The origins and pre-history of Kyparissia are lost in the antiquity, where fable and historical fact often intermingle. These accounts, along with archaeological evidence, place the founding of Kyparissia somewhere before 1,500 B.C. The archaeological site of Peristeria, close to the town, shows a prosperous Mycenaen settlement in the area.
Kyparissia got its name either because of the abundant cypress trees ("kyparissia" in Greek) that grew there, or from the name of King (Kyiparissos). According to a myth, Kyparissia was originally inhabited by a race of giants who built a great castle in the town.
Homer, in his great epic Iliad, mentions Kyparissia as one of the largest cities of the Kingdom of Nestor, king of Pylos. For that legendary war, Kyparissia is said to have provided 12 war ships. |
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During the Macedonian rule of King Philip, who supplanted the Thebans, as well as during and after the Roman invasion (165 A.D), we hear nothing noteworthy about Kyparissia.
Apparently Kyparissia declined once again under the mild rule of the Romans. The historian Pausanias provides information about the temples that existed in the area at that time, including the Temple of Dafnios Apollo and the Temple of Athena Kyparissia. |
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Kyparissia became the capital of the barony founded by the Franks till 1430 when Thomas Paleologos expelled the Franks from the Peloponnese. However, Kyparissia's liberation was short-lived, as the Turks won the inhabitants that were hiding inside the Castle and conquered the town in 1460.
Between the late 17th century and the beginning of the 18th, Kyparissia languished under the oppressive rule of the Venetians who had briefly supplanted the Turks. The tyranny of the Venetians soon came to an end with the return of the Turks in 1715.
The Greeks launched their great revolt against the Ottomans and finally gained their independence in 1821. Kyparissia also actively participated in this noble struggle. |
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