Ancient Castle of Panaktos #1263

Description

Panakton was a significant ancient fortress located on the northwestern slopes of Mount Parnes, with its ruins positioned on a plateau above the modern village of Prasino. It belonged to the city-state of Athens and served the purpose of monitoring the main route through the mountains, connecting Athens with Viotia and Thebes.

While ancient fortresses are typically excluded from this site, Panakton is an exception due to the establishment of a short-lived medieval settlement around the late 14th to early 15th century, during the period of Frankish rule (Fragokratia). This settlement developed before being overtaken by the Ottomans.

The history of the settlement is unclear, but it coincides with the period when the Duchy of Athens was ruled by the Florentine Acciaiuoli family. The Acciaiuoli were vassals of the Kingdom of Naples and controlled the region from 1387, after the fall of Catalan rule, until the Duchy was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460.

In Panakton, there are some medieval remains, including ruins of a church and other structures, alongside the ancient ruins. However, there are no specific medieval fortifications since the ancient walls were likely sufficient for defense. The only fortification feature is the small tower at the summit, built using materials from the ancient fortress.

The tower’s dimensions are 6.64 by 6.69 meters, with walls 1.40 meters thick, making it smaller than other towers in Viotia. The southern side of the tower still stands at a height of 2.80 meters.