Above the town of Domokos, at a short distance, dominates a hill on which are the walls of a medieval castle.

The castle is built on an ancient acropolis.

History

Towards the end of the Middle Byzantine period (11th-12th century) Domokos was part of the Byzantine province of Vlachia. Perhaps the castle was created then, or a little later in the 13th century, as Domokos is not mentioned at all by the sources earlier.

After 1204 and the beginning of Franngokratia, the region belonged to the king of Thessaloniki, Boniface of Momferrat, according to the Partitio Romaniae (the crusaders’ agreement for the division of Byzantine territories).

The Frankish occupation, at this stage, did not last long. Soon the area was captured by the Greeks of the Despotate of Epirus. This probably happened in 1218, when Constantine Komnenos Doukas, brother of the Despot of Epirus Theodore, occupied lands in Thessaly, Fthiotida and Aetoloakarnania on behalf of the Despotate.

In 1268 Domokos became part of the Kingdom of Thessaly or “Great Wallachia”, the state founded by John I Doukas Angelos, illegitimate son of the Despot of Epirus Michael II Angelos.

In 1310, the Duke of Athens hired the Catalan Company (after the huge devastation this company caused in Thrace) to use it against the Kingdom of Thessaly. The Catalan Company, within 6 months, managed to capture 30 castles, among which it was also the castle of Domokos.
This is the first time that a castle in Domokos was mentioned.

After the battle of Kifissos in 1311, Domokos must have come back under the control of the Byzantines of Thessaly. In 1319, with the dissolution of the Kingdom of Thessaly, the neighboring states rushed to take advantage and Domokos was occupied by the Catalan commissioner of the Duchy of Athens, Alfonso Fadric (or Fadrigo). The castle remained in the hands of the Catalans for a few decades. Later, probably in the 1330s, it came under the control of the Byzantine Empire.

Domokos is mentioned among the castles captured by the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I in 1393, during his campaign in Greece.

Based on this history, Domokos Castle existed in the early 14th century, so it was a 13th century construction – at least. Most likely, it was built during the period of the Kingdom of Thessaly, i.e. towards the end of the 13th century, without excluding a slightly earlier date, i.e. either during the short Frankish period 1205-1218 (probably not) or in the 12th century.