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(Χαλάστρα; Chalástra). [German version] [1] City at the mouth of the Axius City at the mouth of the Axius (Str. 7 fr. 20; 23; cf. Hdt. 7,123), identified by Hecataeus as belonging to Thrace (Steph. Byz. s.v.). The population was recruited for the foundation of Thessalonica (Str. 7 fr. 21). Not located. Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography F. Papazoglou, Les villes de Macédoine, 1988, 199. [German version] [2] Lake Natron-bearing lake, probably near the town of the same name (Steph. Byz. s.v.; Plin. HN 31,107; Suda s.v.). Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn)

[German version] (Καμβούνια; Kamboúnia). Mountainous region in northern Greece west of Mt. Olympus, which separated the Macedonian region of  Elimea from the tripolis of the Perrhaebi, and forms the southern watershed of the  Haliacmon. The easiest way to cross the C. was via the pass of Volustana (918 m) (cf. Liv. 42,53,6; 44,2,10). Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography B. Saria, s.v. Volustana, RE 9A, 906.

(Βέροια; Béroia). [German version] [1] In Macedonia This item can be found on the following maps: Christianity | Macedonia, Macedones | Macedonia, Macedones | Education / Culture In Macedonia. Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) [German version] A. Hellenistic and Roman periods City in Macedonian  Bottice, east of the Bermium; now Verria. First mentioned in the 5th cent. BC (Thuc. 1,61,4), B. had its development, like many Macedonian cities, principally in the Hellenistic period; the Antigonids seem to have particularly favoured…

[German version] (Λυδίας; Lydías). Navigable river in Macedon (supplied by the nowadays dried Lake Loudias), which connected Pella with the sea (Str. 7, fr. 20; 22). Mentioned already by Hecat. FGrH 1 F 147 and Scyl. 66. The mouth appears to have shifted to the north in antiquity, since Hdt. 7,127 reports a common mouth of the L. and the Haliacmon. Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography F. Papazoglou, Les villes de Macédoine, 1988, 101f., 125 map 2.

[German version] (Δόβηρος; Dóbēros). City in Paeonia, probably in the valley of the Strymon. Place of assembly for Sitalces' assault on the Macedonian kingdom in 432 BC (Thuc. 2,98,2). Absorbed into Macedon (possibly under Philip II), D. became a civitas of the Roman province of Macedonia (Plin. HN 4,35). Pillaged by the Goths in AD 267 (Zos. 1,43); diocese (Council of Chalcedon). Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography F. Papazoglou, Les villes de Macédoine, 1988, 328f.

[German version] I. Persons (Δίων; Díōn) Meister, Klaus (Berlin) [German version] [I 1] Close friend of Plato and defender of his philosophy Son of Hipparinus, brother-in-law and son-in-law of Dionysius I of Syracuse, b. 409 BC, close friend of Plato and defender of his philosophy since Plato's first visit to Syracuse in 388. He gained prestige and wealth as Dionysius' I' trusted friend and advisor and also remained an influential person under Dionysius II. In 366, he arbitrated the peace with Carthage and called Pl…

[German version] (Ξυλόπολις; Xylopolis). Settlement at Mygdonia [1] in Macedonia (Plin. HN. 4,35; Ptol. 3,13,36), not located. Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn)

[German version] (Πρασιὰς λίμνη; Prasiàs límnē). Lake in the Strymon valley (modern Limni Kerkinis in Greece). The Paeones lived there in palafittes as Hdt. 5,15 f. describes them. Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography N. G. L. Hammond, A History of Macedonia, vol. 1, 1972, 193 f.  Müller, 89 f.

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Christianity | Diadochi and Epigoni | Macedonia, Macedones | Macedonia, Macedones | Punic Wars (Πύδνα; Pýdna). Greek seaport on the coast of Pieria in Macedonia to the north of Cape Atherida (Macedonia, with maps). As early as the 5th cent. BC, P. was considered to belong to Macedonia (Thuc. 1,137,2: “ἐς Πύδναν τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρου”, referring to king Alexander [II 2] of Macedonia). In 432 BC, P. was besieged by the Athenians (Thuc. 1,61,2 f.); in 410, it was final…

(Θεσσαλονίκη/ Thessaloníkē). [German version] [1] City in Thessalia This item can be found on the following maps: Thraci, Thracia | Caesar | Christianity | | Coloniae | Diadochi and Epigoni | Commerce | Hellenistic states | Limes | Macedonia, Macedones | Macedonia, Macedones | Pilgrimage | Pompeius | Punic Wars | Rome | Rome (Latin Thessalonica, -nice; today also T.) Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) [German version] I. Location, Classical Period City on the Thermaic Gulf (Thermaios Kolpos) with a favourable natural harbour and best connections with the hin…

