Areopoli
Encyclopedia
Areopoli is a town on the Mani Peninsula
, Laconia
, Greece
. The word Areopoli means "city of Ares
", the ancient Greek
god
of war
. It was the seat of Oitylo
municipality. Areopoli was called Tsimova by the invading Slavs during the 7th century AD. The Greek War of Independence
was started at Areopoli on the 17th of March 1821 by Petros Pierrakos, also known as Petros Mavromichalis
, the last bey of Mani. Now Areopoli has grown into a flourishing town. Limeni is its port.
). The beach and port of Areopoli are some distance from the town centre. There is lively open air market in the main square each Saturday, with a lot of local producers present.
Mani Peninsula
The Mani Peninsula , also long known as Maina or Maïna, is a geographical and cultural region in Greece. Mani is the central peninsula of the three which extend southwards from the Peloponnese in southern Greece. To the east is the Laconian Gulf, to the west the Messenian Gulf...
, Laconia
Laconia
Laconia , also known as Lacedaemonia, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The word Areopoli means "city of Ares
Ares
Ares is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and...
", the ancient Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
of war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
. It was the seat of Oitylo
Oitylo
Oitylo is a village and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality East Mani, of which it is a municipal unit. It is one of the oldest towns in the Mani Peninsula. It was mentioned in the Iliad by Homer as Oetylοs ,...
municipality. Areopoli was called Tsimova by the invading Slavs during the 7th century AD. The Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
was started at Areopoli on the 17th of March 1821 by Petros Pierrakos, also known as Petros Mavromichalis
Petros Mavromichalis
Petros Mavromichalis , also known as Petrobey , was the leader of the Maniot people during the first half of the 19th century. His family had a long history of revolts against the Ottoman Empire, which ruled most of what is now Greece...
, the last bey of Mani. Now Areopoli has grown into a flourishing town. Limeni is its port.
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 738 |
| 1991 | 759 |
| 2001 | 988 |
Notable people
- Stylianos Pierrakos (Stylianos MavromichalisStylianos MavromichalisStylianos Mavromichalis was a Greek politician and Prime Minister.Born in Mani, Stylianos was a descendant of the well-known Petros Mavromichalis that participated in the Greek War of Independence....
) (1902-1981), former Prime Minister of GreecePrime Minister of GreeceThe Prime Minister of Greece , officially the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic , is the head of government of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet. The current interim Prime Minister is Lucas Papademos, a former Vice President of the European Central Bank, following... - Gregorios Skalkeas (1928), Chancellor of the University of Central GreeceUniversity of Central GreeceThe University of Central Greece , is a public university located in Central Greece, which was founded by the Greek Government in April 2003 in Lamia...
Other
Areopoli has a primary school, a middle school, a secondary school, churches, a beach, a port and a square (plateiaPlateia
Plateia or platia is the Greek word for town square. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding...
). The beach and port of Areopoli are some distance from the town centre. There is lively open air market in the main square each Saturday, with a lot of local producers present.