Kato Samiko
Encyclopedia
Kato Samiko is a small village in the municipal unit of Skillounta
, Elis, Greece
. Its 2001 population was 475 for the village and 531 for the municipal district.
, west-southwest of the capital city of Athens
, south-southeast of Pyrgos
, south of Krestena
, north-northwest of Zacharo
, northwest of Kalamata
. The GR-9
(E55
, Patras - Pyrgos - Kyparissia) is 2 to 3 km to the west. and north of Kyparissia
), Samia (Σαμία), Makistos (Μάκιστος), Arini (though there is a nearby modern settlement with the same name located east-southeast), it was located in the ancient country of Kaukonai in Trifyllia. In Makistos, Atreus
and Thyestes
arrived and removed Pelops
from Pisa. During the Pausanias
, the city was known as Samia. Between the split of the Roman Empire
into two and the Ottoman
rule, nothing much was known about Samiko from that time, it was no longer a city and was mainly abandoned. It became a part of Greece
after the Greek War of Independence
. After World War II
and the Greek Civil War
, its buildings were rebuilt. Samiko became connected with asphalt in the 1960s. More pavement was accessed in the late 20th century. Electricity, radio and automobiles were introduced in the mid-20th century, television in the late-20th century and computer and internet at the turn of the millennium.
Kato Samiko was devastated by a tremendous fire that happened in the evening hours on Friday August 24, 2007, it dramatically spread quickly and burnt about 10 km² of land in hours. The fire reached the olive groves and some forests in the early evening hours, then into the farmlands during the evening newscasts, it hit the national highway an hour and two later and hours later, the village. Electricity and phone lines were disrupted and then cut off. The rest occurred in Samiko. Firefighters, choppers and planes battled the blaze well into several days, several were on rural roads. The weather reported high winds and dry weather conditions which made the flames difficult to stop and ease. Several homes were burnt, most of them were safe, olive groves will be replanted and recently, vegetable farming has been restored.
Skillounta
Skillounta is a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit. It is named after Scillus, an ancient name for the area. Its seat of administration was in the town...
, Elis, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Its 2001 population was 475 for the village and 531 for the municipal district.
Population
| Year | Settlement population | Population municipal district |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 416 | - |
| 1991 | 515 | - |
| 2001 | 475 | 531 |
Location
Kato Samiko is located south of PatrasPatras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
, west-southwest of the capital city of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, south-southeast of Pyrgos
Pyrgos, Elis
Pyrgos is the capital of the Elis peripheral unit in Greece. It is named after a local tower. The city is located in the western part of the Peloponnese, in the middle of a plain near the Ionian Sea. It is 96 km away from Patras via Greek National Road 9, 320 km from Athens, and...
, south of Krestena
Krestena
Krestena is a town in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is the seat of administration....
, north-northwest of Zacharo
Zacharo
Zacharo is a town and municipality in southwestern Greece. Administratively, it belongs to the Elis peripheral unit, in the Periphery of West Greece. Zacharo is situated on the Ionian Sea coast, in the area of the Gulf of Kyparissia. The town is crossed by the highway named GR-9/E55, that links...
, northwest of Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
. The GR-9
Greek National Road 9
Greek National Road 9 is the second-longest national highway of Greece. It runs through the western Peloponnese, from Patras to Pylos. Its length is around .This highway travels near:*Bypasses:*Patras and Area, since 2002*Vrachneika*Alissos*Kato Achaia...
(E55
European route E55
European route E 55 is a E-route. It passes through the following cities:Helsingborg … Helsingør – Copenhagen – Køge – Vordingborg – Nykøbing Falster – Gedser … Rostock – Berlin – Lübbenau – Dresden – Teplice – Prague – Tábor – Linz – Salzburg – Villach – Tarvisio – Udine – Palmanova – Mestre...
, Patras - Pyrgos - Kyparissia) is 2 to 3 km to the west. and north of Kyparissia
Kyparissia
Kyparissia is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Trifylia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The town proper has around 5,708 inhabitants. The town is located on Greek National Road 9,...
History
Its origin of the name dates back to the ancient times as simply Samiko and Samikon, its was also known as Sami (Σάμη), Samos mainly no relation with the islandSamoš
Samoš is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kovačica municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,247 people .-See also:...
), Samia (Σαμία), Makistos (Μάκιστος), Arini (though there is a nearby modern settlement with the same name located east-southeast), it was located in the ancient country of Kaukonai in Trifyllia. In Makistos, Atreus
Atreus
In Greek mythology, Atreus was a king of Mycenae, the son of Pelops and Hippodamia, and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus. Collectively, his descendants are known as Atreidai or Atreidae....
and Thyestes
Thyestes
In Greek mythology, Thyestes was the son of Pelops and Hippodamia, King of Olympia, and father of Pelopia and Aegisthus. Thyestes and his twin brother, Atreus, were exiled by their father for having murdered their half-brother, Chrysippus, in their desire for the throne of Olympia...
arrived and removed Pelops
Pelops
In Greek mythology, Pelops , was king of Pisa in the Peloponnesus. He was the founder of the House of Atreus through his son of that name....
from Pisa. During the Pausanias
Pausanias (geographer)
Pausanias was a Greek traveler and geographer of the 2nd century AD, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. He is famous for his Description of Greece , a lengthy work that describes ancient Greece from firsthand observations, and is a crucial link between classical...
, the city was known as Samia. Between the split of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
into two and the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule, nothing much was known about Samiko from that time, it was no longer a city and was mainly abandoned. It became a part of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
after the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, its buildings were rebuilt. Samiko became connected with asphalt in the 1960s. More pavement was accessed in the late 20th century. Electricity, radio and automobiles were introduced in the mid-20th century, television in the late-20th century and computer and internet at the turn of the millennium.
Kato Samiko was devastated by a tremendous fire that happened in the evening hours on Friday August 24, 2007, it dramatically spread quickly and burnt about 10 km² of land in hours. The fire reached the olive groves and some forests in the early evening hours, then into the farmlands during the evening newscasts, it hit the national highway an hour and two later and hours later, the village. Electricity and phone lines were disrupted and then cut off. The rest occurred in Samiko. Firefighters, choppers and planes battled the blaze well into several days, several were on rural roads. The weather reported high winds and dry weather conditions which made the flames difficult to stop and ease. Several homes were burnt, most of them were safe, olive groves will be replanted and recently, vegetable farming has been restored.