[I] (Ἄξιος; Áxios). Largest river in  Macedonia, today Vardar; rises in Sar Planina and flows into the Aegean to the west of Thessalonica. Barely navigable owing to its gorges, the A. valley does, however, form the main overland route between the Aegean and the region around the Danube, a route which has been in use from the time of antiquity and is still used today. The A. flowed through the settlement territories of the Dardani, the Paeones and the Macedones (Amphaxitis). [II] Plebeian gentile name, mentioned in records since the 3rd cent. BC and possibly connected with th…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Theatre | Christianity | | Coloniae | Macedonia, Macedones | Macedonia, Macedones | Balkans, languages (Στόβοι/ Stóboi). City in Paeonia (Paeones, Paeonia) with an Illyrian/Thracian/Macedonian population, on the route through the valley of the Axios from Thessalonica to the Ister [1] (Danube), at the mouth of the Erigonus (Str. 8,8,5). Macedonian probably since Antigonus [3], who re-established S. as Antigoneia (Plin. HN 4,34). After the Roman peace of 168 BC the city belonged to the 2nd merís ('region') of Macedonia, …

[German version] (Λύγκος; Lýnkos). Upper Macedonian region north of Eordaea and Orestis whose inhabitants were called Lynkēstaí. In the 5th cent. BC, L. was not yet integrated by the Macedonian Argead kings into their region of power (Thuc. 2,99,2; 4,83,1), which probably did not occur until under Philip II, who possibly founded the important city of Heraclea [2]. The …

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Macedonia, Macedones | Persian Wars (Θέρμη; Thérmē). City on the Thermaios Kolpos, which …

[German version] (Βυλάζωρα, Βυλάζωρ, -ωρος; Bylázōra, Bylázōr, - ōros). Largest town in  Paeonia (Pol. 5,97), seized by Philippus V as a bulwark against the  Dardani (cf. Liv. 44,26,8 for 168 BC). Generally localized in the Axius valley near Veles, but so far finds have been insufficient to allow a definite identification.…

(Μεθώνη/ Methṓnē, Μοθώνη/ Mothṓnē). [German version] [1] City on the west coast of Messana [2] This item can be found on the following maps: Sparta | Achaeans, Achaea | Macedonia, Macedones A city on the west coast of Messana [2]. Its indigenous name was Mothṓnē (Μοθώνη on coins), after the reef called Móthōn which rose in front of it; hence the medieval and modern name Modon, Mothoni, Methoni (Μεθώνη in Thuc. 2,25,1ff. and Strab. 8,4,3). There are few ancient remains: isolated bases of city walls under the Venetian fortress and the breakwater wa…

[German version] (Ἀλμωπία; Almōpía). Fertile landscape in  Macedonia on the upper Ludias (today Moglenitsa), occupied early on by the Argeads (Thuc. 2,99,5). None of the cities Horma, Europus or Apsalus named in Ptol. 2,13,24 have been located. Under Roman rulership, there apparently was a civitas A. (Hierocles, Synekdemos 638,10). Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography F. Papazoglou, Les villes de Macédoine, 1988, 169-173.

(Ἀπολλωνία; Apollōnía). [German version] [1] City in southern  Illyricum This item can be found on the following maps: | Colonization | Macedonia, Macedones | Persian Wars …

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Delian League (Ἀκρόθῳον, Ἀκρόθῳοι; Akróthōion, Akróthōioi). Small town on the  Athos peninsula, south-east of the Xerxes canal (Hdt. 7,22,1; near the modern Magistis Lavras?). Apart from a local dialect, Gr…

(Ἡράκλειον; Hērákleion). [German version] [1] Town on Crete's northern coast Town on Crete's northern coast, modern Iraklion. In a legal support agreement with Miletus (259/250 BC) H. appears as a sovereign town allied with  Knossos (Stv III 482 I) [1]. H. was in the 1st cent. BC, probably in succession to Amnisus, the port town of Knossos (Str. 10,4,7f.) and probably subject to it (cf. Str. 10,5,1). Based on Plin. HN 4,59, it was presumed that H. also bore the name Mation [2]. However, the consensus is that Pliny misunderstood his Greek source (πολισμάτιον Ἡ.; polismátion H., ‘the little…

