Roman Villa of Skala
On Gingerguide's self-guided Kefalonia audio tour, Roman Villa of Skala is a stop worth about ~40 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type ruins
- Suggested visit ~40 min
- Kefalonia Kefalonia guide
About Roman Villa of Skala
The remains of a Roman country house of the 2nd or 3rd century AD near the beach at Skala, with fine floor mosaics of a sacrifice and of Envy attacked by wild beasts.
The Roman villa of Skala lies in an olive grove by a stream, a short walk from the centre of Skala on the south-east coast. It dates from the 2nd or 3rd century AD and was probably a working country estate. Excavated in 1957 by Vassilios Kallipolitis, it had five rooms and a courtyard off a long hall; four rooms have mosaic floors. A fire destroyed it in the 4th century, and an early Christian church was built into the ruins.
In the hall, the Envy mosaic shows a young man, the personification of envy, attacked by four big cats, with a verse inscription. Another room shows a sacrifice at an altar with a boar, a bull and a ram. Both inscriptions name Krateros, perhaps the artist, the patron or both. A modern roof and raised walkways protect the mosaics.
Did you know? The Envy mosaic of the Skala villa shows a young man attacked by a panther, a tiger, a leopard and a lion. The pavement is about 8.2 metres long, with a twelve-line verse inscription.
How much time do you need at Roman Villa of Skala?
Around ~40 min works well for Roman Villa of Skala — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Roman Villa of Skala?
Yes — Roman Villa of Skala made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Kefalonia. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Kefalonia
Day 2 of the Kefalonia in 2 days itinerary →
Updated:
Hear the story of Roman Villa of Skala
Preview the Kefalonia tour free in the Gingerguide app.