SOUTHERN GREECE: HISTORY AND SEAFOOD

2007-07-13 16:44:04 [ Big Normal Small ]  Mark Berthold  　Comment

The hilly southern part of Greece combines historic interest with sunny shores. Known as the Pelopponesian region it’s in the Greek district of Laconia. It’s not far south. of Athens and I did not delay in escaping that city’s fumes and crowds. Instead I headed for Gythio, one of the more appealing seaside towns that speckle the coast. Its seaside promenade is a lovely spot to have a seafood meal.


Little evidence of its long and tumultuous history remains, however, apart from a Roman amphitheatre which survived an earthquake.

More dramatic is Monemvassia. This medieval fortress town with its adjoining village below has seen many tragic conflicts. In 1249 it fell after a 3 year siege. Subsequent traumas included raids by pirates, falling to the Venetians in 1492 and in 1540 to the Turks-again after a 3 year siege: it is not for nothing that its name derives from moei emvassia or “single entry”. It was liberated by the Greeks in 1821. Its narrow streets-agreeably too narrow for vehicles-are home to 40 Byzantine churches. Its most famous church is that of Agia Sofia dating from the late 12th Century and accordingly served both Catholicism and Islam in due course. I took this picture from the ruins of the cliff-hugging fortified upper town some 300 meters above.



An azure Mediterranean sparkles too, as usual.

But this region goes back further, to the very origins of Western civilization. One of the earliest notable examples is the Lion Gate at Mycenae, the site of a military kingdom in ancient times. It was constructed in 1250 BC-just a few centuries later than those of major Egyptian monuments. Indeed lions were also favorite subjects of the Egyptians “but now infused with a new sensitivity to the organic logic and beauty of its subject” according to authority Deborah Fritz.



Such is the Pelopponesian region of Greece-a relaxing and enjoyable place to reflect on antiquity, helped by the lack of crowds during the autumn “off-season” period I visited it.

Mark Berthold copyright 2007

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