Stageira: In the birthplace of Aristotle

Stageira was the product of colonialism, founded in the 7th century BC by Ionians from the island of Andros. After the Persian Wars, the city joined the First Athenian League, only to defect during the Peloponnesian War in 424 BC. The city regained its autonomy in 421 BC thanks to the peace treaty of Nicias, though it was obliged to pay taxes to the city of Athens. It joined the Chalkidian League shortly after, a powerful alliance between the cities of Chalkidiki.

Aristotle was born in Stageira in 384 BC. He departed for Asia Minor at a young age, eventually arriving in Athens at 18 to study at Plato’s Academy.

In 349 BC, king Philip II of Macedon, destroyed the city and abolished its autonomy, only to rebuild it later following the intervention of Aristotle, who was tutoring his son, Alexander, at the time. Nevertheless, the city soon went into decline and was left in ruins.

About a thousand years later, a small castle was built in the area, known as Libasdias or Lipsasda, originally named after Olympias, Alexander’s mother, although the place name was later corrupted. According to tradition, Olympias had been exiled there by King Cassander.