The original location of the Homeric city of Pleuron, known from its participation in the Trojan War as part of the Aitolian ship force with Thoas as king, is on the neighbouring low hills of Gyftokastro or Asfakovouni and Petrovouni to the southwest of “New” Pleuron, at an average distance of about 3 km northwest of Messolonghi. According to the sources, it was destroyed in 234 BC by Demetrius II of Macedon at the end of the Demetrian War and then rebuilt from scratch in a new location (Strab. 10.2.4), higher up and about 1,500 m north of the original (at “New Pleuron“).
The hill of Gyftokastro lies a short distance northeast of the highway and shows traces of prehistoric occupation, such as pottery and obsidian flakes. On the same hill, graves of the Proto-Geometric period and a building of the Geometric period have been excavated. The two hills preserve the remains of fortifications that represent different eras of the city’s life, dating to the Classical and Hellenistic periods. Some pieces show characteristics of an early construction, but it is not certain that they belong to the Mycenaean period, i.e. the era of the “Homeric” Pleuron, since they have not been excavated. The fortification of Gyftokastro is relatively self-contained and includes internal and external fortification lines, at the top of which is an oval defensive wall. Part are built according to the ‘cyclopean’ system, while others are built with irregular stones or large trapezoidal stone blocks. The hill of Petrovouni has suffered great damage in its southern and eastern parts from the operation of a quarry. It also retains part of a cyclopean structure.
The two hills are not organised archaeological sites open to visitors.
