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THE ONLY ARCHAEOLOGICALLY COMPLETE SURVIVAL OF THE POLEODOMIC SYSTEM OF THE FATHER OF POLEODOMY HIPPODAMUS THE MILESIAN AS KANAVOS / CANVAS, ON WHICH ALSO NEW YORK CITY WAS POLEODOMICALLY DESIGNED

Personal certified classicist and mountain guide: Mr. Kimon Tsiomis

History of the place:

Ancient Olynthos, the most important political centre of Chalkidiki in the Classical period, occupies two hills: on the South Hill lies the city founded by the Bottiaeans in the 7th century B.C., which was destroyed by the Persians in 479 B.C. On the North Hill lies the Classical city, built in the Hippodameian system, with vertically crossing wide and narrow streets, forming regular architectural blocks (87 x 35 m.). Remarkable is the type of the Olynthian house with the “pastas” on the north side of the interior courtyard, surrounded by rooms and auxiliary spaces. Very impressive are the mosaics found in the men’s quarters, which are among the earliest known specimens of the Classsical period.
The first excavations of the site were conducted in 1928-1938 by the AmericanSchool of Classical Studies under the direction of Prof. D.M. Robinson. In 1992 the 16th E.P.C.A. undertook the task of the restoration and landscaping of the settlement on the North Hill

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ΟΝΕ ΟF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND SPECTACULAR CAVES IN THE WORLD WITH ADJACENT MUSEUM

Personal certified classicist and mountain guide: Mr. Kimon Tsiomis

History of the place:

The bejeweled with stalagmites and stalactites PetralonaCave is formed about 300 m above sea level. The Cave was spotted in 1959 by the inhabitant of the Petralona village Philippos Chatzaridis from an ovoid (0,7 m long) diaklasis (fracture) of the limestone Kalavros Mountain (~ 700 m high), which is created in Jurassic era (~150 million years) by undersea sediments that emerged in various phases during next periods. Most probably during Mio-Pleiocene, about 5 million years ago, the Cave’s main compartments were formed. Internationally it became known when the famous fossilized skull of Petralona man was found by another villager, Christos Sariannidis, along with five other men (three of whom scientists).

The systematic excavations of the Cave started in 1965 by the founder of the Anthropological Association of Greece Ph.D. professor of anthropology Aris N. Poulianos. His research proved that Petralona Archanthropus (i.e. an archaic Homo sapiens) has an age of about 700.000 years ago, that is the oldest known Europeoid man. This chronology is based on the detail analysis of the Cave stratigraphy (until today 34 geological layers have been unearthed), as well as on the study of the Palaeolithic tools and the Palaeofauna species that have been discovered in almost all layers. Among the fossils of the extinct species found in the Cave lions, hyenas, bears, panthers, elephants, rhinos, megacerines, bisons, and various species of dears and equids (horse like) are included, as well as 25 species of birds, 16 species of rodents and 17 species of bats.

A considerable aid in reconfirming the age of the Petralona Archanthropus is the contribution of Archaeometry (with methods advanced by Nuclear Physics). The materials used for such a purpose are bones, argil, stalagmites and traces of fire (ashes, burned bones) – the earliest ever lightened by human hands on earth (~800.000 years ago). Source: www.petralona-cave.gr

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THE TRANSCENDING HOME – PLACE OF PROBABLY THE GREATEST PHILOSOPHER OF ALL TIME, ARISTOTELES

Personal certified classicist and mountain guide: Mr. Kimon Tsiomis

History of the place:

This is the birthplace of Aristotle one of the greatest philosopher of ancient times and tutor of Alexander the Great. The city was founded in ca. 655 B.C. by colonists from the island of Andros. Down to the Persian Wars, Stageira was a free, independent and prosperous city. After the Persians retreated, it became a member of the First Athenian Confederacy, making an annual contribution of one talent to the allied treasury. In 424 B.C., during the Peloponnesian War, Stageira seceded and became an ally of the Spartans against Athens. Later, the city joined the Chalkidian League and in 348 B.C. it was captured and destroyed completely by King Philip II of Macedon. A few years after the destruction, however, Philip himself repopulated the city in return for Aristotle’s, tutoring of his son Alexander. Yet Stageira never recovered its former brilliance and it is henceforth mentioned by ancient authors only in a few occasions, invariably in connection with the great philosopher. An enchanting later written tradition records that after Aristotle died, the inhabitants of Stageira transferred and buried his relics inside the city, in a place called “the Aristoteleion”, a large altar was erected on his grave, and an annual festival was instituted in his honor, called the “Aristoteleia”

