Regions of ancient Greece
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The regions of ancient Greece were sub-divisions of the Hellenic world as conceived by the Ancient Greeks of antiquity, shown by their presence in the works of ancient historians and geographers or in surviving legends and myths.
Conceptually, there is no clear theme to the structure of these regions. Some, particularly in the Peloponnese, can be seen primarily as distinct geo-physical units, defined by physical boundaries such as mountain ranges and rivers. Conversely, the division of central Greece between Boeotia, Phocis, Doris and the three parts of Locris, seems to be attributable to ancient tribal divisions and not major geographical features. Both types of regions retained their identity throughout the Greek Dark Ages and its tumultuous changes in the local population and culture, giving them a less political and more symbolic presence.
Other geographical divisions not identified with the aforementioned areas did, however, change over time, suggesting a closer connection with tribal identity. Regardless of their rates of fluctuation, all such regions would eventually take on geo-political meanings, with regional political bodies like the Arcadian League commonly unifying its poleis under a confederation (see symmachia) in the Classical period.
These traditional sub-divisions of Greece form the basis for the modern system of regional units of Greece. However, there are important differences, with many of the smaller ancient regions not represented in the current system.
Central Greece
Continental Greece (Greek: Στερεά Ελλάδα or Χέρσος Ἑλλάς) was (and still is) a geographic region of Greece. In English the area is usually called Central Greece, but the equivalent Greek term (Κεντρική Ελλάδα, Kentrikí Elláda) is more rarely used.
Acarnania
Acarnania (
Acarnania's foundation in Greek mythology was traditionally ascribed to Acarnan, son of Alcmaeon.
Aeniania
Aeniania (Greek: Αἰνιανία) or Ainis (Greek: Αἰνίς) was a small district to the south of Thessaly (which it was sometimes considered part of).[2] The regions of Aeniania and Oetaea were closely linked, both occupying the valley of the Spercheios river, with Aeniania occupying the lower ground to the north, and Oetaea the higher ground south of the river. The boundaries of these two regions were formed by the arc of high ground running west from Mount Oeta round to Mount Tymphristos, then north round to the headwaters of Spercheios, and then east to the western spur of Mount Othrys. The lowland border in the Spercheios valley with Malis ran approximately north-south along from Oeta to the western spur of Othrys.
During the Archaic and Classical periods, the Aenianians (in Greek Αἰνιᾶνες) were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and shared two votes on the Amphictyonic council with the Oetaeans.
Aetolia
The
Aperantia
Ancient Aperantia (Greek: Ἀπεραντία) was a small region of Aetolia, south of Dolopia. Its inhabitants were known as Aperantii.[3]
Attica
The name of Attica (Greek: Ἀττική) was said to be derived from Atthis, daughter of Cranaus, who was said to have been the second king of Athens. The origin of the name, however, is most likely pre-Greek in origin. Attica is bounded on the east by the Aegean sea, on the west by Megaris and the Saronic gulf and on the north by Boeotia. It is separated from Boeotia by two mountain ranges, Parnes and Cithaeron. In the Archaic and Classical periods, the Atticans were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and shared the two Ionian votes on the Amphictyonic council with the Euboeans.
Boeotia
The region of Boeotia (Greek: Βοιωτία), along with many of the cities that existed there in the Classical period, is described in the "catalogue of ships", in the Iliad.[4] In the Archaic and Classical periods, the Boeotians were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and had two votes on the Amphictyonic council.
Dolopia
Dolopia[5] (Greek: Δολοπία) was a mountainous region[6] of Greece, located north of Aetolia. The Dolopians were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and shared two votes on the Amphictyonic council with the Perrhaeboi.
Doris
In the Archaic and Classical periods, the Dorians (Greek: Δωριείς; region: Δωρίς) were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and shared the two Dorian votes on the Amphictyonic council with the Laconian Dorians.
Euboea
In the Archaic and Classical periods, the Euboeans were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and shared the two Ionian votes on the Amphictyonic council with the Athenians.
Locris
The region of Locris, primarily the eastern part ("that dwell over against sacred Euboea"), is described in the Iliad.[7] In the Archaic and Classical periods, the Locrians were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and had two votes on the Amphictyonic council.
Malis
In the Archaic and Classical periods, the Malians were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and had two votes on the Amphictyonic council.
Megaris
Megaris (
Oetaea
Oetaea (Greek: Οἰταία) was a small upland district located south of Thessaly (of which it was sometimes considered part).[8] It was closely linked with the district of Aeniania, sharing a location in the valley of the Spercheios (see above). The Oetaeans were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and shared two votes on the Amphictyonic council with the Aenianes.
