Skliros (Greek : Σκληρός) is a village in the municipality of Oichalia, Messenia, southern Greece. In its district lies the Temple of Apollo at Bassae. It is 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Andritsaina, 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of Kakaletri and 20 km (12 mi) west of Megalopoli.
In ancient times, the village belonged to the region of ancient Arcadia and the city of Phigalia. The village was originally founded in 900-950 AD. by residents of the surrounding neighbourhoods. [2] After a number of years, the village was given as a personal manor or "Pronoia" (Greek: πρόνοια, meaning "care" or "forethought") to Romanos Skleros, the son of the Byzantine General, Bardas Skleros, where he settled with his family. Romanos had married the sister of Emperor Constantine VII. From Romanos' came the villages new name, "Sklirou" (Greek: Σκληρού). [3]
During the Frankish occupation, the area of the village may have belonged to the Barony of Karytaina, or was on its borders. Close to the village is the Castle of St. Helen (modern day Castle of Theisoa). [4] During Constantine Paleologos campaign against the Franks, the castle was used by the inhabitants of Sklirou.
Chios is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea, and the tenth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of mastic gum and its nickname is "the Mastic Island". Tourist attractions include its medieval villages and the 11th-century monastery of Nea Moni, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Basil II Porphyrogenitus, nicknamed the Bulgar Slayer, was the senior Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025. He and his brother Constantine VIII were crowned before their father Romanos II died in 963, but they were too young to rule. The throne thus went to two generals, Nikephoros Phokas and John Tzimiskes before Basil became senior emperor, though his influential great-uncle Basil Lekapenos remained as the de facto ruler until 985. His reign of 49 years and 11 months was the longest of any Roman emperor.
Paros is a Greek island in the central Aegean Sea. Part of the Cyclades island group, it lies to the west of Naxos, from which it is separated by a channel about 8 kilometres wide. It lies approximately 150 km south-east of Piraeus. The Municipality of Paros includes numerous uninhabited offshore islets totaling 196.308 square kilometres (75.795 sq mi) of land. Its nearest neighbor is the municipality of Antiparos, which lies to its southwest. In ancient Greece, the city-state of Paros was located on the island.
Preveza is a city in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located on the northern peninsula of the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is the southern part of the region of Epirus. The Aktio-Preveza Immersed Tunnel –the first, and so far only, undersea tunnel in Greece– was completed in 2002. The 1,570 m (5,150 ft) long immersed tunnel connects Preveza in the north, to Aktio of western Acarnania to the south. The ruins of the ancient city of Nicopolis lie 7 kilometres north of Preveza.
Kyparissia is a town and a former municipality in northwestern Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Trifylia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 101.018 km2. The town proper has around 5,000 inhabitants.
Békés is a town in Békés County, Hungary. It lies about 10 km (6 mi) north of Békéscsaba and 190 km (118 mi) east of Budapest.
Andritsaina is a village, a community and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 131.247 km2.
Penteli is a village and a municipality in the North Athens regional unit, Attica, Greece. Belonging to the Athens rural area, it takes its name from Mount Pentelicus.
Bardas Skleros or Sclerus was a Byzantine general who led a wide-scale Asian rebellion against Emperor Basil II during the years 976 to 979.
Filippiada is a small town and a former municipality in the Preveza regional unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ziros, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 142.409 km2. It has a population of 8,325.
Kotylio is a village and a community in the municipal unit Gortyna, southwest Arcadia, Greece. It is situated on the northeastern slope of Mount Lykaion on a height of ca. 900 m, 3 km from the border with Elis. It is 4 km west of Karytaina, 6 km southeast of Theisoa, 8 km east of Andritsaina and 15 km northwest of Megalopoli. The community includes the small villages Palatos and Strongylo.
Sarakini is a village and a community in the municipal unit of Gortyna, western Arcadia, Greece. It is situated on a hill above the right bank of the river Alfeios, at about 450 m elevation. It is 2 km northwest of Vlachorraptis, 4 km northeast of Theisoa (Elis), 7 km northwest of Karytaina and 8 km southwest of Dimitsana. The community includes the villages Kryonero and Palaiokastro.
Theisoa is a mountain village in the municipal unit Andritsaina, Elis, southwestern Greece. Theisoa is situated on a mountain slope above the left bank of the river Alfeios, 3 km southeast of Matesi, 3 km northeast of Rovia, 6 km northeast of connected Andritsaina and 8 km northwest of Karytaina. The Greek National Road 76 passes through the village.
Livanates is a seaside town in Phthiotis, central Greece. It is located 68 km southeast of Lamia and it was the seat of the municipality of Dafnousia between 1997 and 2011. Its population in 2021 was 2,333.
Pontokomi is a village located in the central part of Kozani regional unit, West Macedonia region, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit Dimitrios Ypsilantis. It is situated between the cities of Ptolemaida and Kozani.
Teuthis was a city of ancient Arcadia. It is mentioned in Pausanias, who visited and described its temples, and who narrated the elaborate story of King Teuthis' dispute with Agamemnon and goddess Athena in Aulis, prior to the Greek fleet's departure for the Trojan War.
Phokas or Phocas (Latinized), feminine form Phokaina or Phocaena, was the name of a Byzantine aristocratic clan from Cappadocia, which in the 9th and 10th centuries provided a series of high-ranking generals and an emperor, Nikephoros II Phokas. Its members and their clients monopolized the high-command positions of the Byzantine army for much of the 10th century and led the successful Byzantine offensive against the Arabs in the East. As one of the leading families of the Anatolian military aristocracy, the Phokades were also involved in a series of rebellions that laid claim to power and challenged the emperors at Constantinople. Their power was eventually broken by Basil II, and the family declined in importance after the 11th century.
The Skleros, latinized Sclerus, feminine form Skleraina (Σκλήραινα), Latinized Scleraena, was a noble Byzantine family active mostly in the 9th–11th centuries as members of the military aristocracy, and as civil functionaries thereafter.
Kyrtoni is a village in the southeastern part of Phthiotis, Greece. It is part of the municipality of Lokroi since 2010. It was an independent commune between the 1820s and 1907, and was part the municipality of Atalanti between 1907 and 2010. In 2021 its population was 348. It is situated at 480 m elevation on the southern slope of the Chlomo mountain. It is 8 km southeast of Atalanti and 12 km northeast of Orchomenos. Its main industry is agriculture. The village takes its name from the ancient town Cyrtone.
Agio Pnevma is a village and a former community in Serres regional unit of Central Macedonia, Greece located 12 km east of the city of Serres, on the southwestern mountain slopes of Menoikio. Since the 2011 local government reform it is a part of the municipality Emmanouil Pappas, whose the seat is in Chryso. It has a population of 1,031 inhabitants (2021). Until 1928 was named "Vezniko" and from 1928 until 1940 "Monoiko". Its current name is Greek for "Holy Spirit." Well known modern Greek singer Glykeria was born in Agio Pnevma in 1953.