Amfikleia

Amfikleia (Greek: Αμφίκλεια, before 1915: Δαδί - Dadi^[2]) is a town and a former municipality in Phthiotis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Amfikleia-Elateia, of which it is a municipal unit.^[3] The municipal unit has an area of 229.366 km², the community 108.124 km².^[4] At the 2021 census, the population of the municipal unit was 2,996 and of the community 2,157.^[1] The town is situated at the northern foot of Mount Parnassus, in the valley of the river Cephissus.^[5] It is 11 km northwest of Kato Tithorea and 31 km southeast of Lamia. Greek National Road 3 (Thebes - Lamia) passes through the town. The town is served by a railway station with connections on the Athens–Thessaloniki railway.

Amfikleia Αμφίκλεια
Municipal unit
Amfikleia Location within the regional unit
Coordinates: 38°38′N 22°35′E
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Central Greece
Regional unit	Phthiotis
Municipality	Amfikleia-Elateia
Area
• Municipal unit	229.37 km2 (88.56 sq mi)
• Community	108.12 km2 (41.75 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Municipal unit	2,996
• Municipal unit density	13/km2 (34/sq mi)
• Community	2,157
• Community density	20/km2 (52/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Vehicle registration	ΜΙ

Subdivisions

The municipal unit Amfikleia consists of the following communities:

• Amfikleia
• Bralos
• Drymaia
• Palaiochori
• Tithroni
• Xylikoi

History

Amfikleia was named after the ancient town Amphicleia (Ancient Greek: Ἀμφίκλεια). Amphicleia was also named Amphicaea (Ἀμφίκαια) and Ophiteia (Ὀφιτεία). It was situated in the north of ancient Phocis.^[6] The Persians under Xerxes destroyed the city in 480 BC during the second Persian invasion of Greece.^[7] It was rebuilt afterwards, and at the time of Pausanias (2nd century AD), it was known for the worship of Dionysus.^[6][8]

During the Middle Ages, a tower was built on the site of the acropolis. Today the site is occupied by the cemetery.^[5]

Dadi, which was founded near the site of ancient Amphicleia, became a vibrant town; in early 19th century, William Leake reported 500 families living in the town.^[9] Dadi was renamed to Amfikleia in 1915.^[2]

Notable people

• Athanasios Eftaxias (1849–1931), politician

Gallery

• 
  The church of Holy Jerusalem above Amfikleia
• 
  Memorial to the 11 inhabitants executed by the Germans in 1943 as reprisals for a sabotage attack on Amfikleia railway station
• 
  Position of Amfiklia municipal unit in Amfiklia-Elatia Municipality, Fthiotida Regional Unit Greece