Bura (Achaea)

Bura was an ancient city of Achaea, one of the twelve original cities of the Achaean League. It was located approximately 40 stadia (around 7.4 km or 4.6 miles) inland from the Gulf of Corinth, near the modern town of Diakopto in Greece. The city was situated on a height, providing a natural defensive advantage.

According to Pausanias, Bura was founded by Ion, who named it after his daughter Bura. It was known for its oracle of Heracles and its sanctuary dedicated to Demeter.

In 373 BC, Bura, along with its neighboring city Helike, was completely destroyed by a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami. The earthquake was said to have been preceded by unusual phenomena, including the disappearance of mice and other small animals from the city five days before the disaster. The resulting seismic sea wave submerged both cities, killing their inhabitants.

Despite its destruction, Bura was later rebuilt, though it never regained its former prominence. Strabo mentions that Bura was rebuilt at some distance from its original site. Pausanias visited the city in the 2nd century AD and described its remnants, including a temple dedicated to Demeter, a spring called Sybaris, and the ruins of its theatre. The territory of Bura, after its destruction, was under the control of Aegae.