Larissa is an ancient city inhabited almost 4,000 years. Archaeological research indicate that the region of Larissa inhabited during the Palaeolithic period. The power of the city until the end of the domination of the Macedonians had the Thessalian Aleys. At the period of the Persian wars the inhabitants fought against the other Greeks alongside the foreign invaders. During the Peloponnesian war fought with the Athenians.
The city was conquered by the Macedonians under Philip II (344-196 BC) and then the Romans (197 BC). Later the city was taken by Byzantium and in all these centuries received consecutive invasions. Then came to the power of the Turks until 1881, when liberated by the Greek army. Until the annexation of Thessaly, the city bore the name Yeni Shehir Feneri, as opposed to the Yeni Shehir Egialeti which was the name of the wider region, around todays prefecture. In 1941 the city suffered major disasters from the bombing of the Italian aircraft.
In Larisa lived and died, around the age of ninety years, the Father of Medicine Hippocrates, who was buried somewhere between Gyrtonis, Tirnavos and Larissa.
Today Larissa is one of the largest Greek cities. It has three hospitals (the General Hospital of the city, the University Hospital and Military Hospital) and many public services. It is the headquarters of Thessaly Region, of Tactical Airforce, of the 1st Army, of the NATO Headquarters, of the Thessalian Theatre, of the School of Medicine and the School of Biochemistry - Biotechnology of the University of Thessalyas well as the Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, the third largest TEI in the country . Today is the first city in Greece in coverage of greenery by sq.m. of urban space.
The football team of the Athletic Union of Larissa (AEL) is the only provincial team that has taken a championship and two cups Greece.