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AN EXCEPTIONAL LOCATION OF MULTIPLE ANCIENT GREEK CULTS ΑΝD DOUBLE BATHS, WITH SOME INTERESTING SPARTAN EPISODES

Personal certified classicist and mountain guide: Mr. Kimon Tsiomis

History of the place:

One of the most important temples are located in Halkidiki , is that of Ammon Zeus in Kallithea. According to archaeologists, during the second half of the 8th century BC was founded by colonists Euboeans city Afytis sanctuary of Dionysus was worshiped together with the Nymphs in the cavern beneath the rock, on the southwest side of the site .

The cult of the cave, where the faithful arrived with carved scale, continued in the following centuries, until the 2nd century AD In the northern part of the site was founded in the late 5th century. B.C. sanctuary of Egyptian god Ammon Zeus, and in the 4th century BC, was built next to the altar Doric temple pavilion, the roof of which is decorated terracotta roof tiles, textured and colored .

During the 1st-2nd century AD, the temple was reconstructed and hardware built on the south side of the narrow two modular structures ( bleachers ), while between them, up to the oldest altar, built another small altar. In this open space, sitting believers should be attending some events. The Roman phase of the church lasted until the reign of the successors of Constantine the Great, so be destroyed permanently.

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A LEGENDARY, MYTHICAL CITY AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE NATURAL PORTS OF GREECE, MAYBE OF SOUTHERN EUROPE, TOO

Personal certified classicist and mountain guide: Mr. Kimon Tsiomis

History of the place

Who can resist the allure of Toroni. The one attraction that Toroni has is what no one else in Sithonia can claim – a castle! Well at least the ruins of one. This medieval fortress on the Likythos promontory was destroyed in the 15th century. It truly makes a spectacular backdrop to the Toroni harbour.

Further up the mountain towards Porto Koufo you can still find some ruins from the ancient city Torone. Porto Koufo is the largest natural harbor in Greece (in depth). The harbor was mentioned by the historian Thucydides. German submarines used it during World War II because of its geographical location and direct access to the Aegean Sea.

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THE ” THORNY ” ANCIENT CITY AS A DISTINCT PASSAGE OF CIVILIZATIONS AND WITH ALΜΟST FANTASTIC FOLK LEGENDS, CLOSE TO THE ONLY REMNANTS OF A TECHNICAL FΕΑΤ BY THE ANCIENT PERSIAN EMPIRE IN EUROPE.

Personal certified classicist and mountain guide: Mr. Kimon Tsiomis

History of the place

Due to an operational program of Macedonia and Thrace (2007-2013) with the co-financing of Greece and European Union the project “Protection and exhibition shell for a part of ancient Acanthus cemetery in Chalkidiki”, was planned and took place in Ierissos. The project aimed to expose and present to the public a part of the cemetery of ancient Akanthos, which remains as excavated in place (in situ) and is protected by a functional shell, emphasizing, in a discreet manner, on the public cultural character responding to the needs of modern aesthetics. The shell was constructed before uncovering the antiquities to keep the image of the excavation as authentic as possible and avoid any damages to the findings due to construction work. Designing the shell serves objectives as the safety and protection of the findings against weather, the natural lighting and ventilation of the site and to ensure the unimpeded viewing for the visitors.

The Canal of Xerxes is the largest technical project that took place in Halkidiki during the ancient era. According to Herodotus, in 480 B.C., during the Median wars, Xerxes, the king of Persians, wanted to lead his large fleet from Akanthos to Thermi (the name of Thessaloniki then) avoiding the danger of the Athonite circumnavigation and avoid having the same fate Mardonios had a decade ago. So, he ordered the opening of a canal that extended from today’s Nea Roda to Tripiti and connected the gulf of Ierrisos to Siggitikos bay where the cities Assa, Piloros, Siggos and Sarti, that had been already subjugated to Persians, were located.

For further information and to book your dream trip don’t hesitate to contact us at info@ecgb.org