Ermioni (Greek language: Ερμιόνη; Ancient Greek: Hermione Ἑρμιόνη, Ἑρμιών) is a small port town and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece on the Argolid Peninsula. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ermionida, of which it is a municipal unit.
Geography
The port town Ermioni is situated in the southeastern part of
Argolis, on the coast of the
Aegean Sea. It faces the islands of Hydra and
Dokos. The municipal unit Ermioni also contains the communities Iliokastro (7 km north of Ermioni) and Thermisia (7 km east of Ermioni). It is 10 km east of
Kranidi, 17,27 km southwest of
Porto Cheli 22 km southwest of Galatas and 44 km southeast of
Nafplio. Ermioni is connected to
Piraeus by ferry.
History
The place has been continuously inhabited, at least since the times of
Homer. Long before classical times ancient Hermione was settled by
.
[Herodotus. Histories, viii. 43.] During the classic era it was well known for its shipbuilders and also for the production of
Tyrian purple, a very important red dye. This dye was used for the colouring of the uniforms of many armies including that of Alexander the Great. It controlled a wider region named Hermionis.
Pausanias described the major temples and buildings, various festivities and sport games of the town.[Pausanias, Frazer, J.G. 2012. Description of Greece. New York: Cambridge University Press. .] According to Pausanias, Ermioni was also the home of a temple of the goddess Hestia:
- "At Passing into the sanctuary of Hestia, we see no image, but only an altar, and they sacrifice to Hestia upon it."
[Pausanias, Description of Greece 2. 35. 1] This was exceptional, as Hestia normally did not have temples but was worshipped in the prytaneum of each city, and a sanctuary of the goddess was therefore something highly unusual—Pausanias himself mentions only two (the other one in Sparta).
During the Ottoman Era it was still known for ship building and its naval abilities, which played a significant role in the Greek revolution of 1821.
Historical population
People
-
Lasus of Hermione, a Greek lyric from the 6th century BC
-
Xenon of Hermione, a tyrant before 229 BC
-
Spyridon Merkouris, former mayor of Athens
See also
-
List of settlements in Argolis
-
Hermione
External links
