Dion, Pieria
Dion
Δίον | |
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UTC+3 (EEST) | |
Postal code | 601 00 |
Area code(s) | 23510 |
Vehicle registration | KN |
Dion (
It is best known for its great ancient Macedonian sanctuary of
History
The ancient city owes its name to the most important Macedonian sanctuary dedicated to Zeus (Dios, "of Zeus"), leader of the
The first mention of Dion in history comes from
Philip II and Alexander the Great celebrated victories here, and Alexander assembled his armies and performed magnificent sacrifices here on the eve of his campaign to Asia in 334 BC.[5]
Many ancient authors speak of the sculptural bronze masterpiece by Lysippos made for Alexander depicting 25 mounted companions who fell at the Battle of the Granicus and later taken to Rome by Metellus.
A city was built adjacent to the sacred sites that acquired monumental form during the reigns of Alexander the Great's successors and Cassander took a great interest in the city erecting strong walls and public buildings, so that in Hellenistic times Dion was renowned far and wide for its fortification and splendid monuments. Dion and its sanctuary was destroyed during the Social War in 219 BC by Aetolian invaders but was immediately rebuilt by Philip V. Many of the dedications from the sanctuary that had been destroyed were buried in pits, including royal inscriptions and treaties, and these have been discovered recently.
It fell to the Romans in 169 BC It experienced its second heyday during the reigns of 2nd- and 3rd-century AD Roman emperors who were fond of Alexander the Great. Dion's final important period was in the 4th and 5th centuries AD when it became the seat of a bishopric. It was abandoned following major earthquakes and floods.
The modern village at the site was called Malathria until 1961, when it was renamed to Dion.[10]
Archaeology
The site of ancient Dion was first identified by the English traveler
Dion is the site of a large temple dedicated to Zeus, as well as a series of temples to Demeter and to Isis (the Egyptian goddess was a favorite of Alexander).
Excavation of the magnificent House of Dionysos revealed a mosaic of exceptionally fine quality.
A rare and unusual find in the museum is a bronze "hydraulis" or hydraulic musical pipe organ found in a former workshop.
In 2006, a statue of Hera was found built into the walls of the city. The statue, 2200 years old, had been used by the early Christians of Dion as filling for the city's defensive wall.[11]
Administration
In October 1992, the Municipality of Dion (Δήμος Δίου, Dimos Diou) was formed. At the 1997
Historical population
Year | Community population | Municipal unit population |
---|---|---|
1981 | 1,236 | - |
1991 | 1,149 | 9,876 |
2001 | 1,314 | 10,885 |
2011[14] | 1,424 | 10,066 |
2021[1] | 1,268 | 9,067 |
Gallery
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View of the archeological site
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Ruins at the archaeological site
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Ancient column
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Sanctuary of Isis
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Aphrodite Hypolympidia statue.
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View of the villa of Dionysus containing the large Dionysus mosaic
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Sanctuary of Demeter
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The sacred spring with the sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos in the background
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Sanctuary of Isis
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Four-columned temple dedicated to Isis Lochia, Sanctuary of Isis
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View of the Hellenistic theater
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Baths of ancient Dion
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Public toilets along the central road
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Mosaic floor in the Great Baths complex
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Detail of a mosaic floor, Great Baths complex
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The hypocaust of the Great Baths complex
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Shields dedicated by Alexander the Great on his victory over the Persians at the Granicus river
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Large mosaic at theArchaeological Museum of Dion
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Inscription from theArchaeological Museum of Dionreading "ΒΑΣΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ" [King Philip]
See also
- Archaeological Museum of Dion
- List of settlements in the Pieria regional unit
References
- ^ a b "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Ancient Dion". Archived from the original on 25 October 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
- ^ Hesiod. Γυναικῶν Κατάλογος (Catalogue of Women).
- ^ Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Vol. 4.78.
- ^ Diodorus Siculus: Bibliotheca historica
- Ab urbe condita Libri[History of Rome]. Vol. 44.7.
- ^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia. Vol. 4.10.
- ^ Ptolemy. The Geography. Vol. 3.13.15.
- ^ Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Dium". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
- ^ "Name Changes of Settlements in Greece: Malathria -- Dion". Pandektis. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- ^ Kantouris, Costas. Greek archaeologists find Hera statue. Associated Press. March 1, 2007.
- ^ "EETAA local government changes".
- ^ "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
- ^ a b "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
- ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2015.
Notes
- ^ Romanization: Díon, Modern Greek: [ˈði.on]
- ^ Romanization: Dȋon, Ancient: [dîːon]
- 2011 local government reform, Dion was a municipality. As part of that reform the current municipality of Dion-Olympos was created by combining Dion with the municipalities of East Olympos and Litochoro, all of which are now regional units of Dion-Olympos.
- F. Papazoglou, Les villes de Macédoine romaine, Supplément 18 du BCH, Paris, 1988.
- D. Pandermalis, Dion, the archaeological site and the museum, Athens, 1997.