Eretria (redirected from Erétria)

Eretria (ĕrē`trēə), ancient city of Greece, in Euboea (now Évvoia), SE of Chalcis (now Khalkís), its rival. In the 7th and 6th cent. B.C., Eretria sent out many colonists to islands and coasts of the N Aegean. It supported (499 B.C.) the Ionian cities in the revolt against Persian control. In retaliation Darius I destroyed (490 B.C.) the city. Athens planted (c.445 B.C.) a colony there, which revolted in 411 with the rest of Euboea. Much later, after the second Delian League had been created, Eretria again revolted (349 B.C.). Excavations have uncovered the city walls, temple of Apollo, theater, and some public buildings.

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Eretria

Ancient Greek town on the island of Euboea. Jointly with its neighbour Chalkís, it founded Cumae in Italy (c. 750 BC), the first of the Greek colonies in the west. Subsequent rivalry with Chalkís culminated in war, and by the Classical period Chalkís was the leading city of Euboea. In 499–498 BC Eretrian triremes sailed to support the Ionian revolt against Persia, for which act Darius I destroyed the city (490 BC) and deported the population. It was rebuilt, but under Macedonian and Roman rule it became insignificant. There are extensive ruins at the site.

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Eretria

an ancient city in Greece, on the S coast of Euboea: founded as an Ionian colony; destroyed by the Persians in 490 bc following which it never regained its former significance