Ancient Stagira

Ancient Stagira near Olympiada, Halkidiki Greece: The town of Olympiada, named after King Alexander’s mother, is mostly famous due to the historically significant ancient site of Stagira. Located on the north-eastern side of Halkidiki, it lies only 95 kilometers from Thessaloniki.

Believed to be the birthplace of the philosopher Aristotle as well, the ancient site of Stagira is embedded deep in history.
Excavations at this site started in 1990, and a lot of artifacts were retrieved from here and are kept in a special exhibition area in Olympiada. In 655 BC, Ionians from Andros founded this town. The brought to light many Paleolithic tools, bones and fossilized animals that have been extinct thousands of years ago. Findings are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Polygiros.

The old sources are exact about the location of the city. Stravonas places it in a coastal area southern of ancient Akanthos, in his “Geographics” and mentions the existence of a small islet on the opposite side of the city named Kapros (probably the current island of Kafkanas). The fact that the same name is attributed to the port of Stagira is a feature, whereas many coins bear the symbol of a boar.