The ancient settlement known today as Ancient Thera was founded between the 9th and 8th centuries B.C. by Dorian colonists from Sparta, led by Theras, from whom the entire island originally took its name.
The newcomers chose as their home the rocky promontory of Mesa Vouno, rising nearly 400 meters above sea level — a location that offered natural defense as well as control over maritime routes across the Aegean Sea.
During the Hellenistic period, under the influence of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, the city experienced remarkable growth: it became a base for a military garrison, and monumental buildings, theaters, and sanctuaries were constructed.
In later centuries, Thera came under Roman and then Byzantine rule, gradually losing its importance. After the 7th century A.D., the settlement was slowly abandoned, and the volcanic eruption of 726 A.D. contributed to its final depopulation.
Today, walking among its ruins allows you to relive more than a thousand years of history — from the Dorian world to the Byzantine era.
Let me leave you with an interesting fact: as mentioned earlier, the name Thera comes directly from Theras, the leader of the Dorian colonists who founded the city on the Mesa Vouno promontory. Before his arrival, the island was known as Kalliste, meaning “the most beautiful.”
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