POROS PAST

Poros was at one time joined to the Peloponnesian mainland, until the volcanic eruption of Methana in 273 BC. Poros now consists of two islands separated only, by a small canal only a few meters wide, dug at the narrowest part of the island in 1877.

In ancient times, these islands had different names. The smaller island to the South was named after Hermes’ son Sfairia, who it is said, is buried on the island.

The larger island to the north was known as Kalavria, which during the 7th century BC was the centre for the Kalaurian (Kalavrian) League, amongst whose members were Athens, Aegina, Epidavros, Trizina, Nafplio, Ermioni and Praisiai. The patron of the League was Poseidon, and the League met in a temple of his name, built during the 6th century BC at the centre of the island. The temple gave refuge to the persecuted, among whom was the orator Demosthenes, who was being pursued by Antipatros after his speeches stirred the allied forces against the Macedonians. He was said to have committed suicide at the temple in 322 BC, rather than be captured by the Macedonians.

Although some of the temple stones still stand, most of it was destroyed and the stones used for building on the neighbouring island of Hydra. A similar fate to that of the earlier temple of Apollo, where the stones were used in the building of the Monastery of Zoodohos Pigi. What remains of Poseidon’s temple was excavated by Swedish archeologist in 1894.

Like most other islands, Poros was hit by pirates during the Byzantine period, but during the Turkish domination it remained Independent.

The later name of Poros has derived from its meaning of “strait or strip of sea”. In September 1828 the first Governor of Greece, Ioannis Capodistrias, and the British, French, and Russian ambassadors to Constantinople met on Poros, to discuss the countries borders.

Years later, towards the end of the Greek War of Independence in 1831; Admiral Andreas Miaoulis defied Capodistrias’s government, and his Russian envoy, Admiral Ricord, by sinking the frigate Hellas and the corvette, Hydra rather than let them sail with the national fleet against Siros. A Naval station was established in 1848 on the South side canal where the current naval hospital and training school is situated.