Myrsini ( el, Μυρσίνη, before 1915: Σουλεϊμάναγα - ''Souleimanaga''Name changes of settlements in Greece
/ref>) is a town in

Elis Elis or Ilia ( el, Ηλεία, ''Ileia'') is a historic region in the western part of the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece. It is administered as a regional unit of the modern region of Western Greece. Its capital is Pyrgos. Until 2011 it was ...

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 wit ...

. It is part of the municipal unit of Lechaina since 1997. In 2011, it had a population of 1,135.Detailed census results 2011
Myrsini lies in a flat coastal plain that stretches from

Amaliada Amaliada ( el, Αμαλιάδα, Katharevousa: Ἀμαλιάς, ''Amaliás'') is a town and a former municipality in northwestern Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ilida, of which ...

Kato Achaia Kato Achaia ( el, Κάτω Αχαΐα) is a town and a community in Achaea, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality West Achaea, of which it is the seat of administration. The community Kato Acha ...

. It is 3 km southwest of Lechaina and 3 km northwest of

Andravida Andravida ( el, Ανδραβίδα, ) is a town and a former municipality in Elis, in the northwest of the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andravida-Kyllini, of which it is a ...

History

Myrsini is named after the ancient city of Myrsinos or Myrtountion (named in

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 ...

's ''

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...

'' and in Strabo's ''

Geographica The ''Geographica'' (Ancient Greek: Γεωγραφικά ''Geōgraphiká''), or ''Geography'', is an encyclopedia of geographical knowledge, consisting of 17 'books', written in Greek and attributed to Strabo, an educated citizen of the Roman ...

'' V), which was located in the area. According to Homer, Myrsinos took part in the

Trojan War In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and ha ...

together with all of the Eleans (''

'' II.616). During the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantin ...

, a village named ''Agios Nikolaos'' (St Nicholas) was located in the area. Only part of its church altar survives today. In the 16th century, the inhabitants moved further inland to escape corsair raids and founded the present village. During the

Ottoman era The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

, the village was named ''Suleymanaga'' (Σουλεϊμάναγα), after a local Ottoman governor named Suleyman Agha. Along with the rest of the

Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge whi ...

, the village was conquered in 1685 by the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia ...

during the

Morean War The Morean War ( it, Guerra di Morea), also known as the Sixth Ottoman–Venetian War, was fought between 1684–1699 as part of the wider conflict known as the "Great Turkish War", between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire. Military ...

, but was recovered by the Ottomans in 1715. It became a part of

after the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted ...

, and was renamed to its present name in 1915.

Population

Notable residents

Notable residents of Myrsini include: * Debbie Flevotomou (29 July 1981 – Present),

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Peter Katholos Peter Katholos ( el, Πέτρος Κάθολος; born 18 March 1961) is an Australian former soccer player. He was a member of the Socceroos, Australia's national soccer team, throughout the 1980s during which time he made 22 international app ...

former footballer who played for

Sydney Olympic F.C. Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club, based in Belmore, Sydney, New South Wales, that plays in the National Premier Leagues NSW. The Club was founded as Pan-Hellenic Soccer Club in 1957 by Greek immigra ...

and

Athlitiki Enosi Larissa F.C. AEL Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ ΑΕΛ), also known by its full name Athlitiki Enosi Larissas ( el, Αθλητική Ένωση Λάρισας, translation=Athletic Union of Larissa), simply called AEL or Larissa, is a Greek professional footba ...

References

External links

GTP - Myrsíni
Populated places in Elis Geography of ancient Elis Cities in ancient Peloponnese Lechaina Dissolved municipalities and communes in Greece {{WestGreece-geo-stub