Aphidna, Ancient fortified settlement in East Attica, Greece.
Aphidna is an ancient fortified settlement located on the Kotroni hill in East Attica, with remains showing Classical fortifications. Two streams, the Charadra and Varnavas, flow across the site and once shaped its position.
Early excavations in 1894 revealed a Middle Bronze Age necropolis with numerous graves and valuable grave goods such as bronze rings and silver vessels. These discoveries show that the settlement was an important center in earlier periods.
The settlement appears in Greek mythology as the place where Theseus hid Helen before the Dioscuri arrived in Attica to rescue her. This mythological connection remains part of how local tradition views the site.
The site is located in the eastern foothills of the Parnitha mountains, north of Athens in an area with rocky slopes and ancient ruins. Visitors should be prepared for uneven terrain and wear appropriate clothing for walking across the grounds.
The place was an administrative district called a trittys in ancient times, a special division of the Athenian state found only in this region. This administrative system shows how Athens organized and governed its border territories.
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