Kirra, Phocis
Encyclopedia
Kirra is a village in Phocis
, central Greece
. It is part of the municipal unit of Itea
. It is also sometimes called Adrastea. Kirra is part of a Trifecta
starting in the north with Delphi, descending south to the Gulf of Corinth to Itea, which is the main city on the water in that area, and then down the coast a few miles to Kirra. Kirra is part of Phocis
.
from the Corinthian Gulf. This strategic location of Kirra allowed its citizens to rob pilgrims on their way to the Delphic Oracle, and to collect taxes and annex sacred lands from Delphi. This behavior prompted many of the other polei
to form the Amphictionic League, a military alliance dedicated to protecting Delphi, circa 600 BC. The League consulted the oracle for advise on dealing with Kirra, and the reply was a call for total war
. The members of the League vowed to completely destroy Kirra and ravage the surrounding areas. To this they added a curse in the name of Apollo: that the soil should bring forth no crops, that the children of the women and livestock should be deformed, and that the entire ethnic group that inhabited the city should be eradicated. The ensuing war lasted for ten years (595 BC-585 BC) and became known as the First Sacred War
.
The leader of the attack was the Tyrant
Cleisthenes
of Sicyon
, who used his powerful navy
to blockade the city's port
before using an allied Amphictionic army to besiege Kirra. What transpired after this is a matter of debate. The earliest, and therefore probably most reliable, account is that of the medical writer Thessalos, who in the fifth century BC wrote that the attackers discovered a secret water pipe
leading into the city after it was broken by a horse's hoof. An asclepiad
named Nebros advised the allies to poison
the water with hellebore
. The hellebore soon rendered the defenders so weak with diarrhea
that they were unable to continue resisting the assault. Kirra was captured and the entire population
was slaughtered. Nebros was an ancestor of Hippocrates
of Kos
, so this story has caused many to wonder whether it might not have been guilt over his ancestor's use of poison that drove Hippocrates to establish the Hippocratic Oath
.
Later historians told different stories. According to Frontinus (Strat. III.7.6) who wrote in the 1st century AD, after discovering the pipe, the Amphictionic cut it, leading to great thirst
within the city. After a while, they restored the pipe, allowing water to flow into the city. The desperate Kirrans immediately began drinking the water, unaware that Kleisthenes had poisoned it with hellebore. According to Polyaenus
, a writer of the second century AD, after the pipe was discovered, the attackers added the hellebore to the spring
from which the water came, without ever actually depriving the Kirrans of water. Polyaenus also gave credit for the strategy not to Kleisthenes but to general
Eurylochos, who he claimed advised his allies to gather a large amount of hellebore from Anticyra
, where it was abundant. The stories of Frontinus and Polyaenus both have the same result as Thessalos's tale: the defeat of Kirra.
The last major historian to advance a new story of the siege was Pausanias
, who was active in the 3rd century AD. In his version of events Solon
of Athens
diverted the course of the River Pleistos
so that it didn't run through Kirra. Solon had hoped to thus defeat the Kirrans by thirst, but the enemy were able to get enough water from their wells
and rainwater collection. Solon then added a great quantity of hellebore to the water of the Pleistos and let it flow into Kirra. The poisoning then allowed the allies to destroy the city.
es, camping
and water sports.
Kirra is down the road from Delphi, it is a beach community, used to be very much a pirate village in the past, with townsfolk ripping off people headed for Delphi, who had to come ashore around Kirra. This gave the town a not-to-popular image. But that was long ago, now it has some nice beaches and is quite popular in the April thru September summer time months. Has the usual hotel buildup and the beaches are soft and sandy, with a treeline set back from the beach 50 metres.
Phocis
Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth...
, central Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It is part of the municipal unit of Itea
Itea, Greece
Itea , is a town and a former municipality in the southeastern part of Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi, of which it is a municipal unit. The Greek National Road 48/E65 connects Itea with Antirrio, Naupactus and Livadeia, the GR-27 with...
. It is also sometimes called Adrastea. Kirra is part of a Trifecta
Trifecta
In horse racing terminology, a trifecta is a parimutuel bet in which the bettor must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third in exact order. The word comes from the related betting term, "perfecta". A trifecta is known as a tiercé in France and Hong Kong and as a tris in Italy.It...
starting in the north with Delphi, descending south to the Gulf of Corinth to Itea, which is the main city on the water in that area, and then down the coast a few miles to Kirra. Kirra is part of Phocis
Phocis
Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth...
