Trizonia island, from E
Ancient & Roman Times
Little is actually documented about the island of Trizonia in the classical sources — its small size and proximity to the mainland likely meant it played a modest role in the larger political-military landscape of the region. Geographically, Trizonia lies in the northern part of the Gulf of Corinth, just off the coast of Phocis and the Peloponnese.
Under Roman rule, the region of the Gulf of Corinth was integrated into the province system of the Empire. Though the island itself remained small and lightly populated, it benefited from the relative peace of Roman maritime routes and the protection of the bay for ships. The natural harbour of Trizonia is frequently mentioned in tourist-oriented sources as being well-sheltered and usable since ancient times.
Byzantine & Medieval Periods
Following the decline of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Byzantine Empire, the Gulf of Corinth region became more contested, with occasional pirate raids, changing regional control, and shifting fortunes. Though Trizonia does not appear prominently in surviving Byzantine chronicles, its sheltered harbour and proximity to the mainland would have given it utility as a minor port, waypoint or even perhaps a refuge. During the Ottoman period, the island came under Ottoman influence (as did much of Greece) though again the specific local records are thin. One article indicates that during the Ottoman era Trizonia was used as a quarantine station.
Modern Era & Greek Independence
In the 19th century, during the Greek War of Independence (1821–1830), the island has been noted in sources for its involvement in local conflicts. One record states that in 1827 the Greek leader Andreas Londos brought 500 soldiers to Trizonia and fought 2,000 Ottoman troops there, with the Greeks achieving success.
In more recent decades, Trizonia became known for its tranquility, its prohibition on cars and motorbikes, its traditional village and natural harbour, and for being the only inhabited island in the Gulf of Corinth. Its small size (about 2.5 km²) and tiny population (55 as of the 2021 census) make it unique.
A very interesting modern‐footnote: in the 1960s the shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis is said to have attempted to purchase the entire island, but the local residents refused to sell.
Generally
Imagine landing by boat on a small island, only a few minutes from the mainland, with no roads for cars, a village clustered around a natural port, olive trees and vineyards on the hillsides, and the deep blue of the Gulf of Corinth shimmering around you. That’s Trizonia. Historically, this island has never been the site of grand battles or vast empires (at least as far as surviving records show), but its story is one of quiet persistence: from ancient seafarers using its harbour, to Byzantine sailors, to Ottoman administrative uses, to Greek freedom fighters, and finally to a modern refuge for peace and nature.
Its name evokes either the chirping of crickets (the Greek word τριζόνι = “grasshopper/cricket”) or a corruption of Τρι-νησιά (“three islands”) because it belongs to a small group of islands (with Prasoudi and Agios Ioannis) just off the coast.