[German version] (Καλίνδοια; Kalíndoia). Town in Mygdonia/Macedonia near the modern Kalamoton. In the 5th cent. BC, C. was part of the  Bottice (IG I3 76) and was probably still independent in 360 BC (IG IV2 1, 94 Ib 13), but may have come into the possession of the Macedonian kings under Philip II, and, together with neighbouring settlements, passed on to Macedonian settlers as a ‘donation’ ( dōreá) by Alexander the Great (SEG 36, 626). Latest under Augustus, C. became an autonomous city with its own council, ekklesia, and politarchs (SEG 35, 744). Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/La…

[German version] (Ἐλίμεια; Elímeia). Region, originally belonging to Epirus (Str. 9,5,11), east of the Pindus range on the upper course of the Haliacmon south of Orestis and Eordaea; from the 5th. cent. BC, the people of the Elimiotaea in upper Macedonia took their name from E. (Thuc. 2,99). The location of the eponymous town is uncert…

(Ἡράκλεια; Hērákleia). [German version] [1] H. Trachinia This item can be found on the following maps: Aetolians, Aetolia | Peloponnesian War | Education / Culture (Ἡράκλεια ἡ Τραχινία; H. hē Trachinía). City on a rock to the left of and above the exit of the gorge of the  Asopus [1] into the Spercheus plain, separated from Oete ( Oetaei, Oete) on the southern and western flanks by deep streambeds, where the Trachinian rocks rise up with their numerous tomb caves. The lower city has vanished without trace. H. was founded in 426 BC by the Spartans, who had been asked for help by Trachis against the Oetaei, c.…

(Πέλλα; Pélla). [German version] [1] City near modern Palea {{?}}Pella This item can be found on the following maps: …

[German version] (ᾈανή; Aianḗ). Macedonian town in  Elimea, 23 km south of the modern Kozani on the left bank of the  Haliacmon. Excavations have pointed to a prosperous settlement of the late Bronze Age to the 1st cent. BC, still verifiable for AD 100 [4. 15]. It was an important town in the classical and Hellenistic periods (myth of its foundation: Steph. Byz. s. v. A.), probably a royal seat with two stoas, and columned buildings with finds of imported Attic ceramics of the 5th cent. BC. Probably seat of the   …

(Πέτρα/ Pétra, 'rock') [German version] [1] Capital of the Nabataean Empire This item can be found on the following maps: Syria | Theatre | | Commerce | Hellenistic states | India, trade with | Limes | Rome | Rome | Egypt Capital of the Nabataean kingdom (Nabataei) in Edom, about 80 km to the south of the Dead Sea in the Wādı̄ Mūsā (in modern Jordan). The city is first mentioned by Diodorus [18] under the name Pétra (Diod. Sic. 19, 95-98) as the Nabataei's place of refuge and assembly ('High place, rock'). The inscriptionally documented Semitic name of P. is Raqmu. Although the surrounding are…

[German version] (Ἐορδαία, Ἐορδία; Eordaía, Eordía). Macedonian landscape east of Lyncus, west of Bermion, northeast of the watershed of the Haliacmon. Cities of E. were Arnisa, Cellis, Boceria. In 167 BC E. was annexed to Macedonia IV (Liv. 45,30,6). The via Egnatia led through E., in the Roman Imperial period apparently a civitas. Errington…

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[German version] Fortress in Dassaretia near Antigonea (modern Berat); captured in 200 BC by L. Apustius (Liv. 31,27,2). Probably identical to Gerus (Γεροῦς; Geroûs), that was conquered by Philip V in 217 BC (Pol. 5,108,8). …

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[German version] (Βαφύρας; Baphýras). River in Pieria, rising at Mount Olympus, then named Helicon, and discharging into the Aegean east of Dion. After an underground run of about 5 km, it continued above ground, and was navigable from Dion (Paus. 9,30,8). Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography N. G. L. Hammond, A History of …

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This item can be found on the following maps: Sassanids | Syria | Christianity | Zenobia | | Coloniae | Commerce | Asia Minor | Limes | Pilgrimage | Pompeius | Rome (Ἔδεσσα; Édessa). [German version] [1] City in central Macedonia This item can be found on the following maps: | Macedonia, Macedones City in central Macedonia at the eastern entrance to the Kara-Burun pass from Lower to Upper Macedonia, today known as Edessa, formerly as Vodena. In previous times, E. was wrongly regarded as the old Macedonian royal seat of  Aegae [1]. E. was first men…

[German version] (Ἐριγών; Erigṓn). Largest tributary of the  Axius, flows through the Macedonian regions of Lyncestis, Pelagonia and Derriopus, mouth near Stobi; today's Crna Reka. Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography F. Papazoglou, Les villes de Macédoine, 1988, 292.

