Ancient Eretria on Euboea

Today’s Eretria has been inhabited since the 3rd millennium BC.

At the beginning of the 8th century BC, the city became one of the most important in all of Greece, mainly due to trade throughout the entire Mediterranean basin.

The city’s wealth is evidenced by the then rich Sanctuary of Apollo Daphnephoros, the Bearer of the Laurel), which was rebuilt twice.

The 5th century BC was difficult for Euboea due to:

• the Persians, who plundered Eretria on a grand scale in 490 BC,

• Athens, which dominated the Polis, and

• a plague in 437 BC decimated the population.

Yet in 411 BC, the cities of Euboea liberated themselves from Athenian rule, to blossom again in the 4th century BC. At that time, mighty city walls were built, luxurious residences in the Western District, House of Mosaics, Gymnasium, and a theater with a temple of Dionysus, all of which are now open for visiting.

By the end of the 4th century BC, Eretria fell under the political dominance of the Macedonian kings. This period mainly left behind tombs.

In 198 BC, the city was captured by the Romans. After a brief period of relative prosperity in the 2nd century BC, Eretria lost its significance and gradually became depopulated.

After 1830, Euboea was resettled mainly by refugees from the Greek island of Psara.

Visiting ancient Eretria

At the turn of the 6th and 5th centuries BC, mainly due to trade with Athens, Eretria was a maritime power of Greece. To this day, many archaeological excavations remain, some of which are completely free for visitors, while others, though excavated and fenced, can only be viewed from behind a fence.

And since today’s Eretria stands exactly in the same place as ancient Eretria, it sometimes happens that the remains obstruct the city’s normal life, such as building a house or laying down a water or sewage network.

There is much to see:

• You should arrive as early as possible in the morning. Lovers of antiquity should visit at least twice, as Eretria abounds in archaeological sites. How to organize a visit? If you are traveling by car, I suggest arriving in the morning at the Archaeological Museum of Eretria. Since it is open for a short time, it is best to start your visit from there. Later, you can leave your car here and head out to explore other sites that start literally across the street.

• If you are traveling by bus, I recommend visiting the Temple of Apollo, which is open during the same hours as the Archaeological Museum of Eretria. There are quite a few other archaeological sites in the area worth visiting - however, remember to make it to the Archaeological Museum and House of Mosaics before 3:00 PM. I also suggest taking a photo of the bus schedule, as there are not many buses running here. It would be a shame to miss one, or worse, the last one. ​​​​

The Sanctuary of Apollo is the most important and simultaneously the most prominent religious center from the time of ancient Eretria. Unfortunately, much indicates that the sanctuary we can see today had an incredibly short golden period and was never completed.

More on the website: Sanctuary of Apollo

More on the website: Ancient Theatre

The classical ancient Greek theater was built outdoors. Natural slopes of the mountain were used for constructing the seating for the audience. The theater's location in relation to the cardinal directions was not random at that time. It was important that the sun did not shine in the eyes of the spectators, especially in the afternoon when performances took place.

The Acropolis in Eretria on the island of Euboea is completely free and open 24 hours a day. The structures are not restored. Moreover, one has to put in a lot of effort to find the outlines of the ancient temples, towers, and other buildings. Yet, in ancient times, the place was bustling with life.

More on the website: Acropolis

The House of Mosaics is a residence used between 370 and 300 B.C. The items found here are housed in the Archaeological Museum in Eretria.

The House of Mosaics gets its current name from the well-preserved floor mosaics made of pebbles. There were reportedly ongoing discussions about whether to move the mosaics to the archaeological museum or leave them in place. The idea of leaving them won.

The Athenian Ephebeia was an institution of civic education aimed at young men aged 18 to 20, primarily focused on military training. The training lasted two years and concluded with an examination.

The gymnasium contained a place for body purification, as well as seven stone pools fed by fresh water.

More on the website: Gimnasion

More on the website: Ancient residential district

Due to its location in relation to the city and other monuments, the residential district was described as western.

During the excavation work, mainly residential buildings from the period between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC were uncovered. The discovered houses were designated with consecutive numbers: House I, House II, and House IV.

It is also referred to as the "tomb of Eros." The name was inspired by the clay figurines of Eros, the Greek god of love and passion, that were found.

The monument was excavated in 1897. Although it is well-preserved, it is known that someone previously stole valuable items that were certainly present here.

Based on the findings, it is dated to the 4th century BC, a time when these characteristic Macedonian-type tombs appeared in southern Greece after the fall of the Macedonians.

The oldest settlement in this area dates back to 3000 BC, during the early Bronze Age. The significant fluctuations in water levels at that time prevented habitation until the 6th century BC.

In the open space now covered with grass and sidewalks, there was a vibrant and developed Agora in the 5th century BC.

To this day, only the remnants of the Tholos, a circular building from the 5th century BC, have survived.

The Iseion is a remnant of a sanctuary dedicated to Isis, the Egyptian goddess of fertility, magic, motherhood, and family care.

It serves as an example that in ancient times, Egyptian culture had a significant influence on the lives of the inhabitants of contemporary Greece.

The Iseion in Eretria is one of the oldest sanctuaries of Egyptian deities in Greece.