LOCATION Π HISTORY ΠMONUMENTS
It is located at 220 Π 240 m high at the western side of Taygetos Mountain, with a panoramic view supervising Messinian Bay.
It is at a distance of 4km from the central road Kalamata Π Areopolis. Its name Proastio or Prasteio is due to the words Proastia or Prasteia. They were so called the piece of land offered form the Emperor of Byzantine to the army officers of the Empire. This region was offered to house of nobles of Melissinon, on 1435, a few years before the end of the Empire. Today, there is no one rest from that family at Proastio. Possibly they went to Italy or they changed their name to ΤRoussosΥ because of their hair colour which was red / Rousse and the region is called Rousseas, and that replaced the name Melissinos. During the Turkish domination, Proastio was the most important centre of the revolutionaries. On 1670, the Turkish burned the village and a great number of the residents went abroad.
Great number of the residents went abroad, to South Italy, at Taranto.
There many references to Proastio in the historical researches.
The historian K.N. Stathas quotes:
During the Turkish occupation in Greece, Petros Medikos, an important personality coming from Proastio In this same work, he refers that when Maniates called for help Duke Never, Nikitas Melissinos represented the village, called Tavoularis of Hora Proastio.
In his work Monuments of the Greek History he mentions Proastio as one of the heroic military place, which always resisted to the enemy. In the ΤLibrary of MediaevalΥ is mentioned in the captaincy of Androuvista during the second part of 15th century, there were three regions inhabited. One of them was Proastio. The French historian Buchon, informs us that during the 16th century there were 8 villages in Androuvista area. One of them was Proastio.
In the registry book of the Metropolis of Monemvasia and Kalamata, is written that on June 27, 1743, at the cherish of Faneromeni at Proastio they elected the Bishop of Milea. The act is signed by the Bishop of Zarnata Grigorios and of Proastio Gerasimos.
Mr. Thomas Parnell, Consul of Holland in Patras, has visited the region on 1817 and in his report he says that Proastio was the most important of Kardamilis villages.
Proastio is like an open museum. From its 250-300 buildings, there are 50 and more churches saved, of monastery, parish or belonging to families. This proves the great faith of the residents. Some of them are in a good condition but the others are almost in ruins.
Agii Theodori is the first church built from Melissinous. There is also Agii Theodori, Agios Nikolaos etc. there some efforts to restore these churches by the Municipality. Proastio was the Episcopal see, but we do not know until when.
There were some famous painters at the region too whose names we found at the church codes. Some of them are: Nikolaos Nomitzis, Anagnostis Selemperdakis, Anagnostis Kakaletrakis, Anagnostis kalliergakis, Georgios Mihaleas, Dionysios Xarhakos, and Ilias Hatzeas. In almost all the churches of Mani there are portative icons and wall painted too.
A lot of them are ruined and despoiled. Let’s save as much as we can now.
In our days, Proastio occupies 50.000m2.
Melisini, Mediki, Skoubli, Pourgalei, Troupiani, Guioulei, were some of the well-known families of Proastio.
The Bishop of Maini Neofytos, uncle of the Bishop of Oitylo Prokopiou Guioulea, Lyberios Athinakis (his heirs are named Lybereas) were apostles of the Filiki Heteria. Proastio contribute to the Revolution.
Some of the heroes were:
- Perdikeas Jannis, 2. Botseas Dimitrios, 3. Pourgaleas Dimitrios, 4. Maraveleas Georgios, 5. Pepeas Petros, 6. Balahtaris Dimitrios, 7. Kombiliris Dimitrios, 8. Xepapadeas Panagiotis, 9. Giannakeas Anagnostis, 10. Tzamareteas Georgios, 11. Bourdoubeas Ioannis, 12. Giannakeas Theodoros, 13. Maraveleas Stratis, 14. Karabateas Panagiotis, 15. Dimitrouleas Thomas.
After the deliberation of the nation, Proastio was the siege of the Municipality and the first Mayor was Panagiotis Patriarheas (1836). The Municipality was until 1840 and some of the villages were Saidona, Lakkos and Petrovouni. Then it was incorporated to Kardamili Municipality. On 1914 the municipality was annulled and the bigger villages became communities. Proastio and Lakkos were autonomy communities until 1998 and then became Municipal Departments of the Municipality of Lefktron.
POPULATION Π OCCUPATION:
There are 469 residents in Proastio. Their main occupation is the olive grove and the cattle breeding. During the summer time, the tourism at the coastal zone.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION Π ORDERS OF THE SETTLEMENT.
The roads had to be maintained. Specially the regional road. The settlement is a new one but is developing without any urban planning. It has to be an urban intervention before it will be too late.
WATER SUPPLY Π DRAINAGE.
There is enough water in the region. But there is a problem of water deficiency during the summer. The water main is very old. It has been constructed 30 years ago.
There is not drain installation. There are only some tanks and the wastes go out to the road.
CULTURE Π EDUCATION