The ancient capital of Chalkidiki, boasting its greatness for the whole of Hellas
The yellow stoned ancient foundations lie in the middle of the green hills of the Chalkidiki. Once upon there was a mighty capital, which could not stand only one of the wars that had happened to its lot.
History of ancient city
Olynthus was the ancient capital of the peninsula of Chalkidiki, boasted its greatness for the whole of Hellas. For its short history, it managed to defy Athens, Sparta and Macedonia. This city is one of those few monuments of ancient Greece, which reached our days in its original form. No civilization decided to erect its forts in place of the mighty Olynthus. However, the archaeologists have been excavating at this place for almost a century. In these large-scale archaeological works, more than two hundred people took part, and, ultimately, they found the foundations of hundreds of houses. Now travelers can stroll through the streets of the city, destroyed more than two thousand years ago.
The origin of the name of Olynthus
Olynthus received its name in honor of the son of the ruler of Thrace, who died heroically in the battle with the lion. His grieving brother, Vrangas, named the whole city in honor of the young hero, which later fell at the hands of another lion, the Macedonian king Philip the Second. However, until those black days, the city held on equally with the mighty Athens; it even became the head of the Chalcidian League, which brought together 32 coastal poleis. However, alliances with neighboring powers have always turned out to be passing. Olynthus then united with Athens, and then rebelled against them, concluding military alliances with the Macedonians.
Fallen from grace
Former allies quickly grew tired of the greatness of Olynthus, growing at the side. They arranged devastating raids. Therefore, in 379 B.C. furious Spartans captured the city, but the Chalkidians managed to regain their autonomy and become stronger. An impenetrable wall surrounded Olynthus, so when the army approached the Macedonians under the leadership of Philip II, the father of Alexander, who himself was the rising military commander then, the city defended itself steadfastly. However, Philip was high skilled in military science. The mighty walls fell; the Macedonians stormily entered the city, plundered every house and destroyed the capital of Chalkidiki to the ground.
Outskirts of the great city nowadays
According to the memoirs of archaeologists who participated in the excavations of Olynthus, the city was literally strewn with arrowheads and spears of Macedonians. The remains of the masonry of rich villas, the ancient tombstones and the whole foundations of the destroyed buildings stay silently now at the place where the Macedonian army was raging. The most amazing findings are perfectly preserved mosaic floors that covered the courtyards of the aristocracy’s houses. One of the plots captured the moment of the battle of the glorious hero with the lion who killed him. How symbolic that it was this picture that the fallen city had brought to our days.
An annual olive festival is held now in the modern town near Olynthus, in memory of the former greatness of the capital of the Chalcidian League. In the last days of sunny July, the whole Hellas is gathering to this feast of tasted. Travelers, who successfully arrived in Olynthus, also connect to the festival, and the hospitable Hellenes are always welcoming to guests.
