Origin

The fertile land of Ancient Tenea, the plain and the surrounding hills, has been known since the Mycenaean period. The agricultural products of the area were fine and were part of the diet of the inhabitants of neighboring cities.

The need for intensive cultivation of the Tenea land must have been the reason that, according to Pausanias, it was inhabited by Trojan prisoners, who were forcibly transferred from Tenedos and with the permission of Agamemnon, settled in Ancient Tenea. That is why there is a nomenclature.

In the area of ​​Ancient Tenea, Oedipus spent his childhood, whose adoptive father was Polyvos, tyrant of Corinth.

Chiliomodi is located in Corinthos at the Peloponnese region. Is a semi-mountainous town 340 meters above sea level. It is the capital of the Municipal Unit of Tenea. Ancient Tenea, which recently has been discovered, had been flourished until the end of the Roman Empire and was based on the export of fine agricultural products to the cities of the Peloponnese and as far as Italy.

The good climate and the soil of the area, host the extensive olive groves that produce the "MANAKI" variety olive oil which is known for its excellent quality.

The ancient city of TENEA was unearthed in 2018
According to the myth, the city was founded by the Trojans (11th century BC) and it is called by many “The Troy of Greece”. It is also said to be the place where Oedipus was raised by King Polybus.

The city occupied a strategic location, controlling the roadway from Argos and Mycenae to Ancient Corinth. It was one of the largest and prosperous cities in the ancient region of Northeast Peloponnese.

Archaeological investigations continue till this day revealing unique findings in the area known today as Chiliomodi. Among these discoveries are the twin marbled Kouroi (Apollos) (530–520 BC), which are displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth and the Kouros of TENEA, discovered in 1846 and housed in the Glyptothek of Munich since 1854.

Irene Papas (Irini Lelekou), born in Chiliomodi in 1929, rose to become one of Greece’s most celebrated and internationally recognized actresses. With powerful screen presence and a timeless voice, she starred in classics like Electra, Zorba the Greek, and The Guns of Navarone. She embodied strength, dignity, and the essence of the Greek spirit. Despite her global success, Papas always carried Chiliomodi in her heart. The village where she was born remained her emotional anchor, influencing her sensibility and giving her performances depth and authenticity.