Vathyrema.
Larissa.
THESSALY
147
125. Skete, castle (Σκητη, το καστρο)
122.
Vathyrema.
This site, the home town of Hosios Simeon, “the barefoot and
loin-clothed”, founder of Flamouri monastery on Mount Ma-
vrovouni, lies a few kilometres W of Agia. Before the town of
Agia developed, Vathyrema was the most important centre
and possibly the capital of the region, after the town of Ve-
saina declined. The existence and importance of Vathyrema
are evidenced by the numerous sherds of the 2nd millenni-
um and the two churches that are still in existence. The first,
dedicated to Theotokos, is a three-aisled basilica with narthex,
and featuring Byzantine masonry, especially at the conch of
the bema. It is certain that the whole church underwent oc-
casional alterations, during which many earlier architectural
components were incorporated. The surviving icons possibly
date from the 10th to the 18th c. From the second church, that
of Saint Nicholas, a conch is preserved, contemporary to the
church of Theotokos.
123.
Agia.
Outside the city of Agia is preserved the monastery of Aghios
Panteleimon (or the Entrance of the Theotokos). The catholicon
is of the athonite type. Part of its superstructure possibly dates
to the Comnenian period.
124.
Aghioi Anargyroi
.
Near the road from Agia to Agiokampos, opposite the catholi-
con of the Aghioi Anargyroi monastery, two hermitages are
maintained in hollows among the rocks. The first one is an
aisleless naiskos divided into two sections. The second con-
sists of three small adjoining churches that communicate with
each other. Icons of the 12th, 13th and 16th c. are preserved.
125.
Skete.
On the wide Kastro plateau that dominates the SW side of Ossa
and the N aspect of Mount Mavrovouni, circuit walls survive
within dense vegetation. Within these, further walls of various
construction types and periods have been detected. The circuit
walls possibly date to the period before the Iconoclasm (726-
843) and controlled the road from Agiokampos to the plain of
Larissa.
126.
Aetolofos.
In the village of Aetolofos, formerly called Desiani − a possible
corruption of the Byzantine Vessaina − stands a large, five-aisled
church (17th c.), built above an earlier construction (11th-12th
c.), which had in turn been constructed above an Early Chris-
tian basilica.
127.
Larissa.
At Larissa − a glorious place, according to historians of the 3rd
and subsequent c. − only a few remains survive. The tomb of
the first archbishop of the city, eventually Aghios Achilleios,
who lived in the 4th c., was incorporated in a three-aisled ba-
silica, possibly of the early 5th c., located on Frourio hill. A
major part of a second basilica, possibly five-aisled with mo-
saic floors, wall-paintings and marble inlays has been found in
the centre of the city. Its most extensive remains are beneath
the road surface on Kyprou and Olympou Streets, near Nea
Agora. In the same square a section of the Justinian wall has
