East Mani ( el, Ανατολική Μάνη - ''Anatolikí Máni'') is a municipality in
Laconia,
Peloponnese,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
. Its seat of administration is the town
Gytheio
Gytheio ( el, Γύθειο, ) or Gythio, also the ancient Gythium or Gytheion ( grc, Γύθειον), is a town on the eastern shore of the Mani Peninsula, and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government ...
(before 2011 the small town
Kotronas
East Mani ( el, Ανατολική Μάνη - ''Anatolikí Máni'') is a municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Its seat of administration is the town Gytheio (before 2011 the small town Kotronas). The municipality covers the southeastern p ...
).
The municipality covers the southeastern part of the
Mani region. It is a mountainous and rocky area. Its economy relies on fishing, olive oil and tourism.
History
The town of Kotronas was founded in around 1500 BC. It emerged to become a major port. Kotronas was named by
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
. Part of the
Mycenae
Mycenae ( ; grc, Μυκῆναι or , ''Mykē̂nai'' or ''Mykḗnē'') is an archaeological site near Mykines in Argolis, north-eastern Peloponnese, Greece. It is located about south-west of Athens; north of Argos; and south of Corinth. ...
an
navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
that sent out to
Troy
Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...
was stationed there. When the
Dorians
The Dorians (; el, Δωριεῖς, ''Dōrieîs'', singular , ''Dōrieús'') were one of the four major ethnic groups into which the Hellenes (or Greeks) of Classical Greece divided themselves (along with the Aeolians, Achaeans, and Ionian ...
took over Mani, Laconia and parts of Messenia, Kotronas' role as a major port was replaced by
Gytheio
Gytheio ( el, Γύθειο, ) or Gythio, also the ancient Gythium or Gytheion ( grc, Γύθειον), is a town on the eastern shore of the Mani Peninsula, and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government ...
. In the
Roman period, Teuthrone, the ancient name of Kotronas, was a member of the
Koinon of Free Laconians
The League of Free Laconians () was established in southern Greece in 21 BC by the Emperor Augustus,Greenhalgh and Eliopoulos. ''Deep into Mani: Journey to the southern tip of Greece'', 21 giving formal structure to a group of cities that had been ...
. Kotronas suffered greatly from pirate raids.
Municipality
The municipality East Mani was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:
[
*East Mani
*]Gytheio
Gytheio ( el, Γύθειο, ) or Gythio, also the ancient Gythium or Gytheion ( grc, Γύθειον), is a town on the eastern shore of the Mani Peninsula, and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government ...
*Oitylo
Oitylo ( el, Οίτυλο, pronounced Ítilo), known as "Βίτσουλο", pronounced Vitsoulo, in the native Maniot dialect, is a village and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is pa ...
*Sminos
Sminos ( el, Σμήνος, before 2001: Σμύνος - ''Smynos'') is a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it has been part of the municipality East Mani, of which it is a municipal unit. ...
The municipality has an area of 619.277 km2, the municipal unit 108.879 km2.
Population
The population development of the municipal unit and the larger municipality East Mani are listed below.
See also
* List of settlements in Laconia
This is a list of settlements in Laconia, Greece.
* Afisi
* Agia Eirini
* Agioi Anargyroi
* Agioi Apostoloi
* Agios Dimitrios, Evrotas
* Agios Dimitrios, Monemvasia
* Agios Georgios
* Agios Ioannis, Evrotas
* Agios Ioannis, Monemvasia
* ...
References
External links
Greek Travel Pages
Dimos Anatolikis Manis
Populated places established in the 2nd millennium BC
Cities in ancient Peloponnese
Municipalities of Peloponnese (region)
Populated places in Laconia
Mani Peninsula
{{Peloponnese-geo-stub