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Ancient fortress at Filla Euboea

On a hill, called Rock, in central Evia, just north of the village of Leaves, which belongs to the municipality Lilantion, stands a small ancient fort. The shape of the hill with steep cliffs to the south and north offers natural coverage and views over the fertile plain Lelantine. Unlike the view to the east, towards Eretria, is limited. The position of the hill, and controls the valley, was probably the reason for the construction of the ancient fortress at the top. From the findings of the excavation and the method of construction of the fort dated to the Late Archaic period. This is the period when the Athenians with their allies Eretrieis subordinate Chalcis, which was allied with the common Boeotian. The battle took place in 508 BC, while a little later, in 506 BC, the Athenians sent 4000 colonists to Euboea, to exploit the properties Lelantine field and impose democracy in the city of Chalkis. Within this historical context can be explained and the construction of the fortress on the hill Rock from the Athenians, in order to protect from disgruntled Klerouchoi Chalcis. The duration of operation was not large, and few years later, in 490 BC Euboea was conquered by the Persians and of course the fortress had reason to exist anymore. When after the Persian wars Chalcedeans recaptured the area, had no reason to use the fort, which probably demolished.

The fortification of the fort encloses an area approximately 230 x 80 m A transverse wall on the west side, which was probably built later than the main fortification reduced the length to 180 meters The excavations revealed a large building with dimensions of 111, 98 x 7,02 m, which holds close to one side of the fence, and half smaller near the northern escarpment of the hill. The large oblong building had a series of 20 identical rooms (4,55 x 5,98 m), divided into four groups through three narrow corridors. All rooms face south into another hallway. The rooms were acquired on a thick stone and the floors were made of beaten clay. Corinthian type tiles covered their two buildings. In one room of the building revealed a large square building tiles at its center, reminiscent of a sort of outbreak. The large building was likely to be a kind of barracks in the fort where the garrison lived.

From the findings of research occupies a distinguished position pottery. It is usually a small vessel shells (cups, lamps) and pots for everyday use (jars, basins) without decoration. Only a few of them had decorated, and the scrutiny of forms, the clay and the technique showed that most had been built in central Evia, a few shells came from Attica and two shells, respectively from Argos and Cyprus. Most shells are chronologically in the Late Archaic period, while a few belong to the Early Helladic and Geometric period. On the other findings worth mentioning is a arrowhead, four pebbles, perhaps sfendonopetres, two pieces of lead and some fragments of obsidian blades. Research in the fortress, which falls within the competence of administrative K. Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, begun in 1902 by the then curator G. Papavassiliou. Nearly 100 years after the site of the fort better investigated by K. Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities in cooperation with the British School. In 1994 he became a topographical measurement of the area in 1996 and 1999 were test trenches and excavation of the main objective was to examine the large building.

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