Middle Palaeolithic (c.100.000–35.000 BC)
Flaked stone tools found on the western banks of the Asterion river suggest frequent human visits over a long period of time.
Mesolithic (c. 11.000–10.000 BC)
Two sites in the Klissoura pass well placed to take advantage of the animals and plants along the homonymous stream.
Early and early Middle Neolithic period (c. 6000–4500 BC)
A large settlement existed in the valley at Mastos Hill.
Final Neolithic period (c. 4500–3000 BC)
In total six settlement sites from the period were found in the Berbati valley
Early Helladic period (c. 3100–2000 BC)
In total 21 sites are known. Habitation was concentrated to the southern slope of Psili Rachi
Early Helladic (c. 3100–2700 BC)
Early settlement on the southern slope of the Mastos Hill. Excavations revealed two house complexes, a stone pavement and several bothroi (pits for votive offerings).
Early Helladic III (c. 2200–2000 BC)
Destruction by a large fire of the settlement on the southern slope of Mastos Hill.
Late Helladic I (c. 1600–1500 BC)
Mastos Hill was inhabited and it has been suggested that Berbati was a small but independent chiefdom.
Late Helladic II (c. 1500–1390 BC)
Date of the Tholos Tomb based on the find of Palace Style pottery as well as other ceramics.
Late Helladic II (c. 1500-1390BC)
Potter’s Quarter with kiln and two pottery dumps was created on the eastern slope of Mastos Hill around 1400BC. The vessels produced at Mastos have been found as far away as on Cyprus and in the Levant.
Late Helladic IIIA2 (c. 1370-1300BC)
Increased settlement activity and intensified utilization of the land all over the valley. Substantial expansion of the activity areas on Mastos Hill. Production of Female figurines at Mastos.
Late Helladic IIIB1 (c. 1300-1240BC)
Construction of Mycenaean Highway M1 leading from Mycenae east around Kondovouni hill and then north along the western banks of Asterion to the plateau of Stephani and from there to Tenea and Corinth. An auxilary road facilitated the transportation of goods from Berbati to Mycenae.
Late Helladic IIIB2 (c. 1240-1190BC)
The sharp decline in material from LH IIIB2, continuing into the subsequent LH IIIC, suggest that the prosperity of the valley was closely tied to that of Mycenae. After Mycenaes decline, the settlements and the workshop at Mastos were gradually abandoned.
Early Iron Age (1100-800 BC)
No evidence of settlement or other activity in the Berbati Valley until the very end of the Early Iron Age when earliest activities attributed to pastoralist groups appear at the site of Pyrgouthi.
Late Geometric I (c. 750 BC)
Renewed activity in the NW part of the Berbati valley. The area was resettled by people living around Mycenae.
Late Geometric II (c. 735–700 BC)
Cult at the Late Helladic II tholos. The tomb was reused as a religious site to the end of the 6th century BC. The cult is interpreted as a hero or tomb cult.
Classical Period
A major resettlement took place around the middle of the 5th century BC, starting in the central area of the Valley. Two kilns, used mainly for the production of rooftiles but quickly abandoned, were identified at Pyrgouthi.
Hellenistic period
A peak in habitation takes place in the late 4th and early 3rd century BC. The sites were agricultural in nature with the exception of two potential sanctuaries as well as three towers, of which the Pyrgouthi Tower that was built around 300 BC.
Early and Middle Roman (c. 100BC–300AD)
The tower at Pyrgouthi was refurbished and a building with relatively large rooms constructed immediately to the west. But the phase did not last long. General decline of number of sites in the valley.
Late Roman times (c. 300–500AD)
A large roman villa with auxiliary facilities was constructed around 300 AD in the center of the valley. Evidence of a farm complex with one or more farmsteads in the western area of the valley. Evidence of industrial activity in the form of a possible water mill near Mastos. The villa dominated the valley’s economy during the 4th and 5th century AD.
Late Antiquity/Early Byzantine period (c.500-800AD)
After the collapse of the villa’s economy around the middle of the 5th century, the number of sites in the valley increased. The tower at Pyrgouthi was turned into a large farm house sometime between the 6th and mid-7th century AD. The prosperity did not last long. The site was abandoned after the destruction of the tower by a fire. Slav raids, earthquakes and the plague resulted in a gradual abandonment of the valley.
