Livadeia
Livadeia is the capital of the regional unit of Boeotia, built on the northern foothills of Mount Helicon, and lies 33 km from Arachova. According to mythological tradition, it was founded by the Athenian hero Lebados and was renowned in antiquity for the Oracle of Trophonius. From the 8th century BC, Livadeia was part of the Boeotian League, while it suffered destruction by the Spartan Lysander in 395 BC and by the army of Mithridates in 86 BC. In the centuries that followed, the city endured barbarian invasions and various conquerors, until it was captured by the Ottomans in 1460.
During the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Livadeia was among the first cities of Roumeli (Central Greece) to rise in revolt, under the leadership of Athanasios Diakos.
Livadeia was incorporated into the modern Greek state in February 1829. The contemporary town, located in the heart of a fertile plain, is an important agricultural center—with cotton as its main product—as well as a regional commercial hub.