Ancient Olynthos

The site is inhabited since the Neolithic Age (5300-4500 BC), the word “Olynthos” is pre-Hellenic and means, probably, “wild goats”. According to the tradition, it was named by Olynthos, the son of the river Strymon. Herodotus reports that the city was conquered by the Wothians of Imathia in the seventh century BC.

 

Around 650 BC refugees from Pieria, hunted by the Macedonian army, settled in the area. The Persian army destroyed the town in 479 BC and offered the region to their allies from Evia (Halkida). Later on, Olynthos joined the Athenian Alliance and then the Community of Halkida (Evia). From this alliance, the town gained great profits (mainly financial). So, it became the capital of the Euboan colonies in Halkidiki and was able to support a huge army (about 20.000 soldiers).

 

In the archaeological site of ancient Olynthos, the Archaeological Museum has been operating since 1998. The purpose of the museum is to give visitors a complete picture of the history of the ancient city but also to describe the excavations and restoration. All this is done exclusively by audiovisual media.