Lelantine Plain
The Lelantine Plain is a coastal region located in western Euboea, Greece, recognized as the island's most fertile area. It lies adjacent to the Euripus channel, a crucial maritime route that allowed vessels to navigate safely while avoiding the difficult waters along the eastern coast of Euboea. Named after the Lelanton stream, the plain has historical significance dating back to the Mycenaean era and was influenced by the nearby city of Lelanton, likely associated with modern Lefkandi. During the early Iron Age, the plain became a contentious area between the rival cities of Chalcis and Eretria, both of which sought to control its valuable resources, including healing springs and rich deposits of copper and iron.
This rivalry culminated in the Lelantine War, considered one of the earliest historical conflicts in Greece, which occurred around 700 BC. The war involved multiple Greek states and was marked by significant battles, including a pivotal engagement where Thessalian cavalry supported the Chalcidians. Despite the initial ambitions of both cities, the war ultimately led to the decline of Eretria's power and diminished the maritime dominance of Chalcis. By the time of the geographer Strabo, the natural resources of the Lelantine Plain had been largely depleted, marking a shift in its historical trajectory.
Lelantine Plain
(Kalamontari)
The coastal plain in western Euboea (off central Greece), the most fertile part of the island; it faces the narrows of the Euripus channel, which was used by vessels coasting in the Aegean so as to avoid the rocks and currents of the eastern Euboean coast. The plain was named after the Lelanton stream or torrent—the town of Lelanton (qv) is perhaps identifiable with Lefkandi—and belonged to Boeotia's sphere of influence during the Mycenaean age. Its importance, however, dates from the transitional years between that period and the ensuing historical epoch. For the Lelantine plain, which contained curative fountains and mines exceptionally yielding both copper and iron, extended between the cities of Chalcis and Eretria—the leaders of Greek recovery and expansion during this early Iron Age—forming a bone of contention between them. The result was the earliest Greek war that can be regarded as historical (shortly before 700 BC ?). This Lelantine War involved various allies of the two participants, and Thucydides writes as if many or most of the Greek states played a part. One important engagement took place on land, where the cavalry of Pharsalus (in Thessaly) won the day for its allies the Chalcidians. But the war proved disastrous to both sides. Eretria ceased to be a leading power, and Chalcis, too, eventually lost its maritime supremacy to Corinth. By the time of Strabo the copper and iron resources of the plain were exhausted.