Lefktra in the context of "Leuctra"

⭐ In the context of Leuctra, the modern village of Lefktra is primarily significant because…

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⭐ Core Definition: Lefktra

Lefktra (Greek: Λεύκτρα, romanizedLéfktra, Modern Greek: [ˈlefk.tra]) is a village in the regional unit of Boeotia, Greece, and a part of the municipality of Thebes. Before 1915, its name was Parapoungia (Greek: Παραπούγγια). Lefktra is located in the foothills of Mount Kithairon at 353 meters average elevation. The population of Lefktra is 779 people (2021 census). Thebes is sixteen kilometers away and Athens 70 km away, via the old national road. There are bus lines from Thebes to Lefktra and vice versa daily, and from Athens to Lefktra at the weekends. Residents' main occupations are agriculture and stockbreeding. Livadostra and Koromili beaches are ten minutes away by car.

Between 1912 and 1997 Lefktra was an independent community (an independent municipality after 1989). In 1997, at the Kapodistrias reform, it was merged into the municipality Plataies, along with the communities Melissochori, Loutoufi and Kaparelli. In 2010, at the Kallikratis reform, Plataies was merged into the municipality of Thebes.

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👉 Lefktra in the context of Leuctra

Leuctra or Leuktra (Ancient Greek: τὰ Λεῦκτρα, romanizedtà Leûktra, Attic Greek pronunciation: [tà lêu̯k.tra] or τὸ Λεῦκτρον, tò Leûktron [tò lêu̯k.tron]) was a village in ancient Boeotia, situated on the road from Thespiae to Plataea, and within the territory of the former city. Leuctra is most notable for the Battle of Leuctra, fought in its neighbourhood between the Spartans and Thebans in 371 BCE, by which the supremacy of Sparta was demolished. In the plain of Leuctra, was the tomb of the two daughters of Scedasus, a Leuctrian. The daughters were violated by Spartans, and had afterwards slain themselves. Before the battle, Epaminondas crowned the tomb with wreaths, fulfilling an oracle's prophecy that the Spartans would be defeated at this spot.

The site of Leuctra is near the modern village of Lefktra, renamed to reflect to connection with the ancient place.

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Lefktra in the context of Asopos (Boeotia)

The Asopos (Greek: Ασωπός, referred to in Latin sources as Asopus) is a river in Boeotia and northern Attica, Greece. In antiquity, it formed the border between the cities of Thebes and Plataea. The Battle of Plataea was fought on its banks. According to Pausanias (5.14.3) the Boeotian Asopus can produce the tallest reeds of any river.

Its source is on the northern slope of the Cithaeron mountain, southwest of Thebes. It empties into the South Euboean Gulf, near Skala Oropou. Its total length is 57 km. Its basin is 718 km. The Asopos flows along the following places, from the source downstream: Lefktra, Agios Thomas, Oinofyta, Sykamino, Skala Oropou. The river is polluted with hexavalent chromium due to industrial activity.

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