a city on the western coast of the island Euboea, founded along with Chalcis by a colony of Athenians, who were afterwards joined by a band of Eolians from Elis. Its extensive commerce raised it to considerable eminence at an early period; it founded colonies in the peninsula of Pallene, and also at Cumae in Italy. It had under its dominion many of the neighbouring islands, as Andros, Ceos, and Teos, and was for many years the rival of the neighbouring city of Chalcis. Strabo (x. 448) states, as a proof of the wealth of the ancient inhabitants, that the festival of the Amaranthian Diana was often attended by 3000 soldiers on foot, with 600 cavalry and sixty chariots.

Eretria assisted the Ionians in their attempt to shake off the yoke of the Persian king, and was on that account exposed to the vengeance of Darius. It withstood for six days all the forces that could be brought against it; but it was at last betrayed into the hands of the enemy by the treachery of two of its principal citizens. The city was destroyed, and the inhabitants transported to Susa, whence Darius sent them to settle in the country of the Cissae (Herodot. vi. 99, 119). Those inhabitants who had escaped rebuilt the city in a somewhat more northerly direction, as soon as the Persians had been compelled to retire. From this time it seems to have been subject to the Athenians, and to have continued in so peaceful a condition, that many of the learned, anxious to escape from the tumults of war, selected it as their residence. In later times it attached itself to the cause of Philip III. of Macedonia, and was on that account attacked by the Romans and plundered of all its statues and works of art (Liv. xxxii. 16). After the conquest of Greece by the Romans, it was declared free; but it never recovered from the blow it had received (Polyb. xiii. 28). Its ruins are to be found near a promontory which is situated opposite to the mouth of the river Asopus in Boeotia.