The Labour of Hercules in the ancient Stymfalos
The Greek mythology is still alive; every place in Greece has its own tale to tell, every single stone hides a whole story. Half god, half man, he still wanders around the lake Stymfalia, firing arrows towards the horrendous birds with the iron wings!
The fifth out of twelve Labours of Hercules in the Greek mythology is about the Stymphalian birds, countless monstrous raptors, “nurslings of god Ares” that used to hunt around the lake Stymfalia. They were shooting their iron wings like arrows, polluting and destroying the crops around the ancient town of Stymfalos and they were feeding with human flesh.
When Hercules arrived at the lake armed with his bow, the birds found refuge in the swamplands’ reeds, where he could not follow. He therefore asked the goddess Athena for assistance and she provided him with two copper rattles created by Hephaestus especially for the task. Hercules used the rattles to frighten the birds which flew away from their hideout; he then killed most of them by using his bow.
A big part of the ancient Stymfalos (check it here on Google maps) lies now almost sunken in the lake. It is estimated that the city was built before the 5th century BC and its layout was Hippodamian, i.e. a grid plan complete with blocks. The part which is visible at the lake’s shores is the Hellenistic one, including the stadium, the arenas, the theatre, etc. The most interesting part is that in the Akropolis of the ancient Stymfalos (i.e. the hill over the archaeologic site) arrows made of iron were found, which were quite rare at that time in Greece, catapult projectiles as well as a part of the catapult itself!
According to professor Hector Williams who supervised the excavation works there from 1982 to 1985, the men of the ancient Stymfalos were trained in martial arts and were famous, skilled mercenaries.
Pylos
(Castles – Treasures of Greece)
The locals call it the “sentinel of the Ionian Sea” and “Newcastle” (Niokastro in Greek) in order to distinguish it from the elder fortress of Koryfasion. It is an impressive building which builds upon its special architectural style and the huge, breathtaking walls which cause awe and fear to those who approach them. The castle of Pylos is by far the most extraordinary “balcony” in the Ionian Sea.
The Old Castle, also known as Paliokastro, was the main venue of every notable historical event in Pylos, until of course the building of Newcastle. It had strong walls, cogged bastions and gargantuan lagoons since the place did not offer any water. The Francs began its construction in the 13th Century over the ruins of the ancient Acropolis. The Venetian engineers continued the project in the 15th Century and it was finally unveiled by the Ottomans in the 16th Century. The view is simply fascinating…
Mystras
(Castles – Treasures of Greece)
The settlement of Mystras lies on a hill at 634 meters in front of Taygetos; it is the most characteristic piece of medieval state in the Greek region. It was built in 1249 by the sovereign of Achaea, William II of Villehardouin. In 1262 Mystras became a part of the Byzantine Empire and was immediately promoted to the capital of the homonymous regional domain.
In 1448 a notable historical event took place in Mystras: Constantine XI Palaiologos was crowned here emperor of the Byzantine Empire, its last one… In 1460 Mystras was handled over to the Turks but during their occupancy, there were no significant destructions in both the castle and the city and life kept on in a rather normal way. The castle state although silent rehearses in the best way the history of the Byzantine civilization in Peloponnese.
Akrokorinthos
(Castles – Treasures of Greece)
The weird shadow over the plains of Korinthos. The hollow sound of a forgotten legend. The guardian of Morias. The most ancient yet the strongest castle in the whole region of Peloponnese. This is Akrokorinthos. It was built during the reign of the tyrant Periandros in the 7th Century BC. Today, beyond its walls lie the ruins of the ancient and the medieval towns.
Check the rest entries in the Castles’ chapter of the Treasures of Greece series.
Didymoticho
(Castles – Treasures of Greece)
The three towers of Vasilopoula, Pentazono and Kechri embrace warmly the old city. A big part of Didymoticho’s walls still lie intact. The Byzantine and –later on- Ottoman fortification proves useful even today; many houses use the strong city walls as their own walls! Go for a walk around the city’s alleys and you will encounter plenty of them!
Check the rest entries in the Castles’ chapter of the Treasures of Greece series.
Myrina
(Castles – Treasures of Greece)
Built in the 12th Century by the Emperor Andronikos Komninos I and fortified by the Venetians, the Castle of Myrina lies on a rocky peninsula, between the two coasts of the Myrina region.
It is the guardian of the capital city and the main port of the isle of Limnos. The castle’s presence in the course of time has been so important that even today, the locals call their city simply “Castle”.
Check the rest entries in the Castles’ chapter of the Treasures of Greece series.
Monemvasia
(Castles – Treasures of Greece)
The first look from the sea suggests a gray, arid rock of 300 meters height. As we get close, the medieval state looks hooked on it, tied with strong walls, impossible to break away. This is perhaps Monemvasia’s most enjoyable point of view.
The Castle of Monemvasia, the “ship made of rocks” as Yiannis Ritsos wrote, has a standard crew of 8-10 families, hundreds of visitors and a concrete “tongue”, its only connection with the land.
Nikos Kazantzakis was the one who compared the rock with “a tremendous beast that lurks in the dawn and glows like a colossal anvil on the water”. When you pass the gate, you immediately travel to a different era…
Check the rest entries in the Castles’ chapter of the Treasures of Greece series.
This picture makes you wonder. We are in the region of Thace and the archaeological site is called Mesimvria-Zoni. Somewhere in the coast between Alexandroupoli and Komotini this remarkable ancient town proves that Greeks from Thace were an exceptional tribe. They actually invented in-house air conditioning ages ago!
We are looking at the floor of a house. This part was covered with soil and these pitchers (kanatia or κανάτια in Greek) gather the humidity during winter and release it back in the summer.
No further comments!
Fishermen’s tales – Vol.2
Let’s travel a bit back in time. Well, basically not a bit; rather a lot! We are back in the Neolithic Age; Europe, 6000 B.C. It is the place mostly inhabited by fishermen and cattlemen. A vigorous society has managed to settle perfectly in the environment and using wooden structures has faced successfully all the challenges introduced by the nature itself. The whole settlement is built on wooden poles which are bedded into the lake. These poles are actually the skeleton which supports the prehistoric houses and have been used for centuries!
Dispilio, Kastoria lake. Portayal of a prehistoric Neolithic settlement with 7 houses open to the public.
