Cheronia is located in the plain of the Boeotian Kifissos. The present village is built on the site of ancient Cheronia. Archaeological findings and reports confirm that the area was inhabited from the 6th millennium BC. The ancient acropolis of Cheronia crowns the hill of Petrachos with parts of the fortification of the Archaic period, a cyclopean construction of Mycenaean origin and later parts of the 4th century BC. The fortification seems to have surrounded the surviving theater, which is dated from the end of the 5th century BC.

The famous battle of Cheronia took place in the area in 338 BC, between Phillipos of Macedonia and the combined forces of the Athenians, Boeotians, Thebans, Megareans, Eboeans, etc., which ended in the crushing defeat of the allies. The victory of the Macedonians inaugurated the period of their domination, put an end to the power of the Greek city-states and finally contributed to the unification of the Greeks. The Thebans buried the fallen men in a polyandrium guarded by the famous marble statue, the "Lion of Cheronia".

Two other important battles took place in the area, the first in 86 B.C. between the Roman Silla and the King of Pontus Mithridates, which established Roman domination, and the second in 1311 between the Franks of the Grand Duke of Athens and Thebes Gautier de Brien, and the Knights and mercenaries of the Catalan Company. The Frankish defeat ended their rule in Greece and established Catalan rule in Central Greece.

Cheronia flourished during the Roman period. The city was was the home of the ancient Cheronian writer Plutarch. His throne was found in the site of the ancient theater and is located in the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. In 551 AD it was completely destroyed by a strong earthquake. During the Frankish and Turkish occupation remained an insignificant town.