Koroneia

At the moment, only the bare acropolis (2 km. West of the village of Ayia Paraskevi) remains of the ancient Boiotian city of Koroneia. It is located on the road Athens-Thebes, there are no clearly recognizable antique remains, although there is a (very dilapidated) Frankish watchtower.

In ancient times, Koroneia was in particulair of  interest because of the temple to Athena Itonia (as religious center for the Boiotians). During the festival in honor of the goddess, the Pamboiotian, all Boiotian cities sent ambassadors to Koroneia and all acts of war were suspended.  Pausanias also mentions temples for Hera, for Herakles, and one for Zeus Laphystios, on which King Athamas had to sacrifice his children Helle and Phrixos; when he was ready to do so, Zeus sent a flying ram, which took the children to the Kolchis in the Ukraine. On the way, Helle fell from the animal and drowned in the sea that would be called – after her – Hellespont (the Helle strait). Phrixos arrived in Kolchis, sacrificed the ram and hung the (golden!) skin at the altar, where Jason and the Argonauts had to pick it up a long time later.

Of  some interest are two sanctuaries discussed by Pausanias, that of Athena Itonia, the (paltry) remains of which have recently been excavated a little to the east of the acropolis, the remains of a temple (with front hall) and two other buildings. The second sanctuary of Koroneia, that of Herakles Charops, has left recognizable remains (release inscriptions), which can be seen in the women’s monastery of Ayia Paraskevi (ring the bell), used as door jambs in a 12th century church, and in a church of the Taxiarchs located a few kilometers outside Ayios Georgios (Potza), where antique tombstones have been used as building material, and where the sanctuary itself must have been located (with remains of an arcade between the church and a river).

 

Above and right: the female monastery in Ayia Paraskevi, with antique material incorporated in the old church, including (inside) release inscriptions. Below: the church of the Taxiarchs and remains of the sanctuary of Herakles Charops. At the bottom right, example of a gravestone from the back wall (clickable).