The town was the birthplace of the sculptor Paeonius , who lived in the fifth century BC and sculpted the famous statue of Nike at Olympia. In the same period, the town allied itself to Athens, but defected during the Peloponnesian War and was consequently ravaged by the Athenians. In the mid-fourth century, it was captured by Philip and gradually

declined. The excavations conducted in the region brought to light the remains of the acropolis where there were storage pits containing pottery and other objects. Archaeologists also discovered parts of dwellings and streets, a cemetery, pots and the temple of Poseidon at Cape Poseidi. A protogeometric apsidal building, one of the most ancient sanctuaries of Greece, was also excavated. It is the only sanctuary of north Greece dating back to the Dark Ages and figures among the most important findings the excavations revealed.