Attica
Attica
Αττική | |
---|---|
Location | Central Greece |
Major cities | Athens |
Dialects | Attic |
Key periods | Athenian Empire (477–404 BC) Second Athenian League (378–338 BC) |
Attica (
The history of Attica is tightly linked with that of Athens. In ancient times, Attica corresponded with the Athens city-state. It was the most prominent region in Ancient Greece, specifically during the
The modern
Eponymous name
According to the Roman geographer Pausanias, the place was originally named Actaea, but was later renamed in the honour of Atthis, daughter of king Cranaus of Athens.[1]
Geography
Attica is a triangular peninsula jutting into the Aegean Sea. It is naturally divided to the north from Boeotia by the 10 mi (16 km) long Cithaeron and Parnes mountain ranges.
To the west of
Athens' water reservoir,
is home to the sole remaining natural forest in the Athenian plain.The
According to Plato, Attica's ancient boundaries were fixed by the Isthmus, and, toward the continent, they extended as far as the heights of Cithaeron and Parnes. The boundary line came down toward the sea, bounded by the district of Oropus on the right and by the river Asopus on the left.
Climate
Attica, for the most part, enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate (Csa). It has a distinct, long, dry period in the summer and a short, cool and wet period in the winter. The highest precipitation occurs during the winter months. Parts of the southern and western part of the peninsula have a hot semi-arid climate (BSh).
Climate data for Elliniko, 10 m asl (1955–1997) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.6 (56.5) |
14.1 (57.4) |
15.7 (60.3) |
19.4 (66.9) |
24.1 (75.4) |
28.7 (83.7) |
32.0 (89.6) |
31.7 (89.1) |
28.2 (82.8) |
23.2 (73.8) |
18.8 (65.8) |
15.2 (59.4) |
22.1 (71.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
7.1 (44.8) |
8.4 (47.1) |
11.4 (52.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.8 (73.0) |
19.6 (67.3) |
15.6 (60.1) |
12.0 (53.6) |
8.8 (47.8) |
14.3 (57.7) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48.3 (1.90) |
40.9 (1.61) |
39.7 (1.56) |
26.0 (1.02) |
15.2 (0.60) |
5.6 (0.22) |
5.2 (0.20) |
7.0 (0.28) |
9.6 (0.38) |
47.8 (1.88) |
55.4 (2.18) |
64.1 (2.52) |
364.8 (14.35) |
Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[2] |
Climate data for Elefsina, 30 m asl (1958–1997) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.0 (55.4) |
13.6 (56.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
25.7 (78.3) |
30.6 (87.1) |
32.9 (91.2) |
32.7 (90.9) |
28.9 (84.0) |
23.2 (73.8) |
18.5 (65.3) |
14.7 (58.5) |
22.5 (72.5) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.4 (41.7) |
5.6 (42.1) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
14.9 (58.8) |
19.5 (67.1) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.2 (72.0) |
18.8 (65.8) |
14.6 (58.3) |
10.4 (50.7) |
7.2 (45.0) |
13.2 (55.7) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48.4 (1.91) |
40.1 (1.58) |
39.3 (1.55) |
26.7 (1.05) |
19.5 (0.77) |
8.4 (0.33) |
5.5 (0.22) |
5.4 (0.21) |
11.3 (0.44) |
41.6 (1.64) |
58.8 (2.31) |
67.9 (2.67) |
372.9 (14.68) |
Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[3] |
Climate data for National Observatory of Athens (Thissio), 107 m asl (1971–2000), (1961–1990) rain | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.0 (55.4) |
13.7 (56.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
25.8 (78.4) |
30.6 (87.1) |
33.1 (91.6) |
32.8 (91.0) |
29.2 (84.6) |
23.5 (74.3) |
18.1 (64.6) |
14.4 (57.9) |
22.6 (72.6) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
6.8 (44.2) |
8.2 (46.8) |
11.6 (52.9) |
16.0 (60.8) |
20.4 (68.7) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.5 (72.5) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.1 (59.2) |
11.2 (52.2) |
8.2 (46.8) |
14.1 (57.3) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 44.6 (1.76) |
48.3 (1.90) |
42.6 (1.68) |
28.2 (1.11) |
17.2 (0.68) |
9.7 (0.38) |
4.2 (0.17) |
4.6 (0.18) |
11.9 (0.47) |
47.7 (1.88) |
50.6 (1.99) |
66.6 (2.62) |
376.2 (14.82) |
Source: National Observatory of Athens[4] |
Climate data for Nea Filadelfeia, 136 m asl (1955–1997) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 12.5 (54.5) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.7 (60.3) |
20.2 (68.4) |
26.0 (78.8) |
31.1 (88.0) |
33.5 (92.3) |
33.2 (91.8) |
29.2 (84.6) |
23.3 (73.9) |
18.1 (64.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
22.5 (72.6) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.2 (41.4) |
5.4 (41.7) |
6.7 (44.1) |
9.6 (49.3) |
13.9 (57.0) |
18.2 (64.8) |
20.8 (69.4) |
20.7 (69.3) |
17.3 (63.1) |
13.4 (56.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
6.8 (44.2) |
12.3 (54.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 56.9 (2.24) |
46.7 (1.84) |
40.7 (1.60) |
30.8 (1.21) |
22.7 (0.89) |
10.6 (0.42) |
5.8 (0.23) |
6.0 (0.24) |
13.9 (0.55) |
52.6 (2.07) |
58.3 (2.30) |
69.1 (2.72) |
414.1 (16.31) |
Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[5] |
Climate data for Tatoi , 235 m asl (1958–1997)
| |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1) |
12.5 (54.5) |
14.7 (58.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
24.9 (76.8) |
29.9 (85.8) |
32.1 (89.8) |
31.8 (89.2) |
28.0 (82.4) |
22.5 (72.5) |
17.4 (63.3) |
13.2 (55.8) |
21.5 (70.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.2 (37.8) |
