Akarnania, Anaktorion
Circa 350-300 BCE
AR Stater 21 mm, 7.96 g, 9 h
Pegasos flying left; below, monogram of AN.
Rev. Head of Athena to left, wearing Corinthian helmet; behind neck guard, ΔΩ and small altar.
BCD Akarnania 108. Calciati 58. HGC 4, 763

Anaktorion was a city that played a large part in Thukydide’s telling of the Peloponnesian War. It was originally a Corinthian colony and was settled in the 7th century BCE. It was not originally part of Akarnania, but in 425 BCE it was wrested away from Corinth by the Athenians and Akarnanians. It was then forced to join the Akarnanian League.

During the Peloponnesian War, until it was occupied by Athens, Anaktorion was on the side of Sparta.

A sanctuary to Apollo was located just outside the city. The ruins today are still visible, including some houses. It was mostly abandoned when Augustus moved most of its inhabitants to Nicopolis.

625 BCE

Anaktorion founded by settlers from Corinth.

433 BCE

Corinth obtains control over Anaktorion through fraud after the city had been joinly occupied by Corinth and Korkyra.

425 BCE

Anaktorion is captured by the Acarnanians and Athenians during the Peloponnesian War. The Acarnanians expel the Corinthians from the city, and Anaktorion becomes part of the Acarnanian League.

413 BCE

The Athenian general Demosthenes takes aboard heavy infantry from Zakynthos and Kephallenia (likely including Same) and crosses over to the opposite coast of Akarnania to Alyzeia and Anaktorion, already held by Athens.