GREECE MACEDONIA CHALKIDIKI POTIDAIA

Potidaia (modern Nea Potidea) lies at the narrow isthmus connecting the Cassandra peninsula with mainland Chalkidiki. The 1250 m long canal pictured above goes back to Kassander (4th century BC), but in its present form was cut in 1931.

Potidaia was founded by Corinthian colonists around 600 BC, captured by the Athenians in 429 BC after a two-year siege, laid waste by Philip II in 356 BC and only refounded as Cassandria by Kassander in 316/5 BC. After the Roman victory in the battle of Pydna in 167 BC, which made an end to the Macedonian rule, it became part of a Roman province. During the 1st century BC, many Roman 'veterans' settled in the region. When the Turks captured Potidaia in 1430, the city was abandoned and fell into ruins. It lasted until 1922 until refugees from eastern Thracia settled here.

Excavations have revealed remnants from the 4th century BC through the Hellenistic and Roman period up to the Byzantine era. - Below: A tower of the Byzantine city wall near the shore.