Archeological Museum of Eretria, Greece. Terracotta Gorgoneion, 4th century BC. The ancient Greek city of Eretria has a rich past beginning in the Bronze Age. The earliest surviving mention of Eretria was by Homer in the Iliad, who listed Eretria as one of the Greek cities which sent ships to the Trojan War. It was one of the first (8th century BC) to explore the eastern and western shores of the Mediterranean where it founded colonies and trade posts. A colonial and commercial power, Eretria took part to the many struggles that were shaking Greece: looted by the Persians in 490 BC, it enjoyed a flourishing period during the 4th and 3rd centuries BC where numerous rich houses were build. Taken by the Romans in 198 BC, Eretria's influence decreased slowly until late in the 6th century AD when all traces of human activities on the site disappeared. http://kevrekidis.deviantart.com/gallery/ ©2007-2008 Jordan Kevrekidis