The history - Eretria

Eretria - Malacoda

The history of Eretria

The exact date of its foundation and the origin of is name are not know for certain. However the prevailing view is that Eretria got its name from Eretria a mythical settler who came from Makisto Ilidas. The Athenians also claimed to have founder Eretria.

Late Stone Age settlements have been found in areas outside Eretria (Malakoda, Magoula) but Eretria is first mentioned in Homer's «Iliad» when he lists ships that took partin the «Trojan campaign».

The inhabitants were called «Avandes». The town was the most powerful after Chalkida and established many colonies during the first and second period of Greek colonization. Eretrian colonies were established in Chalkithiki, Thrace, Corfu, Southern Italy and Sicily. Some historians, associating the colonizing activities of some islands in the Agean (Kea, Andros, Tinos) mention them as rules of the sea.

In the years that followed the Eretrians clashed with the Chalkidians for the occupation and the pasturage of the fertile Lelintine plain. Many people attibute the Lilandian war to the clash of vested interests of the tow towns because of Me... colonization ambitions. The ionikes towns of Asia Minor came to the assistance of Eretria. It is recorder that Chalkida was the eventual victor but there are some who hold the opposite view because Eretria continued to be active and flourish.

The Tyrant of Athens Pisistratos had married an aristocrat from Eretria. When he was exiled from Athens, he took refuge in Eretria where he stayed for 10 years planning and preparing to regain power.

Eretria took part in the ioniki rebellion providing 5 battleships as repayment for the assistance the ioniki cities had offered the town during the Lilandian War. When the Persian King Darius sent his army against Greece with Generals Dati and Artaferni he ordered them toy attack Eretria first. During this time, the town had been in the middle of civil disturbances. According to a proposition by Miltiathis, the Athenians had initially decided to help Eretria with their own allotment holders from Chalkida but when the heard about the civil disturbances in Eretria, they crossed to Oropos. Eretria surrendered to the Persians after a six day siege because of betrayals by Eforvou and Filagrou. The Persians sacked the town, looted the temples, captured all the inhabitants who were found in the town and transported them to Artherikka, in Sousianis.

Those who had managed to flee to the surrounding mountains, returned to the town after the Persian withdrawal and rebuild the town on the ruins of the old one. Remains of the buildings destroyed by the Persians have been found in various parts of the town.

In a short time, after falling to the Persians, Eretria managed to regain its former glory. In fact, it took part in the naval battle of Artemisio, Salaminas and Plataea in which the Persians suffered crushing defeats.

After the end of the Greek - Persians wars, Eretria became a member of the 1st Athenian Alliance. The despotic rule of Athens had transformed the alias into servitude and this led the Evian cities, including Eretria, to rebel unsuccessfully. The result of the rebellion was the «Eretrian List» - a decree where the sons of the wealthiest families of Eretria were registered and sent as hostages to Athens.

During the Peloponesian War, Eretrians took part in the campaign with Athens against Sicily. After the defeat of the Athenian forces, however, the Eretrians turned to Sparta. Thus, a new rebellion of the Evian cities had as a result the confrontation of the Athenians with the Peloponesians. In the naval battle which took place in the harbour of Eretria in 411 B.C., the Athenians suffered a crushing defeat. The Eretrians who had assisted in the victory of the Peloponesian naval forces exterminated all the Athenians who had asked for protection in their city.

Eretria became a member of the 2nd Athenian Alliance at the beginning of the 4th century B.C., but again rebelled. Afterwards the tyrant Plutarch with the support of Philip, was overthrown and Klitarchos came to power. However, when the tyrant (supported by Philip) from Orei was overthrown, the Eretrian tyrant Klitarchos made a treaty with the Athenians and was accepted as a member of the Federation of the «Evian Council». A little later, following the advice of Dimostheni, the Athenians overthrew Klitarchos.

After the battle of Cheronia, Eretria again submitted to the Macedonians. At the beginning of the 3rd century B.C., the Philosophical School of Menedimos, which had been established by Socrates' favorite pupil Phadon, was transferred from Ilia to Eretria.

The Eretrian School of Philosophy of Menedimos taught mainly the philosophy of stoicism. According to Menedimos the meaning of Goodness exists in the wisdom of the spirit. Menedimos played a significant role in the puplic affairs of the town, establishing embassies in the courts of the Greek Kingdoms. Andigonos Gonatas, one of his students, showed particular interest in Eretria.

The Eretrians remained under Macedonian rule until 198 B.C. when the town was attached by the Romans. The town was sacked and looted and the inhabitants saught refuge in the Acropolis. However, by order of the Roman Senate, it was declared independent. Little is known about the life of Eretria during the Post Christian and Medieval times. We know however, that the ancient Greek city was inhabited at least, until the 5th century A.D.

There are numerous remains from Eretria's long history and they have left their mark on today's modern city.