.
Ancient history
In ancient times Kirra existed as a heavily fortified city that controlled access to DelphiDelphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
from the Corinthian Gulf. This strategic location of Kirra allowed its citizens to rob pilgrims on their way to the Delphic Oracle, and to collect taxes and annex sacred lands from Delphi. This behavior prompted many of the other polei
Polis
Polis , plural poleis , literally means city in Greek. It could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. In modern historiography "polis" is normally used to indicate the ancient Greek city-states, like Classical Athens and its contemporaries, so polis is often translated as "city-state."The...
to form the Amphictionic League, a military alliance dedicated to protecting Delphi, circa 600 BC. The League consulted the oracle for advise on dealing with Kirra, and the reply was a call for total war
Total war
Total war is a war in which a belligerent engages in the complete mobilization of fully available resources and population.In the mid-19th century, "total war" was identified by scholars as a separate class of warfare...
. The members of the League vowed to completely destroy Kirra and ravage the surrounding areas. To this they added a curse in the name of Apollo: that the soil should bring forth no crops, that the children of the women and livestock should be deformed, and that the entire ethnic group that inhabited the city should be eradicated. The ensuing war lasted for ten years (595 BC-585 BC) and became known as the First Sacred War
First Sacred War
The First Sacred War was fought between the Amphictyonic League of Delphi and the city of Kirrha. The conflict arose due to Kirrha's frequent robbery and mistreatment of pilgrims going to Delphi and their encroachments upon Delphic land. The war resulted in the defeat and destruction of Kirrha...
.
The leader of the attack was the Tyrant
Tyrant
A tyrant was originally one who illegally seized and controlled a governmental power in a polis. Tyrants were a group of individuals who took over many Greek poleis during the uprising of the middle classes in the sixth and seventh centuries BC, ousting the aristocratic governments.Plato and...
Cleisthenes
Cleisthenes of Sicyon
Cleisthenes was the tyrant of Sicyon from c. 600–570 BC, who aided in the First Sacred War against Kirrha that destroyed that city in 595 BC. He is also told to have organized with success a war against Argos because of his anti-Dorian feelings...
of Sicyon
Sicyon
Sikyon was an ancient Greek city situated in the northern Peloponnesus between Corinth and Achaea on the territory of the present-day prefecture of Corinthia...
, who used his powerful navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
to blockade the city's port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
before using an allied Amphictionic army to besiege Kirra. What transpired after this is a matter of debate. The earliest, and therefore probably most reliable, account is that of the medical writer Thessalos, who in the fifth century BC wrote that the attackers discovered a secret water pipe
Water pipe
Water pipes are pipes or tubes, frequently made of polyvinyl chloride , ductile iron, steel, cast iron, polypropylene, polyethylene, or copper, that carry pressurized and treated fresh water to buildings , as well as inside the building.-History:For many centuries, lead was the favoured material...
leading into the city after it was broken by a horse's hoof. An asclepiad
Asclepiad (Greek)
It is uncertain as to who an Asclepiad was. Some theories hold that they were priests of an Asclepion in ancient Greece. The Asclepiadae could also have been a guild in honour of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing, separate from the healing temples and closely related to Hippocratic tradition...
named Nebros advised the allies to poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
the water with hellebore
Hellebore
Commonly known as hellebores, members of the genus Helleborus comprise approximately 20 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, within which it gave its name to the tribe of Helleboreae...
. The hellebore soon rendered the defenders so weak with diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
that they were unable to continue resisting the assault. Kirra was captured and the entire population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
was slaughtered. Nebros was an ancestor of Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
of Kos
Kos
Kos or Cos is a Greek island in the south Sporades group of the Dodecanese, next to the Gulf of Gökova/Cos. It measures by , and is from the coast of Bodrum, Turkey and the ancient region of Caria. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Kos peripheral unit, which is...
, so this story has caused many to wonder whether it might not have been guilt over his ancestor's use of poison that drove Hippocrates to establish the Hippocratic Oath
Hippocratic Oath
The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals swearing to practice medicine ethically. It is widely believed to have been written by Hippocrates, often regarded as the father of western medicine, or by one of his students. The oath is written in...
