Phokis (Phocis)

Phokis (Φωκις) is a region of central Greece

Just north of the Gulf of Corinth, this mountainous region is home to several ranges, including Mt Giona (2510m), Mt Vardousia (2495m), Mt Parnassos (2457m), and Mt Oeta (2152m).

Bauxite is mined from the Parnassos mountain range and used in the production of aluminum. The flatter regions along the Gulf are dense with olive trees, and grapes and wheat are common crops of the fertile plain. The Mornos River, which runs from Mt Oeta and feeds into the Gulf of Corinth, was dammed in the 1960s and 70s, creating a reservoir for the region.

Ancient Sites and Temples

The region is home to one of the most important sacred centers of the ancient world: Delphi and its oracle, the Pythia.

Phokis’s ancient boundaries roughly match today’s modern regional unit, now called Phokida (Φωκίδα). Amfissa (Άμφισσα) is the modern capital of the district and its bordering regions are: Boeotia (east), Aetolia-Acarnania (west), and Phthiotis (north), as well as a very small border with Evrytania (northwest).

Phokis/Phokida is now included as part of Sterea Ellada, the central region of Greece.