The word Βοιωτία is variously transliterated into English: Boiotia (directly from the Greek), Boeotia (through Latin) or Bœotia (very old-fashioned). Boeotia constitutes a large geographic entity, inhabited, in antiquity, by the Boeotians, a combination of an immigrant stock of the boeotian Arne with incomers from Thessaly, either Cadmeans (a rather obsolete theory) or Pelasgians or even Athamanes.

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Boeotia is strategically located, flanked by Attica, Phocis and Locris and washed by the Euboean and Corinthian Gulfs. The country's geomorphology and fertile soils enabled not only early habitation, but also provided the means of Boeotia's self-sufficiency in goods. The local populaces zealously preserved their traditions, institutions, cults and occupations down to the end of the ancient times and, though nature gifted Boeotia with broadly indented coasts, its people never turned to seafaring...

The newly-founded Latin state, known as the Duchy of Athens, with Thebes as its capital, and later Athens under the Florentines, included Attica, Boeotia, Megaris, Argos and Nauplion. Rulers often changed: Franks (the families de la Roche, de St. Omer and de Brienne), Spaniards (Catalan Company, Navarrese Company), Italians (the Florentine Acciaujoli). A period of subjugation to the Ottomans and a brief period of Byzantine domination followed, until the final occupation by the Ottomans.

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The Middle Helladic period is defined by groundbreaking changes and the retreat of the previous period’s achievements. These are also largely true of Boeotia, yet in this area we observe a demographic increase, with successive, well-organized settlements and cemeteries. We do not observe a complex social structure, and local production remains domestic, nevertheless the area’s products are technologically adequate and continuously improve by assimilating external influences. By the end of this...

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