Ancient Calydon
Ancient Calydon was one of the most important cities in Aetolia. Its strong fortifications, classical - Hellenistic period, spreads on two adjacent hills called "Kourtaga" near the present Evinochori village. Built on the right bank of the Evinos river held a strategic position at the entrance of the Corinthian Gulf, and controlled the sea route leading to the Ionian and Adriatic. indeed possessed a port, which is identical to that of Kryoneri. According to mythology the founder is considered the Calydon, son of the founder of Aetolia. The city is connected with one of the most famous myths of antiquity, that of Thera of Calydonian Boar, which managed to destroy Meleager, son of the king of Calydon Eneas, with the help of Atalante.
There is little archaeological evidence at our disposal for the Mycenaean era, although the Calydon is one of the five Aetolian cities that participated in the Trojan campaign with forty ships under King Thoas, son Andraimona as describing Homer's famous "Nion list". Noteworthy findings from the Protogeometric era tombs (10th-9th century BC.) Illuminate our understanding of the critical centuries of transition from prehistoric to historic times. In the Geometric period (9th-8th century BC.) Begins the exercise of worship in the area that later founded the Lafrio or Lafriaio, sanctuary dedicated to Artemis and Apollo Lafria Lafrio.
An important monument is also the Memorial. This quadrilateral building with a courtyard in the center, portico and entrance on the north side and small rooms in both the north and the east. In the basement of the most important, of the cult room, there was grave - crypt. The burial chamber barred marble door, and in its mainly devotional room found eleven marble gods and heroes busts (Meleager, Hercules, Cupid, Zeus, Aphrodite armata, etc).
Other important monuments are the theater that has come to light on the southern slope of the hill Lafriaiou. He has a rectangular band, the hollow consists of twenty rows of seats, while a few fragments have been unearthed from the stage building and the limelight. Recent research within the city have revealed parts of the urban fabric, laboratory installation, a large building complex with cult character space. The city had several cemeteries, the findings of which testify to the edge of the late Classical and Hellenistic period. After 31 BC and the forced emigration of the inhabitants of the newly established city, by Augustus, Nicopolis, the city declined.
