{"id":443,"count":6,"description":"In the centre of the <strong>Saronic Gulf<\/strong>, between the coasts of Attica and the northeastern Peloponnese, lie the islands of <strong>Aegina and Agistri<\/strong>, two places with a long maritime history and a deep connection to the sea. Aegina, the second-largest island of the Saronic after Salamis, has been an important maritime and commercial centre since antiquity. Most settlements and agricultural activity are concentrated in the northern and western parts of the island, while the southern and southeastern coasts remain more rugged and sparsely inhabited.\r\n\r\nThe island takes its name from the <strong>nymph Aegina<\/strong>, daughter of the river god Asopus. According to mythology, Zeus fell in love with her and carried her away to the island then known as Oenone. Their son, <strong>Aeacus<\/strong>, became the legendary king of the island and the ancestor of heroes such as Achilles and Ajax. These myths reflect the early importance of Aegina within the ancient Greek world.\r\n\r\nAegina\u2019s maritime history began very early. As early as the <strong>3rd millennium BC<\/strong>, the island functioned as a trading station for ships sailing across the Aegean. The Aeginetans are traditionally considered among the first Greeks to build <strong>sailing ships<\/strong>, strengthening their position as seafarers and traders. Naval defence was also important; according to tradition, the approaches to the harbour of Aegina were protected by a system of <strong>artificial reefs<\/strong>, designed to force enemy vessels aground before reaching the port.\r\n\r\nDuring the medieval centuries the island experienced periods of instability. From the <strong>11th to the 16th century AD<\/strong>, Aegina suffered frequent pirate attacks. By the end of the 12th century the island was reportedly used as a base by pirates who launched raids against the Attic coast. The metropolitan of Athens, Michael Choniates, famously described Aegina as a <strong>\u201cnest of pirates\u201d<\/strong>, reflecting the troubled conditions of the era.\r\n\r\nSouthwest of Aegina lies the small island of <strong>Agistri<\/strong>, a green island covered with pine forests and known for its mild climate. In antiquity it formed part of the kingdom of Aegina under Aeacus and was known as <strong>Kekryphaleia<\/strong>, meaning \u201cadorned head\u201d. Although archaeological exploration on the island has been limited, finds indicate that it was inhabited at least from the <strong>5th century BC<\/strong>, likely by settlers from the Peloponnese.\r\n\r\nLike many small islands of the Saronic, Agistri experienced difficult periods during the Byzantine and later centuries. Pirate raids frequently forced the inhabitants to abandon the island altogether. Historical references mention settlement by <strong>Arvanites in the 14th century AD<\/strong>, while the island was again depopulated in the 17th century. Agistri is also associated with the tomb of the Greek fighter <strong>Mitromaras<\/strong>, who became known during the Orlov Revolt and died on the island in 1772.\r\n\r\nIn modern times both islands entered a new phase of development. Aegina evolved into one of the most lively destinations of the Saronic Gulf, while preserving the <strong>traditional character of its harbour town<\/strong>. Agistri, with its small population and lush landscape, began to grow mainly after the <strong>Second World War<\/strong>, when regular sea connections with Piraeus strengthened the local economy. Today Aegina and Agistri remain among the most attractive islands of the Saronic, combining maritime heritage, natural beauty and a long seafaring tradition.","link":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/category\/saronic-gulf\/aigina-agistri-islands\/","name":"A\u00edgina - Ag\u00edstri islands","slug":"aigina-agistri-islands","taxonomy":"category","parent":236,"meta":[],"z_taxonomy_image_url":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/skala-agkistri-web.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories\/443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/taxonomies\/category"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories\/236"}],"wp:post_type":[{"href":"https:\/\/eagleray.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts?categories=443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}