Ancient Maronia

Maron was the son of Dionysos, god of wine. The site is at the foot of Mt. Ismaros, which is known locally as the Mountain of Dionysos.

Much of this site was still unexcavated up until very recently. It was an important city from Homeric times to the Genoese period, with an enormous Classical site in the 4th to 3rd centuries BC.

From the main road, a short distance down, is the most accessible part of the city wall, with two square towers, and further down the road (about 300 meters) are the impressive Byzantine fortifications, constructed on an earlier Classical system which protected the harbor.

Above the harbor in an enclosed area is the double gateway (of monumental proportions) with three openings in each surface, possibly from Hadrian’s time and the entrance to the agora.

Its wall perimeter was 10.5km, extending from the steep acropolis of Aghios Athanasios down to the coast.at Aghios Haralambos, and the walls were still 12meters high when visited in 1880.

Their thickness was between 2.3 to 3meters, with square or round towers at irregular intervals. The site has been explored, though only partially, since 1973, with ongoing study.

Time and determination are need for this site, as it is very extensive and also thickly wooded, with dirt roads and paths leading to the various remains. The Theater was from Hellenistic times, later altered by the Romans. Remaining elements include some of the seating, part of the state building (which utilized materials from earlier structures), and the foundation for the proskenion. There was a barrier (thorakion) that protected the seats from the stage in Roman times, for contests involving wild animals.

Built across a ravine, the theater required an enormous drainage channel for runoff of storm waters. There are towers in the walls about 200 meters northeast of the theater. Farther on is the sanctuary complex (probably dedicated to Dionysos), the main temple of which had a pronaos and cellea, with a hearth or base for the cult statue. Not much remains, however.