Voulkaria, or lake Μyrtountion
according to Stavronas. Lake probably leftover of the salt lake that occupied
today’s valley of Paleros during Homer’s time. The salt lake according to the
tradition was the saviour of Queen Cleopatra, when during the battle of Aktion
hunted by her seekers passed with her ships the shallow channel of Paleros. Memory
of the passage of Cleopatra queen of Egypt is the preservation of the name of
the ancient passage as "dock of Cleopatra".
After the victory of Romans in 31 A.D., the prints of ancient Paleros
are lost and historically this is explained by the establishment of Nicopolis
after the battle of Aktio.
The founding of Nicopolis in 30 A.D. is an important event for the distribution
of the population and the whole economy of Aitoloakarnania. The surrounding cities
loose a big part of their potential, as a result they became satellites of the
new Metropolis, this way Ακαrnania
became territorioum of this new city.
Under Trian rule whole of Akarnania belonged to the Imperial district
of Epirus, with base
the ancient Nicopoli. Later, Dioklitian, part of which is today’s Aitoloakarnania,
recognizes Nicopoli as base of Old Epirus. Since, Aitoloakarnania is linked with
the fate Byzantine Empire, of which was part. Paleros was among the cities mentioned
in ancient times and during the Roman period.
If we go back in time, in second millennium B.C., we will see that
that the peninsula of Plagia
was an autonomous island. Plagia is situated on the NW tip of Aitoloakarnania
and is separated from Lefkas by a canal that ancient Corinthians built during
600 B.C. with objective to improve transportation between the Ionian
sea and Patraiko gulf.
The channel separated Lefkas
island from Aitoloakarnania. They were connected through a network of swamps and
islets.
The argument of the existence of Plagia as an island is supported
by the fact that the valley of Paleros is below the sea level with sand type of
soil, where there was sea which cut off the peninsula that Plagia is located today
from the rest of Aitoloakarnania with a swamp that extended from the bay of today's
Paleros to the bay of Ag.
Nikolaos of Vonitsa. Leftover of the swamp is the lake
Voulkaria, which is connected today with the sea by a canal.
The view that Plagia was an island in the Homer years generates theories
regarding the existence and actual location of "Homeric" Ithaka in Plagia.
German researcher Doerpfeld, suggests that the Plagia Peninsula belongs to the
geographic arrangement of "Homeric" Ithaka (Homer Odyssey). He equates
the ancient city of Paleros with "Homeric" Nirikos, he believes that
Nirikos was on the hill of St. Georgios where today exists the fort of St. Georgios.
Views of researchers vary on the location of "Homeric" Ithaka
and many theories have been created.
According to German researcher Doerpfeld, the peninsula of Plagia
was initially an island, believed to be the "Homeric country" of Kefallineans,
where the ancient city of Nirikos
existed, it was conquered by Laertis and incorporated with Ithaka, as the Kefallines
became warriors of Odysseus. According to this theory, in the peninsula of Plagia,
which is used today as in ancient times for shepherding, Odysseus could have had
his schools of pigs, sheep, goats and cows. For Voukoulo Filoitio the poet informs
us he lived in the city of Kefallineans. Kegallines lived in the time of Odysseus
across in the mainland, and the herds of Odysseus according to Odysseus (ξ, 100
and υ, 210) were located in the peninsula of the mainland and at the same time
in the region of Kefallines.
PLAGIA (Village) AKTIO - VONITSA
The archeological place of Sterna, which is situated o the peak of
the mountain over the old Plagia. There is an ancient wall and two watch towers
on the two hills opposite the area of Sterna.
This text (extract) is cited August 2003 from the Municipality
of Kekropia tourist pamphlet.
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