Middle Byzantine period (c. 800-1204)
The following 400 years (700-1100AD) saw an almost totally uninhabited valley, where the lack of farmers must have meant a complete breakdown of agriculture and a possible shift to cattle herding.
Medieval period
The Valley was resettled around 1100AD. The center of habitation moved to the area of Mastos Hill, where a fortified settlement of fairly large dimensions existed during the 11th-13th century. Smaller settlements and farmsteads existed in the Berbati Valley, along with a number of chapels and perhaps one monastery.
Late Byzantine period (c.1204-1453)
The division of the Peloponnese among the Franks caused repeated wars between the Byzantines and Franks and Franks and Venetians, often with the frontlines around the Berbati area, leading to the abandonment of the site at Mastos and depopulation of the valley.
Late Byzantine period (c. 1350-1453)
Large migration waves of Albanian settlers into the Peloponnese started from 1350 onwards on invitation of Byzantine and Latin rulers who employed them as soldiers (stradioti) while their families re-settled depopulated areas. The first “Arvanites” probably settled in the Berbati Valley around 1450 and were of the Barbati clan, thus giving the valley it’s name.
Kingdom of the Morea (c.1700)
(Venetian Rule) In the Grimani Census of 1700, Berbati is listed with 20 families and 82 inhabitants in total and belongs administratvely to the Territorio di Corinto. Around that time, the “Old Village” located on the southwestern slope of Psili Rachi is abandoned and moves to its current location in the eastern part of the valley.
Greek Revolution (July 28th 1822)
After the Battle at the mountain pass of Dervenakia that took a heavy toll on the Ottoman invasion forces under commander-in-chief Mahmoud Pasha Dramali, the remnants of the troops pushed for Corinth by the pass of the Kleisoura, but were ultimately annihilated by the Greek guerilla troops of Nikitas Stamatelopoulos and Papaflessas on the Stephani-Aghionori plateau.
1834 – The village is annexed to the municipality of Limnon
Berbati (230 villagers) is assigned to the newly formed municipality of Limnon. The capital of the municipality is the village Limnes, one of the largest villages of the Argolid and Corinthia of the time.
1840 – The village is annexed to the municipality of Inachia
The municipality of Limnon (Berbati and Limnes) is merged with the Municipality of Inachia, which consists of the villages of Epano Fychtia, Borsa, Priftani, Malandrini, Chonikas, Passia (the original seat of the Municipality which was renamed in 1834 to Inachia), Boutia, Plessa, Vasorka and Vardouva. The village of Chonikas is declared the new seat of the Municipality.
1867 – Berbati becomes the capital village of the Municipality of Inachia
Berbati (443 villagers) becomes the capital village of the Municipality of Inachia, which consists of a total of seven (7) villages: Limnes (895 villagers), Chonikas (248 villagers), Ano Boutia (172 villagers), Kato Boutia (129 villagers), Passia and Vardouva (with a total of 384 villagers).
1871 – The municipality of Inachia is renamed Prosymnae
The Municipality of Inachia is renamed the Municipality of Prosymnae following the opinion of the archaeologist P. Efstratiadis, who also determined the emblem of the municipality, a peacock with spreaded tail feathers, which was inspired by an ancient imperial coin of the Argives.
1912 – Community of Berbati
The multi-community municipalities are dissolved and Berbati becomes a self-governing community of the prefecture of Argolis.
1927 – Berbati is renamed Prosymni
Within the official policy of removing non-Greek place names and replacing them with revived ancient names or local Greek-language names, the village and the community of Berbati are renamed Prosymni by the Greek State (Government Gazzete 206 A). The name Berbati will continue to be in use by the Berbatiotes and neighboring villagers for the next century to come. Archaeologists also continue to use the name Berbati, as the name Prosymna refers historically to a region south of the Heraion of Argos, creating confusion.
1943 (November) – German Occupation
German occupation forces burn down the village as retaliation for the assassination of four german soldiers and the wounding of another two by local resistance groups.
1949 – Prefecture of Argolis
After the administrative reform that divided the prefecture of Argolis and Corinthia into two seperate prefectures, Berbati (Prosymni) falls officialy under the prefecture of Argolis.
1953 – Water supply of the village
At the expense of expatriates from America, water from the Spring of the Panaghia is brought to the village and two years later a supply network is constructed.
1965 – Electrification of the village
The village is elecitrified in December 1965.
1997 – Municipality of Mycenae
The village seizes to exist as a self-governing community and is officialy annexed to the Municipality of Mycenae