Amphissa

Amfissa (Άμφισσα ˈamfisa, also mentioned in classical sources as Amphissa) is a town in Phocis, Greece, part of the municipality of Delphi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 315.174 km2. It lies on the northern edge of the olive forest of the Crissaean plain, between two mountains, Giona to the west and Parnassus to the east, northwest of Athens and of Delphi, as well as northeast of Naupactus and south of Lamia. Amfissa dates back to antiquity, with its history spanning around 3,000 years, and has been traditionally the largest and capital city of Phocis. It was the most important city of the ancient Greek tribe of the Ozolian Locrians and one of the most powerful cities in Central Greece. In the Middle Ages, Amfissa came to be known as Salona, it declined after several foreign conquests and destructions, but emerged as an important city in the region and played a major role during the Greek War of Independence. It is believed that the name Άμφισσα (Amfissa) derives from the ancient Greek verb αμφιέννυμι (amfiennymi), meaning 'surround', since the city is surrounded by mountains Giona and Parnassus. According to the Greek mythology, Amfissa, the daughter of Macar, son of Aeolus, and mistress of the god Apollo, gave her name to the city. During the Frankish occupation of Greece in the 13th century, Amfissa was captured by the king of Thessalonica, Boniface of Montferrat, and was renamed to La Sole; since then the city came to be called Salona in Greek. In 1833, after the establishment of the independent Greek State, the ancient name Amfissa was given back to the city. Amfissa has been settled since the ancient times and was the chief town of Ozolian Locris, a region inhabited by the ancient Greek tribe of Locrians; the largest and most renowned town of Locris, beautifully constructed and located one hundred and twenty stades away from Delphi. Pausanias, in his work Description of Greece, mentions the existence of the tombs of Amfissa and Andraemon, and the temple of Athena on the acropolis of the town, with a standing statue of bronze, which was said to have been brought from Troy by Thoas.