Visit to the Archaeological Sites of Ancient Paos, Ancient Leontio and Ancient Kleitor
In the Municipality of Kalavryta we have selected five main points of special archaeological interest: Ancient Lousoi, Ancient Psofida, Ancient Paos, Ancient Leontio, and Ancient Kleitor.
We described Ancient Lousoi and Ancient Psofida in our previous guides to their areas. Now we will discuss the other three archaeological sites in the region.
Founded by the Ionians, ancient Leontio was a city in Achaea that was a member of the Ionian (or Ionic) Dodecapolis (12 towns). The city was destroyed at the end of the 3rd century BC by Philip V of Macedon (or Macedonia). To date, there have been excavations on a hill three kilometers northwest of Vlasia that revealed the walls of the citadel of the ancient city and, on the eastern slope of the hill, an ancient theater. Archaeological findings that probably come from ancient Leontio were accidentally uncovered in other parts of the area. We can see here discoveries that were made on private land across from the hill with the acropolis (citadel).
Ancient Paos or Paion was an ancient town in Arcadian Azania. Its remains, mainly the fortified town wall and water tanks, were found on a low hill west of today's village. It has not been fully excavated. We can get there via a 1-kilometer dirt road that starts to the right of the road that heads north to the old village.
Ancient Kleitor was an Arcadian city, one of the largest and richest of its time. It was founded by Kleitoras, son of Azanas and grandson of Arcadas. We can see many of its remnants (including the ancient theater) scattered over the large plain of Kleitoria, about three kilometers west of the village of Kleitoria (Mazeika).
The theater of Ancient Kleitor was excavated relatively recently. The stage of the theater and some of its seats are now visible. Theatrical performances are given every summer on the level area in front of the theater (which has been cleared).