.
Later historians told different stories. According to Frontinus (Strat. III.7.6) who wrote in the 1st century AD, after discovering the pipe, the Amphictionic cut it, leading to great thirst
Thirst
Thirst is the craving for fluids, resulting in the basic instinct of animals to drink. It is an essential mechanism involved in fluid balance. It arises from a lack of fluids and/or an increase in the concentration of certain osmolites, such as salt...
within the city. After a while, they restored the pipe, allowing water to flow into the city. The desperate Kirrans immediately began drinking the water, unaware that Kleisthenes had poisoned it with hellebore. According to Polyaenus
Polyaenus
Polyaenus or Polyenus vs. e]]; , "many proverbs") was a 2nd century Macedonian author, known best for his Stratagems in War , which has been preserved. The Suda calls him a rhetorician, and Polyaenus himself writes that he was accustomed to plead causes before the emperor...
, a writer of the second century AD, after the pipe was discovered, the attackers added the hellebore to the spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
from which the water came, without ever actually depriving the Kirrans of water. Polyaenus also gave credit for the strategy not to Kleisthenes but to general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Eurylochos, who he claimed advised his allies to gather a large amount of hellebore from Anticyra
Anticyra
Anticyra, or Antikyra the ancient name of a city in Phokis, Greece.-Name and Mycenaean past:Mod. name Antikyra; until the early 20th century it was called "Aspra Spitia", a name given after 1960 to a wholly new adjacent settlement, 3 km to the East; in Phocis, on the bay of Anticyra, in the...
, where it was abundant. The stories of Frontinus and Polyaenus both have the same result as Thessalos's tale: the defeat of Kirra.
The last major historian to advance a new story of the siege was Pausanias
Pausanias (geographer)
Pausanias was a Greek traveler and geographer of the 2nd century AD, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. He is famous for his Description of Greece , a lengthy work that describes ancient Greece from firsthand observations, and is a crucial link between classical...
, who was active in the 3rd century AD. In his version of events Solon
Solon
Solon was an Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline in archaic Athens...
of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
diverted the course of the River Pleistos
River Pleistos
The River Pleistos is a Greek river that starts at Mount Parnassos and flows south to the Corinthian Gulf. Its neighbors include Kephisos to the north and Euenos to the west....
so that it didn't run through Kirra. Solon had hoped to thus defeat the Kirrans by thirst, but the enemy were able to get enough water from their wells
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
and rainwater collection. Solon then added a great quantity of hellebore to the water of the Pleistos and let it flow into Kirra. The poisoning then allowed the allies to destroy the city.
Modern Kirra
Kirra is part of the Prefecture of Fokida. It is known for its beachBeach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es, camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
and water sports.
Kirra is down the road from Delphi, it is a beach community, used to be very much a pirate village in the past, with townsfolk ripping off people headed for Delphi, who had to come ashore around Kirra. This gave the town a not-to-popular image. But that was long ago, now it has some nice beaches and is quite popular in the April thru September summer time months. Has the usual hotel buildup and the beaches are soft and sandy, with a treeline set back from the beach 50 metres.
Trivia
- On the popular TV series Xena: Warrior PrincessXena: Warrior PrincessXena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
, the character CallistoCallisto (Xena)Callisto is a fictional character in the fantasy TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. She features as the most frequently recurring villainess on that show. She also makes appearances on three episodes of the parent show Hercules: The Legendary Journeys...
was born in this city and XenaXenaXena is a fictional character from Robert Tapert's Xena: Warrior Princess franchise. She first appeared in the 1995–1999 television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, before going on to appear in Xena: Warrior Princess TV show and subsequent comic book of the same name...
's army burned it when Callisto was a small girl killing her family, giving her the reason to be Xena's worst enemy. - Cirrha (Kirra) was a nymph from whom the town of Cirrha in Phocis was believed to have derived its name.
- Kirra is another name for the nymph AdrasteiaAdrasteiaIn Greek mythology, Adrasteia was a nymph who was charged by Rhea with nurturing the infant Zeus, in secret in the Dictaean cave, to protect him from his father Cronus .-Zeus:Adrasteia and her sister Ida, the nymph of Mount Ida, who also...
.