5.1 Maronia, Macedonia

Maronia was founded by Chian colonists on the SW slopes of Ismaros, in the mid-7th century B.C., and soon developed into a prosperous and densely inhabited city-state. According to tradition, the mythical founder (oikistes) of the city was Maron, a priest of god Apollo. Homer describes Maron's hospitality and the gifts that he offered to Ulysses when he visited the land of the Kikones. During the classical period the city had a strong fortification wall, 10 km long, enclosing an area of 4 sq.km., which extended from the coast up to the top of Ismaros.
Excavations of the site started in the late 1960's and have brought to light several monuments. Professor G.P. Lavas, with the cooperation of E. Pentazos and G. Karadedos, excavated a large Hellenistic house with a mosaic floor and a part of the theatre of the city, in which two architectural phases are distinct, dating to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.