The ancient writers make mention of Nauplion, as an important city, that took part in the Argonautic Expedition and the Trojan war. In the latter, there also parti­cipated Palamedes the sage, son to the fifth founder of the city, called also Nau­plius. This Palamedes was falsely accused by Odysses of being a traitor and was murdered at Troy, as we learn from the lost tragedy by Euripides, bearing his name.

Until the 7th century B.C. Nauplion was a small independent city, that had deve­loped along with Mycenae and Argos. Du­ring the second Messenian war (middle of 7th century B.C.) the Nauplians had al1ied with Sparta, Argos' opponent. This was the reason that the king of Argos Democrati­das occupied and devastated Nauplion du­ring this war. The Nauplians moved to Messenia then and the city became Argos' naval yard and sea port.

It was in the 11th century that Nauplion rose up again and started acquiring histo­rical importance. A1ready in the 9th century it had acquired its own diocese that was under the metropolis of Corinth, and its first bishop was St. Peter of Argos. The By­zantine emperors discerned the importance and the mercanti1e capabi1ities of the city's position and so they reinforced it.

In 1180 A.D., the Byzantine Emperor Ma­nuel Comnenos appointed Theodore Sgou­ros, a rich Nauplian, as the ruler of Nau­ρΙίοn. His son, Leo Sgouros, turned Nau­plion into an important centre. He fought against the invading crusaders, Montfer­rat, Champlitte and Villehardouin. The lat­ter occupied the city taking it from Theo­dore Doukas Comnenos, Sgouros' Succes­sor. In 1212 Villehardouin conceded the city to Otho de la Roche Master of Athens. The city remained under the administration of the French dukes of Athens for appro­ximately a hundred years and was fortified by them. Subsequently it came into Vene­tian hands.

In the years 1396, 1463, 1502 the Turkish attacks were successfully repelled. Ιn 1540 under a treaty the Venetians gave Nauplion over to the Turks. Ιn 1686 Francesco Moro­sini the venetian field marshal, after a 10ng siege occupied Nauplion and started forti­fying it. Nauplion then became the capital of the prefecture of Romania and was cal­led Napoli di Romania. The general Augu­stine Sagredo and the prefect Jeronymus Delphinus completed the fortifying works of the city that had now become

...Morea's (J) boast and crown

and everyone looked upon it with respect.

In 1715, after a 10ng siege, Nauplion came into Turkish hands. The besieger, Daout Pasha, gained entrance to the city, after the treason of Sala, a French artillery colonel fighting at Palamidi. In Αpril 1821 the Greeks started a siege of the city. On November 30, 1822 Pala­midi was taken by Staikos Staikopoulos and a little later the city was handed over to Kolokotronis, a greek hero and leader of the 1821 revolution. At the beginning of 1823 Nauplion was appointed the capital of the Liberation war and the government had its seat there. Then Greeks from all the parts of the country started swarming in. Α vivid picture of the time, with its confusion of different customs and dialects is given in «The Babylonia» by Byzantios. During the civil conflicts the city was the battlefield of the dissenting groups of the Administrative Committee and the Parliamentary one.

Ioannis Kapodistria, after the libera­tion, arrived at Nauplion as the Governor of Greece on January 8, 1828. It was here that he set out the plans of the development of the country and it was here that he found a tragic death on September 27, 1831, murdered by two members of the Mavromichalis family, as he was entering St. Spyridon's church. The 4th National Assembly (1832) approved of the choice of Otho as King of Greece, who came to Nauplion οη January 25, 1833. On December 1, 1834 the capital was transferred in Athens.

At the entrance to the city, on the N.W. corner of Staikopoulos park there used to be the impressive Mainland Gate, built while the east wall was being mended and extended by Francesco Morosini in 1687. Unfortunately along with the walls the fa mous Mainland Gate was also destroyed.

The Venetian Lion that decorated the arch of the gate is today found at the old Parliamentary Building.

Further on, on the east side, there is a beautiful park, in which one can see Κοlokotronis' statue, a work of sculpture by Lazarus Socho, carved in Paris at the studio of Α. Mercier. The clay model recei­ved honorary awards in Paris and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. It is considered Sochos' best work. It was cast in Paris and set up in Nauplion in 1901 Α similar statue exists in Athens. It cost 18.000 gold francs, a fund vaised by collection all over Greece.

Morea's Old Man lived and acted in Nauplion for many years. He bad happy days and bitter days here. He loved Nauplion particularly. Α litt1e farther out of the city one can see his farm, where there also exists his private chapel of Agioi Theodori. It was there that Otho's gendarmes arrested him to lock him in Itch - Kale prison for six months. After his sentence by the Parliament for treason against the King (1834), he was locked in a horrible, dark dungeon in Pa­lamidi. The day he was set free, Nauplion and the nearby villages received him with celebrity. Morea's Old Man exclaimed in his enthusiasm: «The reception by the people of Nauplion made me forget all the misfor­tunes Ι have been through».

Beyond the Palace of Justice (to the south) there spreads Staikopoulos Park, na­med after the conqueror of Nauplion. His statue has been made by Nickolas, the sculptor (1966). The people of Nauplion pay tribute to him on November 30, anni­versary of the occupation of the castle, by taking his picture in an honarary procession up to Palamidi and down again to the City Hall.

The thickset hero was born in Zatouna, Gortynia. When the Revolution began, he gave up commerce and took active part in the combat followed by 600 men. He was temperamental and decisive. After the liberation he didn't succeed in becoming Commander of the Palamidi garrison, he was only named colonel. Then he had a nervous breakdown. The government later confined him in Leonardo's jail because he was talking against the Bavarians. He died there in 1835 at the age of 37. To collect the necessary sum for his funeral, his com­patriots had to beg around. He was buried, as we have already mentioned, at the old graveyard of the city, next to the Bavarian Lion, at Agioi Pantes.