Monuments

The diateichisma of Cassandreia (fortification wall) is situated at the northern part of the modern village Nea Potidaea, and it lies in about 1.200m long from the gulf of Torone at east to Thermaikos gulf at west. In this area, the scholars locate the existence of ancient Potidaea, later Hellenistic Cassandreia and finally the Byzantine «poleichnion or castle of Cassandreia».

The testimony of Zosimus about the unsuccessful siege of Cassandreia by the Goths in the 3rd century, indirectly suggests the existence of a fortification, which protected the city and maybe was the diateichisma we see today along the canal of Nea Potidaea; according to younger scholars can be dated in the late Roman time.

As historian Procopious attests, the Emperor Justinian I rebuilt the diateichisma in the 6th century, as a part of a broader project to protect strategic areas of the empire from enemy attacks.

In the early 15th century the despot of Thessalonike John VII Palaiologos proceeded to the maintenance and repair of the diateichisma reinforcing it defensively with the opening of a canal along it. All these works  have been described thoroughly in a document (chryssobull) of 1407, which today lies in the archive of the Holy Monastery of Xeropotamou. A little bit later, during the 15th century again,  the Venetians rebuilt once more the diateichisma, as it is deduced from the decision documents of the Venetian Senate.

During the revolution of 1821 it was used as a line of defence of the insurgent Chalcidiceans, under the lead of Emmanuel Pappas.

The role of the diateichisma was to close the narrow entrance to the Cassandra peninsula, so to have the productive area protected from the threats of the invaders. Today the maximum preserved height of the diateichisma measures 8m and its thickness is around 1,50-3m. In the middle of the diateichisma there was a gate with a strong tower above it. In almost every 50m it was fortified with towers, from which only 17 survive today. There is one more tower, in the south of the diateichisma, which was the edge of a smaller precinct, that was added subsequently. 

The opening of the canal along its north side (during 1935-1937) and the rise of the sea resulted to the sinking of the extreme towers of the diateichisma. 

The Ephorate of Antiquities of Chalkidiki and Mount Athos being responsible for the protection of the monument has carried out occasionally at the past rescue works, such as excavations, carrying out consolidation, conservation and restoration works and also landscaping. During these works various parts of the diateichisma were revealed that were not visible, so many interesting architectural details have been appeared, such as the existence of a door opening at some towers and the retrofitting of a tower to a bath in middle Byzantine times. One of the major projects,  that was conducted, was to remove seven large parts of masonry fallen from the walls of the tower which once stood above the main gate of the diateichisma.

The numerous finds, such as pottery, coins, bronze and iron objects, which have been found at the area, evidence the long life history of the diateichisma. 

The diateichisma of Cassandreia is one of the greatest monuments in Chalkidiki that impresses the visitors as it comes up amid the densely-built village of Nea Potidaea.

Bitzikopoulos Dimitris