Mathia, Messenia

Community in Greece

Mathia Μαθία
Community
36°55′27″N 21°53′14″E / 36.92417°N 21.88722°E / 36.92417; 21.88722
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Peloponnese
Regional unit	Messenia
Municipality	Messini
Municipal unit	Petalidi
Population (2021)^[1]
• Community	52
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)

Mathia (Greek: Μαθία, before 1927: Δράγκα - Dragka^[2]) is a small village located near the top of the Mount Lycodimos. It is part of the municipal unit of Petalidi, in Messenia, Greece, 7 kilometres from the coastline. Under Ottoman occupation, it was referred to as Draga. Pirates had destroyed its original location. In the Greek War of Independence in 1821, the legendary Captain Yannis Makriyannis (Γιάννης Μαακρυγιαννης) aka Iannis Triantaphyllou and his heroic men destroyed the Turkish army. His monument stands in the village's entrance, as a reminder to the new generations.

References

^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
^ Name changes of settlements in Greece