Kefalonia of the four cities

One island, four city-states, four different worlds

Before the castles, the occupations and the earthquakes, Kefalonia had already created its own political and social identity. In ancient times there was not a single Kefalonia; there were four. Sami, Pali, Krani and Pronnoi were autonomous city-states with their own currency, institutions and army. This tetrapoliteia, as the ancient writers called it, is a rare example of political organization for an island in the Greek area.

The geography of the place played a decisive role. The mountains of Mount Ainos, deep bays and rugged coasts naturally separated the areas, creating four almost independent communities. Despite their differences, these four towns coexisted and cooperated in times of need and together they shaped the island's historical and cultural identity.

Sami: The gateway of trade

Sami was the most important commercial and strategic centre of ancient Kefalonia. Built in its natural harbour, with easy access to Epirus and Corfu, it quickly developed into a powerful city with commercial activity and naval power. Its polygonal walls, which still survive on the slopes above the modern village, testify to a well fortified and organized city. Archaeological research has revealed buildings, shrines and tombs that indicate a rich society with class stratification and a significant urban population.

The economy of Sami was based on the sea. From its port, goods, oil, wine and ceramics were transported to the Peloponnese and Southern Italy. Amphorae found in the area bear seals from Rhodes and Corinth - evidence of trade relations with other powerful centres of the ancient world. The city minted its own coins, usually with representations of dolphins and tridents, symbols referring to Poseidon, god protector of the seas.

When the Romans attempted to conquer the island in 188 BC, Sami was the only one to resist. It was besieged for four months and eventually completely destroyed, but its reputation for resistance has remained eternal. The Samians paid dearly for their freedom, but they became a symbol of the insubordinate soul of the Kefalonians.

Today, the ruins of the ancient city are spread out on the slopes above the modern settlement. The visitor who walks among the pine trees and dry stone walls can clearly see the parts of the ancient walls, the traces of the houses and the gates. The place has preserved a calm, authentic atmosphere - a reminder that the heart of ancient Kefalonia once beat here.

Wrestling: The naval power of the West

On the peninsula of Pallika, opposite Ithaca, was Pali - the most maritime and extroverted town of Kefalonia. Its location, overlooking the Ionian Sea, was ideal for trade and navigation. Archaeological research locates its ruins near Lixouri, in an area that still retains its ancient name.

Palis was closely associated with Corinth and the Doric colonies of the West. The ceramic finds are influenced by Peloponnesian art, while the city's coins show representations of ships and the god Zeus, showing its dual identity - commercial and religious. Its economy was based on shipbuilding and maritime trade, while its inhabitants were excellent seafarers. The ships of Palis sailed as far as Sicily and Apulia, carrying Cephalonian products and bringing back ideas and goods from the Mediterranean.

The city's society was active and open. Men travelled frequently and women kept the houses and the small market. Pali was known for the dynamism and ingenuity of its inhabitants, who faced life with resourcefulness. When the Romans attacked Cephalonia, Pali was the last to resist; it preferred to fall fighting rather than surrender.

This spirit of independence still seems to survive in Palliki. Lixouri, heir to the ancient city, is still famous today for its «right of opinion» - the willingness to think and speak differently. Its people retain an old habit: to defend their opinion passionately, whether it is about politics or the weather. This independence is no accident; it is the continuation of a story that goes back 2,000 years.

Krani: The administrative and cultural centre

Krani, near today's Argostoli, was the internal power of the island. Unlike Sami and Pali, which faced the sea, Krani faced the land. Its strong walls, about four kilometres long, still stand on the slopes of the Riza hill and bear witness to a prosperous city with organisation and institutions.

Krani had a reputation for its «lawfulness» - fair administration and political stability. Many historians consider it a precursor to an early democracy. Citizens were involved in decision making, and education and religion were central. The city seems to have had a marketplace, public buildings and sanctuaries, probably dedicated to Zeus and Athena. Archaeologists have found inscriptions showing administrative organisation and religious ceremonies on a large scale.

The economy of Krani was based on agriculture and the provision of services to the other cities. This was the route of the goods that passed through there on their way from Sami to the West. It was the coordination point of island life, a kind of «capital» of the tetrapolis. Its inhabitants stood out for their stability, methodicalness and commitment to knowledge.

Walking today on the hills above Argostoli, the remains of Krani seem to tell the story of a society that built with logic and not only with stone. Modern Argostolians, with their emphasis on organisation and sobriety, seem to retain something of that spirit - the confidence and sense of responsibility that characterised the old Krani.

Pronouns: The agricultural powerhouse of the South

On the eastern edge of Kefalonia, near today's Poros and Skala, were Pronnoi - the most earthy and self-sufficient of the four cities. The area was rich in land and water, and its inhabitants were mainly engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry and wine production. Excavations at Skala have unearthed tombs with pottery, jewellery and tools, showing a prosperous and organised society.

The Pronnoi combined strategic importance - they controlled the passage to the Peloponnese - with agricultural stability. The gods they worshipped, Demeter and Dionysus, reveal their connection with the land and the cycle of cultivation. Their celebrations and festivals were closely linked to the harvest and the harvest, while the community functioned in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation.

Life in Prennus was simple but stable. Families owned small tracts of land and daily life followed the rhythm of the seasons. Self-sufficiency was considered a virtue and the community was rarely affected by external changes. This mentality - of peace and continuity - remains characteristic today in the area of Poros: a part of Kefalonia that seems to move in its own, peaceful time.

The Kefalonia of the four cities was much more than a geographical division. It was a way of life, a philosophy of organization. Four communities, different but interconnected, coexisted on an island that learned early on the value of autonomy and cooperation.

If you look at the island today, you will see that this history has not been lost: Sami keeps its extroversion, Palliki the freedom of opinion, Argostoli the logic and organization, Pronni the peace and self-sufficiency. Perhaps, in the end, Kefalonia remains, in its own way, a tetra-city - four voices that, even in their differences, make up a harmonious whole.