Editing Chaeronea (section)

==History==
===Antiquity===
First settled in the Prehistoric period at the site now known as Magoula Balomenou (Μαγούλα Μπαλωμένου), its older name was Arne, and it was originally on the shore of [[Lake Copais]] (later drained). Chaeronea was subject to [[Orchomenus (Boeotia)|Orchomenus]] which was, beginning in 600 BC, a member of the [[Boeotian League]]. In the late 5th century BC, Chaironeia belonged to one of the 11 Boeotian districts along with [[Acraephnium]] and [[Copia (Boeotia)|Copia]].

Chaeronea's importance lay in its strategic position near the head of the [[defile (geography)|defile]] which presents the last serious obstacle to an invader in central Greece,<ref>{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Chaeroneia|volume=5|pages=788–789}}</ref> and it was the site of [[Battle of Chaeronea (disambiguation)|several historical battles]]. The best known is [[Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)|that of 338 BC]], between [[Philip II of Macedon]] and a coalition of various Greek states, mainly Thebes and Athens. According to [[Plutarch]], during the battle the elite unit of Theban soldiers known as the [[Sacred Band of Thebes]] was wiped out completely. In 1818, the so-called [[Lion of Chaeronea]], a nearly {{cvt|20|ft|m|0|adj=mid|disp=flip}} tall funerary monument erected in honor of the Sacred Band, was rediscovered by English travellers. The fragmentary monument was reassembled and installed in 1902 by an organisation called the [[Order of Chaeronea]] atop a pedestal at the site of its discovery.<ref>[http://www.historytoday.com/louis-compton/army-lovers-sacred-band-thebes 'An Army of Lovers' – The Sacred Band of Thebes]</ref> The site of the Theban mass grave was excavated in 1879–80 by [[Panagiotis Stamatakis]], and the prehistoric site of Magoula Balamenou 23 years later by the archaeologist George Soteriadis.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

The ancient biographer and essayist [[Plutarch]] was born in Chaeronea, and several times refers to these and other facts about his native place in his writings.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} Plutarch refers to many graves of [[Amazons]] near the stream of Haemon, and assumes that these were casualties during the Amazon journey back home after the conclusion of the [[Attic War]]. In his ''[[Parallel Lives]]'', he mentions the Greek prophet [[Peripoltas]].<ref name="cimon">[http://www.telelib.com/words/authors/P/Plutarch/prose/plutachslives/cimon.html Cimon – ''Plutarch's Lives'' ]</ref>

{{gallery
|width=170 | height=180
|align=center
|Copy of Plutarch at Chaeronia, Greece.jpg
|[[Plutarch]]'s bust at Chaeronea
|File:Chaironeia lion.JPG
|The Lion of Chaeronea
|File:7189 - Piraeus Arch. Museum, Athens - Stele for Panchares - Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto, Nov 14 2009.jpg
|Funerary relief for Athenian footman Panchares, who probably fell at the [[Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)|battle of Chaeronea]] (338 BC)
}}

===Middle Ages===
Chaeronea remained inhabited throughout Antiquity, and despite being devastated during the [[551 Malian Gulf earthquake]], probably remained in existence during the following centuries as well, as it is consistently attested among the cities of the [[Theme of Hellas]].<ref name="TIB">{{Tabula Imperii Byzantini|volume=1|page=138}}</ref> Remains of a three-aisled early Christian basilica, dedicated to [[Paraskevi of Rome|Saint Paraskevi]], survive.<ref name="TIB"/>

After the [[Fourth Crusade]] and the foundation of the Crusader [[Duchy of Athens]], a castle was built in the town, on the site of the ancient acropolis. This was part of an extensive defensive network along the Cephissus valley built by the [[Frankokratia|Frankish]] Crusaders, and residence of its lord.<ref name="TIB"/> In Frankish times, the town became known as '''Kapraina''' ({{langx|el|Κάπραινα}}, {{langx|es|la Cabrena}}), a name first attested in 1381 and used until early modern times.<ref name="TIB"/> The town came under [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule probably in 1460.<ref name="TIB"/>