{{Short description|Village in Acarnania, Greece}} {{For|the city of ancient Achaea|Stratos (Achaea)}} {{Infobox Greek Dimos |name = Stratos |name_local = Στράτος |type = municipal unit |image_map = DE Stratou.svg |map_caption = Location within the regional unit |periph = [[West Greece]] |periphunit = [[Aetolia-Acarnania]] |municipality = [[Agrinio]] |pop_community = 860 |area_community = 30.313 |pop_municunit = 4369 |population_as_of = 2021 |area_municunit = 153.307 |coordinates = {{coord|38|40|N|21|19|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |postal_code = 301 00 |area_code = +30-2641 |licence = AI |image_skyline = |caption_skyline = |elevation = 50 }}

'''Stratos''' ({{langx|el|Στράτος}}, {{langx|la|Stratus}}, [[Aromanian language|Aromanian]]: ''Sorovigli'') is a settlement in central [[Aetolia-Acarnania]], [[Western Greece]]. It is best known for its remains of the namesake [[ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] city and capital of [[Acarnania]], which lie on a hillside about 500m north of the modern village.

Stratos is situated on the right bank of the river [[Achelous River|Acheloos]], 9&nbsp;km northwest of the town of [[Agrinio]]. The area north of Stratos is mountainous, whereas the south is flat. It is now an [[Aromanians|Aromanian]]{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} village and a [[Communities and Municipalities of Greece|municipal unit]] of the Agrinio municipality.<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL81-32jgAMSfbnMRVjyfnPUeJInJ48_97uHrMts-zFzeyCiBSQOpYnT00MHhcXFRTsb2fGphpq4MKX2ZkaHobySNnvZCNHXvYVvlf80XevW0Q.|title=ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref>

==History== [[File:Αρχαίο θέατρο Στράτου.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Remains of the ancient theatre]] Its situation at the northern edge of the fertile [[Achelous River]] plain and on the strategic maritime route to Italy as well as the navigability of the river up to city<ref>Strabo 10.2.3</ref> made it a place of great military importance <ref>{{cite DGRG|volume=2|title=Stratus|pages=1038}}</ref> and Stratos emerged as the largest and best fortified city of Acarnania. It was where judicial proceedings common to all the Arcananians took place,<ref>Thucydides iii 105</ref> and by [[Thucydides|Thucydides']] time Stratos was the capital of Acarnania and the federal assemblies were held there.<ref>Thucydides ii 80</ref> As a result, it prospered greatly in the 5th century BC.

As capital of [[Acarnanian League]], Stratos was involved in many wars. In the 5th century BC, the Corinthians were forced out of their Acarnanian settlements by Athens. In 429 BC in the [[Pelopponesian War]], the Pelopponesians under the [[Sparta]]n Knemos attacked Stratos and were defeated "with great slaughter".<ref>Thucydides 2.80</ref> In about 390 BC the cities of Acarnania surrendered to the Spartans under King [[Agesilaus]],<ref>Hellenica (Xenophon)/Book 4/Chapter 6</ref> and continued to be Spartan allies until joining the [[Second Athenian League|Second Athenian Empire]] in 375 BC. The Acarnanians later sided with the [[Boeotians]] in their fight against Sparta, and with Athens against [[Philip II of Macedon]] at [[Chaeronea]].

In 314 BC, King [[Cassander]] of Macedon took the city to use as a military base against the [[Aetolians]]. After 252 BC however, Stratos fell to the Aetolians. During the march of [[Philip V of Macedon|Philip V]] on [[Thermos (Aetolia)|Thermos]] in the [[Social War (220–217 BC)|Social War]] in 218 BC, he marched along the Achelous and on to Stratos where he unsuccessfully challenged the citizens to fight.<ref>Polybius 5.13.10</ref>

In 169 BC, Stratos invited the Romans into Greece as allies against [[Perseus of Macedon]]. With the founding of [[Nicopolis]] in 28BC, much of the population was obliged to move to the new city and Stratos fell into decline.

==Monuments== [[File:Ναός Στρατίου Διός 05.jpg|thumb|The Temple of Zeus]] [[File:Το τείχος της αρχαίας Στράτου 05.jpg|thumb|Remains of the city wall]] The main excavations are of the Agora and Stoa, the Temple of Zeus, the theatre, and the city walls.<ref>[http://www.cityofagrinio.gr/en/city/stratos/stratos.html City of Agrinio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222141628/http://www.cityofagrinio.gr/en/city/stratos/stratos.html |date=2014-02-22 }}</ref>

===Temple of Zeus===

The temple stands on the top of a fortified hill at the remote northwest end of the city. It is one of the most important Early Hellenistic buildings in mainland Greece. It was of the [[Doric order]], with [[Corinthian order|Corinthian]] columns in the [[cella]]. In addition to this combination of architectural orders, the monument shows several more structural and planning innovations. Construction of the temple began in 321 BC but was never finished, probably due to fights against the [[Aetolians]]. For example, the [[Fluting (architecture)|fluting]] of the columns was never completed and the column drums retain their bosses (used for maneuvering the heavy blocks during the critical lifting phase). The remains of the temple show the exquisite detail of sculpture in its construction, and also the excellent state of preservation of the base and many constituent blocks despite almost 2500 years of weathering.

===Walls===

The area enclosed by the city walls of 7.5&nbsp;km length including four long hills and three valleys is alone impressive, their height and strength also. They are constructed of massive blocks and include towers at intervals.

==Modern village== Before 1928 the village was named Sorovigli ({{langx|el|Σωροβίγλι}}).<ref name=pandektis>[http://pandektis.ekt.gr/pandektis/handle/10442/170177 Name changes of settlements in Greece]</ref> Before the 2011 local government reform Stratos was an independent municipality.<ref name="Kallikratis">{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL81-32jgAMSfbnMRVjyfnPUeJInJ48_97uHrMts-zFzeyCiBSQOpYnT00MHhcXFRTsb2fGphpq4MKX2ZkaHobySNnvZCNHXvYVvlf80XevW0Q.|title=ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref> The municipal unit has an area of 153.307&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, the community 30.313&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf|publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece|title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)|language=el}}</ref> The municipal unit had a population of 4,369 in 2021, the community 860.<ref name=census21/>

==See also== *[[List of ancient Greek cities]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * The Temple of Zeus at Stratos: New Observations on the Building Design: Jari Pakkanen, ARCTOS ACTA PHILOLOGICA FENNICA VOL. XXXVIII (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275730226_The_Temple_of_Zeus_at_Stratos_New_Observations_on_the_Building_Design) *http://www.finninstitute.gr/en/stratos *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090430162507/http://www.dimos-stratou.gr/ Municipality of Stratos] {{in lang|el}}

{{Agrinio div}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Aetolia-Acarnania]] [[Category:Agrinio]] [[Category:Aromanian settlements in Greece]] [[Category:Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Greece]]