HISTORY

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The etymology of the name "Koniska"

According to MAX VASNER who wrote a book about the slavic villaeg names in Greece, "DIE SLAVEN IN GRIECHENLAND", the word is of slavic origin and means horse place:

 

The history of Koniska

The ancient history of the village is not known. There is no doubt, though, that the area was inhabited in ancient times as witnessed by the remnants of walls and tombs abounting in the area. The Aetolian races living in the area were the Eurytaneans, the Ofioneians, the Apodotians and the Kallieians. According to Pouqueville, who travelled in the greater area between the years 1805-1815 Koniska belonged to the Kravara area, where in ancient times the Ozolian Lokroi were living.

The first written document where the village is referred to by its present name, dates back to the beginning of 18th century.

At the late byzantine times and during the Turkish occupation, Koniska was bound to Nafpaktos because Kravara belonged to this city. Koniska participated in the liberation fight started in 1821. Many Koniskians took part in the battle of Agrinion (then named Vrachori) that resulted to its liberation. In 1823 they took part in the battle of Kaliakouda against Mustafa, pasha of Skodra, but in this battle the Greeks lost and the villages all around were enslaved to the Turks again. According to tradition, there was another battle against the Turks in 1828 in Kotsi Pournari location, where the Turks were defeated and never set foot to the village again.

After the liberation, Koniska was part of municipality of Proschio, which belonged to Nafpaktos district. The seat of Proschio borough was in Platanos.

Koniska remained in the same borough until 1868, when it was put in the newlly formed borough of Parevinion, whose seat was in Koniska. This borough also included the village of Terpitsa (today Diplatanos) and totalled 1084 inhabitants. The image at the side shows the seal of the borough. In 1904 the settlement Kokkiani formed a new village with the name of Agios Ioannis. In 1908 the borough was taken off the Nafpaktos district and was put in Trichonida district where it remains until today.

In 1912 Koniska, Agios Ioannis and the settlement of Poulinos formed the municipality of Koniska, which survived until 1997, when Koniska was put again in Thermon borough.

Schools - Churches

The first school in Koniska was built in 1840. In 1900 a new wing was build for boys near the location of the present school. Both buildings, though, were destroyed in 1944 by the Germans. The new school was built in 1956, but, unfortunately, today it is not working because of the lack of children.

Population evolution

Census year	Koniska	Agios Ioannis	Poulinos
1910	710	221	118
1928	755	155	121
1940	703	100	61
1951	440	159	104
1961	589	-	-
1971	211	77	42
1981	217	-	30
1991	219	70	-
2001	293	78	20

Emigration

Koniska is a mountainous and poor in resources village. Communication with other areas was always difficult (first car arrived in Koniska in 1958). It was therefore a natural consequence that its inhabitants sought better fortune in other places. In 1870 the emigration to other countries started. People's preferred choice was Romania, Russia and the USA. The emigration flow towards the latter soared in 1900 and continued for many decades. Many of the emigrants later returned to the village with considerable wealth. Some of them gave substantial amounts to finance communal projects.

Internal emigration (within Greece) started in the 60's. (See population table above). Most people went to Athens, others to north Peloponnese, Patra, Mesolongi, Agrinion, Ioannina, Salonika etc.

Many of the emigrants visit the village in the summer to spend their vacations. They have repaired their family houses or built new ones. In the summer the village is full of people.