3.5 (38.3) |
4.9 (40.8) |
7.7 (45.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
16.2 (61.2) |
19.2 (66.6) |
19.3 (66.7) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
7.9 (46.2) |
4.9 (40.8) |
10.5 (50.9) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 69.2 (2.72) |
48.6 (1.91) |
51.1 (2.01) |
26.2 (1.03) |
20.4 (0.80) |
9.8 (0.39) |
10.0 (0.39) |
6.0 (0.24) |
17.6 (0.69) |
47.6 (1.87) |
60.2 (2.37) |
83.9 (3.30) |
450.6 (17.72) |
Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[6] |
European temperature record
According to the World Meteorological Organization, the areas of Elefsina and Tatoi held the official European record for highest temperature, 48.0 °C (118.4 °F) for 44 years. [7] [8]
History
Ancient history
During antiquity, the Athenians boasted about being '
During the
According to tradition, Attica comprised twelve small communities during the reign of
Until the 6th century BC,
. Principally, each civic unit would include equal parts of townspeople, seamen, and farmers. A "trittýs" ("third") of each sector constituted a tribe. Consequently, Attica comprised ten tribes.During the Peloponnesian war, Attica was invaded and raided several times by the
Fortresses
During the
Places of worship
Even though
Many other types of worship can be traced to the
The festival of
Medieval period
After the period of antiquity, Attica came under
The sites of historical interest date to the 11th and 12th centuries, when Attica was under the rule of the Franks. The great monastery of Dafni, that was built under Justinian I's rule, is an isolated case that does not signify a widespread development of Attica during the Byzantine period. On the other hand, the buildings built during the 11th and 12th centuries show a greater development that continued during the rule of the Franks, who did not impose strict rule.[citation needed]
From the 14th century onwards, the Arvanites came to Attica from what is today southern Albania. They were mostly invited as mercenaries by the local Greek lords.
During the Ottoman rule, Athens enjoyed some rights. However, that was not the case for the villages of Attica. Great areas were possessed by the Turks, who terrorized the population with the help of sipahis. The monasteries of Attica played a crucial role in preserving the Greek element of the villages.
In spite of its conquerors, Attica managed to maintain its traditions. This fact is proved by the preservation of ancient
Attica after 1829
Attica belonged to the newly-founded Greek state from its founding. From 1834, Athens was made the new Greek capital (moved from Nafplio in Argolis), which caused the gradual repopulation of Attica by other people around Greece. The most dramatic surge came with Greek refugees from Anatolia following the Greek genocide and later the population exchanges between Greece and Turkey under the Treaty of Lausanne. Today, much of Attica is occupied by urban Athens, encompassing the entirety of the Athenian plain.[15] The modern Greek region of Attica includes classical Attica as well as the Saronic Islands, a small part of the Peloponnese around Troezen, and the Ionian Island of Kythira.
Notable people
- Socrate Sidiropoulos (born 1947), Greek painter and sculptor
See also
References
- ^ Pausanias,Description of Greece,1.2.7.
- ^ "Climatological Information for Athens Hellinikon, Greece", HNMS climatological table, web: [1] Archived 2016-06-11 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Climatological Information for Elefsina, Greece", HNMS climatological table, web: [2] Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Monthly bulletins", N.O.A, web: [3] Archived 2007-03-05 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Climatological Information for Nea Filadelfia, Greece", HNMS climatological table, web: [4].
- ^ "Climatological Information for Tatoi, Greece", HNMS climatological table, web: [5].
- ^ WMO Region VI (Europe, Continent only): Highest Temperature. Arizona State University – World Meteorological Organization's World Weather & Climate Extremes Archive.
- ^ "WMO is monitoring potential new temperature records". public.wmo.int. 2023-07-17. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ Pausanias VIII, 1
- ^ a b c d "History" (PDF). Prefecture of Attica. Democritus University of Thrace. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- ^ Strabo 9.1.20
- ^ Ancient History until 30 BC (Ιστορία των αρχαίων χρόνων ως το 30 πΧ), L. Tsaktsiras, M. Tiverios, schoolbook for A' Gymnasiou, 13th edition, Athens, 1994, p. 115
- ^ Osborne, Robin (December 2015). "Oxford Classical Dictionary". Attica. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
- )
- National Statistical Service of Greece, powered by the Ministry of Finance of Greece. The municipality of Piraeus and its greater area belong to the Athens urban area or Greater Athens (Πολεοδομικό Συγκρότημα Αθηνών).
Mela, A.; Tousi, E.; Melas, E.; Varelidis, G. Spatial Distribution and Quality of Urban Public Spaces in the Attica Region (Greece) during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey-Based Analysis. Urban Sci. 2024, 8, 2.https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010002
External links
- Tozer, Henry F. (1878). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. III (9th ed.). p. 57. .
- Official tourism website of Attica