Aigosthena
38.14738888888923.228555555556Koordinaten: 38 ° 8 ' 51 " N, 23 ° 13' 43 " O
Aigosthena ( ancient Greek Αἰγόστενα (f. pl. ) In Modern Greek, Αιγόσθενα ( f sg ) ) was an ancient Greek port city in Attica. She lay on Alkionidischen golf, a bay in the northeast of the Gulf of Corinth. The ruins are located in Porto Germeno 19 km northwest of the town of Megara. The walls of the city are among the best preserved fortifications from the classical period.
History
According to Pausanias there was a temple where the seer Melampus and worshiped him every year a festival was celebrated in honor. An inscription found here confirms the existence of a sanctuary of Heracles. In the 6th century BC, probably a first attachment on the Acropolis of Aigosthena was built. In the following period the fortress wall was rebuilt and enlarged and built walls of the upper town to the harbor. 379 BC, after his first successful campaign against Thebes, to Cleombrotus pulled I of Kreusis over the mountains to Aigosthena back. Due to very strong winds had his soldiers their shields behind and some pack mules were flown with their luggage into the sea. 371 BC, after the defeat at the battle of Leuctra, Archidamus III fled. again after Kreusis Aigosthena. The walls still visible today mainly from the late 4th century BC. At this time the city belonged to the sphere of Megara. 244 BC, appears Aigosthena as an independent city adjacent Megara as a member of the Achaean Confederation. 234 BC changed the city as opposed to Megara to the Boeotian Confederation, however, was 192 BC. Following the Second Macedonian -Roman war again a member of the Achaean Confederation
Athenaeus reported in the 3rd century after Christ that came from Aigisthena a famous sweet wine. After Hierocles the city around 530 AD was still independent. At this time a five-aisled basilica was built. A short time later, the city was conquered by Slavs. In the 12th century a monastery and several churches were built in Aigosthena. For the Ottoman period, the city was insignificant and only a lighthouse was rebuilt on the Acropolis.
Description
The fortress on the acropolis has an area of about 190 to 85 meters and the entire city of 600 to 200 meters. At the highest point in the northeast of the Acropolis is the Byzantine monastery with cells and its two churches, one Panagia and the Agios Georgios church dedicated. Here is also the best preserved tower is located at a height of about 15 meters. Many of the towers were built so that could be installed on wooden them to defend extractors, such as ballista or Oxybelai.
The north wall to the sea is still in good condition. About half way from the sea to the upper town located south of this wall, the foundations of the Christian basilica from the 6th century, with a length of about 25 meters and a width of 20 meters. About this a cruciform Theotokos Chapel was built in the 11th or 12th century.