Geronthres (Greek: Γερόνθρες), named after ancient Geronthrae, is a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Evrotas, of which it is a municipal unit.[2] The municipal unit has an area of 236.780 km2.[3] The seat of administration was the village Geraki Laconias [el]. The municipal population is approx. 1,700.

Geronthres
Γερόνθρες
Geronthres is located in Greece
Geronthres
Geronthres
Location within the regional unit
Coordinates: 36°59′N 22°42′E / 36.983°N 22.700°E / 36.983; 22.700
CountryGreece
Administrative regionPeloponnese
Regional unitLaconia
MunicipalityEvrotas
Area
 • Municipal unit236.8 km2 (91.4 sq mi)
Elevation
15 m (49 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Municipal unit
1,664
 • Municipal unit density7.0/km2 (18/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
230 58
Area code(s)27310
Vehicle registrationΑΚ

Dutch excavations (University of Amsterdam) point to first settlement of the acropolis hill in the (Final) Neolithic period. In the Early Helladic period the site must have contained an administrative centre of some kind, judged by the sealing fragments that can be compared by those found in Lerna. Habitation continued towards the end of the Middle Helladic period, but no Mycenaean finds have been found yet. First signs of renewed habitation date from the Iron Age. The site is left again in the Roman period.

Close to Geraki is the medieval fortress after which the village is named, and which formed the seat of the Barony of Geraki in the Frankish Principality of Achaea. In the village itself are several Byzantine-era churches.

Historical population

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Year Geraki Geronthres
1981 1,644 -
1991 1,381 2,034
2001 1,341 1,959
2011 1,252 1,793
2021 1,190 1,664

References

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  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
  3. ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.