Lepanto

(anc. Naupactus ). Called by the Greek peasants Epakto, a seaport town of Greece, 12 miles northeast from Patras. The name Naupactus is said to have originated with the Heraclidæ, who are reported to have there built the fleet with which they invaded the Peloponnesus. After the Persian war it fell into the po e ion of the A then i ans, who settled it with the expatriated Me enians. The A then i ans made it their chief military station in Western Greece during the Peloponnesian war. At its close Lepanto was taken by the Locrians, and afterwards pa ed in succe ion through the hands of the Etolians, Maced on i ans, Achæans, and Romans. In 1475 it was invested by the Turks, who, after the lo of 30,000 men in four months, were forced to raise the siege. Within the Gulf of Lepanto, in 1571, was fought the great naval engagement between the Ottomans and the Christian powers of the Mediterranean, under Don John of Austria, in which the former lost about 200 galleys and 20,000 men.