Aigion in prehistoric times Significant findings from prehistoric times, mainly of the Early Helladic (3rd millennium BC) and the Middle Helladic period (first half of the 2nd millennium BC), which came to light during excavations in various parts of the modern city, confirm the existence of Aigio from prehistoric times. Source: IMAGE: 6th Ephorate of…
Aigion in bronze age (Mycenaean civilization) Aigion flourished in the Mycenaean years (15th-11th century BC). It belonged to the kingdom of Mycenae, as mentioned in the Homeric epics, being the last city of the kingdom to the west. Together with his neighbor Eliki, it was one of the cities that participated in the Trojan war…
The lost city of Helike In 373 BC, a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami destroyed and submerged the ancient Greek city of Helike, on the southwest shore of the Gulf of Corinth. The sunken city gradually silted over until it disappeared without a trace. Ancient writers ascribed the disaster to the wrath of Poseidon, god of…
Pafsanias in Aigion Around 172/173 AD, the ancient traveler Pausanias, coming from Ilida, entered the country of the Achaeans, crossing the Larissa River, which was the Achaia-Ilida border. Starting from the area of Dymi, the westernmost city of Achaia, it headed towards Patras following the coastal road. After Patras, he continued his journey to the…
Aigio renamed Vostizza In 805 the city was temporarily occupied by the Slavs and renamed Vostizza. After the fall of Constantinople by the Franks in 1205 AD. William Samplitus and Godfrey Villardwin decided to conquer the Peloponnese (Morea). They arrived in Patras and then occupied Vostizza. After conquering most of the Peloponnese, William was proclaimed…
The Assembly of Vostizza The (Secret) Assembly of Vostizza, according to historians, was the meeting held by the members of the Society of Friends, in Aigio, from 26 to 30 January 1821, in order to organize and determine the day of the inauguration of the upcoming Greek revolution in the Peloponnese. Nowadays the 26th of January…
Ernst Ziller in Aigion Ernst Ziller (1837–1923) was a German born university teacher and architect who later became a Greek national. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he was a major designer of royal and municipal buildings in Athens, Patras, and other Greek cities. Two of the most beutiful churches he built are…
Achaean League Aigion was one of the 12 Achaean cities of the northern Peloponnese that had organized a league (Achaiki Sympoliteia) by the 4th century BC to protect themselves against piratical raids from across the Corinthian Gulf, but this league fell apart after the death of Alexander the Great. The 10 surviving cities renewed their alliance in 280 BC, under…