Byzantine Roman Castle of Profitis Elias of Arnea #1370

Description

It is possible that this location was the site of the ancient city of Arnai, as mentioned by Thucydides. Another hypothesis suggests it could have been the acropolis of the ancient city of Avgai. However, neither theory has been definitively proven.

The area has been inhabited since around 1500 BC and experienced two significant periods of prosperity: the first between the 5th and 4th centuries BC, and the second during the Roman period. The Roman city was destroyed in the mid-6th century during a wave of barbarian raids.

The area was repopulated sometime during the middle Byzantine period, likely after the 9th or 10th century, when mining activities in Chalkidiki, especially for silver and lead, were revived.

The remains of the fortifications visible today date back to this middle Byzantine period.

The fortification wall has a perimeter of 185 meters and encloses an area of 2,200 square meters. Although the wall is preserved around the entire perimeter, it stands at a relatively low height today. Before excavation work began in 2003, much of the wall was covered.

The maximum height of the wall currently reaches 2 meters, while its original height likely did not exceed 5 meters. Inside the enclosure, there are remnants of building foundations. A narrow gate is located on the southern side of the fortification.