The archaeological site of Ancient Stageira is located 500 meters southeast from Olympiada, on a small, mountainous peninsula called "Liotopi". It was founded in 665 BC by the Ionian colonists from Andros and Chalkida.
It is famous because it was the hometown of the great Greek philosopher Aristotle and its history is linked with his name.
After the Persian Wars, the city joined the First Athenian Union, but it rebelled against it during the Peloponnesian War and joined Spartans instead. This fact displeased the Athenians who consequently besieged the city but without success. Later on, Stageira joined the Union of cities of Halkidiki, the seat of which was in Olynthos.
In 349 BC it was destroyed by the soldiers of Philip II but it was reconstructed after his order, in honor of the philosopher Aristotle. The damage though was crucial since Stravon, a geographer who lived in the time of Jesus, said that Stageira was finally deserted.
A thousand years later, on the same spot, some scripts about a medieval castle called "Livasdias" or "Lipsasda" initiated the excavations. After a while, the archaeological excavations brought to light the important parts of the ancient city that are open to the public today.