Ancient Eretria on Euboea

In ancient times Eretria was a thriving polis.

Today's city is a typical example of new buildings being erected on the ruins of the previous era. Walking through the streets, I saw excavations running along the street "intersected" by remnants of structures from earlier periods.

Archaeological excavations are scattered throughout the city, stretching from the coast to the then acropolis, which is a hill with temples. Most of the monuments are open around the clock and free of charge. Unfortunately, they are often neglected as if they "bothered" the residents today. To see them, I sometimes had to push through the bushes, resulting in badly scratched legs up to my knees.

But let's take it step by step.

When arriving in Eretria, it's worth checking the hours of operation of the Eretria Archaeological Museum, the excavations of the Temple of Apollo and the House of Mosaics.

The Archaeological Museum of Eretria

Due to its short opening hours, it seems wise to start the tour at the small museum that hides many interesting exhibits:

• A marble lion from the 10th century BC invites you to enter.

• The most magnificent are two sculptures from the western pediment of the Temple of Apollo. The most famous depicts Theseus with Antiope. Also interesting is the torso of Athena with a gorgon on her breast, which stood in the central part of the tympanum.

• The museum contains many artifacts excavated in Eretria .In the 5th century BC, there was a well-developed pottery industry here. Particularly many richly decorated vases were found.

• When visiting museums, small-sized figurines are often overlooked. It's a pity, as they are usually much older than large sculptures. An example is a clay figurine of a centaur from the 10th century BC and a clay toy on wheels from the 8th century BC.

• A well-preserved floor mosaic depicting a nereid on a horse was discovered in the House of Mosaics.

Interestingly, the most magnificent exhibits from the island of Euboea are located in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. An example is the famous bronze sculptures depicting Poseidon and a jockey on a horse.