[German version] (Λείβεθρα; Leíbethra). Macedonian city between Dion [II 2] and Heracleon [2] near modern Leptokarya (cf. Str. 7, fr. 18); its territorium bordered on Gonni [1. no. 2]. In the 3rd cent. BC, L. was considered to be autonomous as it received Delphian theōro…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Macedonia, Macedones (Δράβησκος; Drábēskos). City of the Edones near Zdravik c. 12 km north of  Amphipolis, where the Athen…

[German version] (Περραιβοί; Perrhaiboí). Tribe on the western slopes of Olympus [1] on the border between Thessalia and Macedonia. Still independent in Homer (Hom. Il. 2,749) , in the 5th cent. BC they were dependent on the Thessali, particularly on Larisa [3], as tributary períoikoi (Thuc. 4,78,6; Str. 9,5,19). From the period of thei…

[German version] (Μόρρυλος/ Mόrrylos). City in Macedonian Crestonia (Macedonia) near modern Ano Apostoloi, known from inscriptions no earlier than the Hellenistic period, later also mentioned in Plin. HN 4,35 and Ptol. 3,13,38. M. had city status in the 3rd cent. BC and received …

[German version] (Παίονες/ Paíones, Παιονία/ Paionía). Large tribe under its own king, inhabiting the north of the area later known as Macedonia, particularly in the valley of the Axius and the surrounding mountain regions as far as the Strymon (Thuc. 2,98,2; Str. 7,5,1). Hom. Il. 848-50 knew of the P. as friends of the Trojans; in c. 500 BC, the P. around Lake Prasias were temporarily deported to Phrygia by the Persian Megabazus (Hdt. 5,16) [1]. In 359 BC, P. attacked the Macedonians, but they were defeated and subjugated by Philip [4] II (Diod. Sic…

[German version] (Γόννος; Gónnos, Γόννοι; Gónnoi). Town of the  Perrhaebi, located on three hills to the north of the Peneius at the western entry to the Tempe valley. Evidence of settlement dates back to the Neolithic. In historical times, after initial domination by Larissa, the town gained in strategic importance in the course of the 4th cent. BC, following Philip II's conquest of Thessalia. It became a Macedonian fortress with a garrison and influx of Macedonian population, and experienced a peri…

[German version] (Λητή; Lētḗ). Strategically located city in Macedonia/Mygdonia near modern Liti, minted coins already before the city became Macedonian in the 5th cent. BC [1. 67-72]. In the 4th cent. BC recognized as a city within Macedonia (SEG 36,331 l. 19), L. kept a cult site for Demeter [2. 44 no. 123]. As an autonomous Macedonian city L. received Delphian theōroí (‘envoys’) in …

[German version] (Βέρμιον; Bérmion). Mountain in the south of  Macedonia, west of Emathia (now Doxa) and east of Beroea [1]. From here the Macedonians penetrated Lower Macedonia (Hdt. 8,138). B. is said to have been the home of the Thracian  Bryges (Str. 7 fr. 25).…

[German version] [1] Residence and burial place of the Macedonian Argead kings This item can be found on the following maps: Achaemenids | Dark Ages | Macedonia, Macedones | Macedonia, Macedones | Persian Wars | Education / Culture (Aegeae, Αἰγαί, Αἰγέαι [ Aigaí, Aigéai]). Residence and burial place of the Macedonian Argead kings near present-day Vergina. Starting point for the Macedonian conquering of Pieria and  Bottiaea and main seat of the king until  Pella was expanded for this purpose in the 4th cent. BC. From then onwards the site…

[German version] (Βόλβη; Bólbē). Marshy lake in the Mygdonian depression (Macedonia) on the land route running, on a west-east axis, from Thessalonica to Amphipolis that was also used by the via Egnatia to the south.  Apollonia [3] and Arethusa [8] were among the larger cities on the shoreline of the lake. Steph. Byz. (s.v. B.) mentions a city B.; a fortress named Bolbus was restored under Justinian (Procop. Aed. 4,4,43). Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn)…

[German version] (Πίμπλεια; Pímpleia). Village on the Macedonian coast in the territory of Dion [II 2], also Pipleia (cf. Hesych. s.v. Πίπλειαι; Varro Ling. 7,20), c. 3 km to the south of modern Dion. Orpheus is supposed to have lived in P. (Str. 7a,1,17f.), the place is supposed to have been dedicated to the Muses (Str. 9,2,25). Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography F. Papazogl…

[German version] (Μίεζα; Míeza). An ancient Macedonian town between Beroea [1] and Edessa [1], probably near modern Naoussa, its exact location is unknown. Aristotle [6] taught the young Alexander the Great at the Nymphaeum of M. (Plut. Alexander 7). Peucestas, the triērárchēs of Alexander, came from M. (Arr. Ind. 18,6; [2. 318f. no. 634]). In the 3rd cent. BC, M. had the status of a polis, and received …

