Mani Peninsula

Another road, that is used by the public buses of the Piraeus–Mani line, which has existed for several decades, comes from Tripoli through Sparta, Gytheio, Areopoli and ends in the Gerolimenas port near Cape Matapan.

These settlers formed a large segment of the local population until the Greek War of Independence when they fled to the Turkish stronghold at Tripoli.

[4] Following the war Vardounia's Greek population was reinforced by settlers from Lower Mani and central Laconia.

[1] A skull of Homo sapiens dating to more than 210,000 years ago was found in the Apidima Cave on the western side of the peninsula.

[5] Homer refers to a number of towns in the Mani region, and some artifacts from the Mycenaean period (1900–1100 BC) have been found.

[citation needed] After the Fourth Crusade in 1204 AD, Italian and French knights (known collectively by the Greeks as Franks) occupied the Peloponnese and created the Principality of Achaea.

Gerakaris accepted, using the opportunity to carry out his feud with the strong Maniot family of the Stephanopouloi: he besieged their seat at Oitylo, captured 35 of them, and had them executed.

[7] Following the failure of the Orlov Revolt, in 1776 Mani's autonomous status was recognized by the Porte, and for the next 45 years until the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, eight rulers ("beys") reigned over the peninsula on behalf of the Porte:[7] As Ottoman power declined, the mountains of the Mani became a stronghold of the klephts, bandits who also fought against the Ottomans.

The Maniots contributed greatly to the struggle, but once Greek independence was won, they wanted to retain local autonomy.

It was not until the 1970s, when the construction of new roads supported the growth of the tourist industry, that the Mani began to regain population and become prosperous.

The ancient tower houses of Mani (pyrgospita) are significant tourist attractions, and some offer accommodations for visitors.

Gytheio, Areopoli, Kardamyli, and Stoupa are filled with tourists during the summer months, but the region is generally quiet during the winter.

Patrick Leigh Fermor wrote of them: Sealed off from outside influences by their mountains, the semi-troglodytic Maniots themselves were the last of the Greeks to be converted.

It is surprising to remember that this peninsula of rock, so near the heart of the Levant from which Christianity springs, should have been baptised three whole centuries after the arrival of St. Augustine in far-away Kent.