User:Peterm 55/Pythio (Larissa), Greece

Pythio Olymbou (Ellasonas), Larissa

Pythio or Pythium (Greek:Πύθιο) is a village and a municipal district of the municipilaty of Olympos (Greek: Όλυμπος), in the Larissa Prefecture, in the Peripphery if Thessaly (Greek:Θεσσαλία) Greece. Located just north of the town of Elassona on the south-western side of mount Olympus(Greek: Όλυμπος, Olympos). It is nestled between mount Olympus and Road GR-13 (Elassona - Katerini). The current population is 639 people (2001) and the village is located 720 meters above sea level. The word Pythio is said to emanate from the god Pythio or Apollo (Greek: Απόλλωνας,Apollonas)of ancient Greek mythology.

Ancient Pythio

The existence of Pythio emenates from the Homeric era, which can be proven from the recent archaeological excavations that are found in the village that are currently still under developement (signs,clumns, currencies, temple of Apollo). It is existence is reported by the Greek histirian Ploytarcho, the Roman historian Tito Libio, the Greek historian Ptolemaio in his “Geography ” with geographical coordinates. Pythio constituted in the antiquity along with the villages of Dolichi and Azoros the Perraibiki Tripoli (Perrhaebia, [sympoliteia], the Public of [Perraibon]) playing sovereign role.

It is speculated that in the [latreytiko] space of [Pythioy], it sacrificed in the god Via Big Alexandros (ago certain decades they was saved the corresponding altar) little before [ekstrateysei] to Asia at the recruitment of warriors and horsemen from Thessaly. The village is found next to the National road Katerini - [Elassonas] (25 Km from [Elassona]) and the strategic place that possesses existed in the old days decisive after was checked closely the Stone (unique exit from Macedonia to the Thessaly via Pierias and Olympus (she is acquaintance the battle of [Pydnas] between the Romen and the Macedonians).

[Ploytarchos] in the life of Emilios [Payloy] is reported in the first measurement of hypsometric difference from [Xenagora], in holy [Pythioy] Apollo in the top of Olympus. Still in [Pythio] are met remains of Byzantine fortress and Byzantine murals in rocks ([askitaria]) with signs. Recent excavations, 2 Km far from the village, in the place [Topoliani], brought in the light very probably the temple of [Pythioy] Apollo.

Roman and Byzantine Era

Modern Pythio