This item can be found on the following maps: Theatre | Christianity | Coloniae | Macedonia, Macedones | Macedonia, Macedones | Natural catastrophes | Education / Culture | Mineral Resources (Φίλιπποι/ Phílippoi, Latin Philippi). [German version] I. Founding Hellenistic and Roman Periods City in eastern Macedonia, founded by Philip [4] II around 355 BC on the site of Crenides or Daton (App. B. Civ. 4,105) on the occasion of the conquest of the region between the Strymon and the Nestus [1], inhabited by the Thracians (Thraci). The Via Eg…

(Κύρρος; Kýrrhos). [German version] [1] Macedonian city Macedonian city near the modern Aravissos between Pella and Edessa, existed already in the 5th cent. BC (Thuc. 2,100,1); was to be the site of one of the gigantic temples supposedly planned by Alexander the Great (Diod. Sic. 18,4,5); half-finis…

(Μακεδονία/ Makedonía, Μακεδόνες/ Makedónes, Lat. Macedonia, Macedones). [German version] I. Geography, economy, ethnogenesis The core territory of the ancient Macedonian state was in the plains immediately to the east and north of the Olympus mountain range. Beginning with the 7th cent. BC, the Macedones conquered from their capital Aegae [1] step by step Pieria (south of the lower Haliacmon), Bottiaea (between Haliacmon and Axius), Almopia, Mygdonia (located in lowlands of lake Bolbe), Crestonia (to the no…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Delian League (Ἄργιλος; Árgilos). Founded by settlers from Andros, c. 3 km inland from the mouth of the Strymon. Member of the  Delian League, seceded from Athens in 424/23 BC (Thuc. 4,103,4), remained autonomous until the capture of Amphipolis by Philip II. A settlement sti…

[German version] ( Celetrum). Town in the Epirote or rather upper Macedonian region of Orestis, only once mentioned in literature with this name (Liv. 31,40,2), but because of the clearly described location identified as the modern Kastoria. Probably founded anew under Galerius at the beginning of the 4th cent. AD as Diokletianopolis, afterwards deserted, rebuilt under Justinian (Procop. Aed. 4,3). Bishop's seat in the 6th cent. AD (Hierocles, Synekdemos 642,12). …

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Thraci, Thracia | | Macedonia, Macedones | Macedonia, Macedones | Peloponnesian War | Delian League (Ἀμφίπολις; Amphípolis). City in the fertile land of the  Edones, on a hillside 4.5 km upriver of the mouth of the  Strymon which surrounds the city on three sides. It was founded in 437/6 BC by the Athenian Hagnon in this strategically dominating position (Ἐννέα Ὁδοί, Ennéa Hodoí, ‘Nine Ways’), with the support and participation of other Greek towns (Thuc. 9; Diod. Sic. 12,32,3). A. controlled the land rou…

[German version] (Βορμίσκος; Bormískos). City in  Mygdonia, east of Bolbe (Thuc. 4,103,1). Euripides is said to have been torn to pieces by dogs there (Steph. Byz. s.v.). B. was assimilated into  Arethusa [8] but even in the imperial period was remembered through the mutatio Euripides on the   via Egnatia . Errington, Robert Malcolm (Marburg/Lahn) Bibliography M. Zahrnt, Olynth und die Chalkidier, 1971, 170.

(Αἴσων; Aísōn). [German version] [1] Figure from Greek mythology, eponym of the city of Aeson Son of Cretheus and Tyro (Scarphes: schol. D Hom. Il. 532), husband of Polymelas or Alcimedes, father of Jason (Hom. Od. 11,258; Hes. Theog. 992; fr. 38-40 M-W; Pherecyd. FGrH F 104; Apollod. 1,107) and of Promachus (Apollod. 1, 143; Diod. Sic. 4,50,2). Eponym of the city of Aeson (Pherecyd. FGrH F 103; Pind. fr. 273; Apoll. Rhod. 1,411 with schol.), lives, however, always in Iolcus, whose legitimate ruler is his olde…

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[German version] (Ἠμαθία; Ēmathía). Old name for Lower Macedonian regions (Hom. Il. 14,226; Str. 7, fr. 11), later only an imprecise poetic term for Macedonia west of the  Axius without Pieria (Ptol. 3,13,9). By E. Pol. 23,10,4 understood Paeonia, Str. l.c. (cf. Steph. Byz. s.v.) knew of a city E.…