Phocis
The region of Phocis, along with some of the cities that existed there in the Classical period, is described in the Iliad.[9] In the Archaic and Classical periods, the Phocians were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and had two votes on the Amphictyonic council, until they were stripped of them after the Third Sacred War.
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese or Peloponnesos, is a large peninsula at the southern tip of the Balkans, and part of the traditional heartland of Greece. It is joined to the Greek 'mainland' by the Isthmus of Corinth. The Peloponnese is conventionally divided into seven regions, which remain in use as regional units of modern Greece. Most of these regions are directly named in the "catalogue of ships" in the Iliad,[10] suggesting that this geographic division of the Peloponnese is very ancient, and stretches back to Mycenaean Greece.
Achaea
Geographically, Achaea was (and is) the northernmost region of the Peloponnese, occupying the coastal strip north of Arcadia. To the south, it bordered Arcadia along the ridge of high ground running from Mount Erymanthos to Mount Cyllene. To the east, it bordered Corinthia near to the city of Sicyon, and to the west the Larissos river and western ridge of Erymanthos formed the border with Elis. Apart from the plain around Dyme, to the west, Achaea was generally a mountainous region.
Arcadia
Geographically, ancient Arcadia occupied the highlands at the centre of the Peloponnese. To the north, it bordered Achaea along the ridge of high ground running from Mount Erymanthos to Mount Cyllene; most of Mount Aroania lay within Arcadia. To the east, it had borders with Argolis and Corinthia along the ridge of high ground running from Mount Cyllene round to Mount Oligyrtus and then south Mount Parthenius. To the south, the border Laconia and Messenia ran through the foothills of the Parnon and Taygetos mountain ranges, such that Arcadia contained all the headwaters of the Alpheios river, but none of the Eurotas river. To the south-west, the border with Messania ran along the tops of Mount Nomia, and Mount Elaeum, and from there the border with Elis ran along the valleys of the Erymanthos and Diagon rivers. Most of the region of Arcardia was mountainous, apart from the plains around Tegea and Megalopolis, and the valleys of the Alpheios and Ladon rivers.
Due to its remote, mountainous character, Arcadia seems to have been a cultural refuge. When, during the
Arcadia is one of the regions described in the "
himself gave Arcadia the ships for the Trojan war because Arcadia did not have a navy.There is a modern regional unit of Greece of the same name, which is more extensive than the ancient region.
Argolis
Ancient Argolis, sometimes called 'the Argolid' and taking its name from the city of
Argolis is discussed in the "catalogue of ships" of the Iliad, without being given that explicit name, but the major cities of the region are listed together under the leadership of Diomedes.[15] There is a modern regional unit of Greece of the same name, occupying a smaller area than the ancient region.
It is worth noting that the Pyramids of Argolis are found within this territory.
Corinthia
The territory associated with the city of
Corinthia is discussed in the "catalogue of ships" of the Iliad, without being given that explicit name, but the major cities of the region are listed together under the leadership of Agamemnon.[16] There is a modern regional unit of Greece of the same name.
Elis
Elis occupied the western, and flattest part of the Peloponnese. To the north-east, it bordered Achaea along the Larissos river and western spur of Erymanthos, and the east the border with Arcadia ran along the Erymanthos and Diagon rivers to Mount Elaeum. From the Elaeum, its border with Messenia ran along the Neda (river) river to the sea.
Elis is discussed in the "catalogue of ships" of the Iliad, without being given that explicit name (Elis is only used for the name of the city), but the major cities of the region are listed together.
Laconia
Laconia (also called Lacedaemon; Greek: Λακεδαίμων, Lakedaimōn), occupied the south-eastern part of the Peloponnese. Its principal boundaries were formed by the Parnon and Taygetos mountain ranges. Its western boundary, adjoining Messenia, ran along the Koskaraka (or Rema Mili) River from just south of the city of Abia, up into the Taygetos range, and then north along the Taygetos ridge. The northern border with Arcadia ran amongst the foothills of Taygetos and Parnon, such that up Laconia included all the headwaters of the Eurotas river. To the north-east of the Parnon range was the coastal area of Cynuria; this was originally part of the Argolid, but by the Classical period had become part of Laconia. The land between the Taygetos and Parnon ranges formed the heart of Laconia; the coastal region east of Parnon, and south of Cynuria was also part of Laconia. Lacedaemon is one of the regions described in the "catalogue of ships" in the Iliad.[18]
In the Archaic and Classical periods, the Laconians were members of the
During the Classical period, Laconia was dominated by the city of Sparta. There were other settlements in the region, and most inhabitants were not full Spartan citizens (Spartiates), but Lacedaemonians or Perioeci ("about-dwellers"). However, all these citizens and towns were part of the Spartan state. Only after the final eclipse of Spartan power after the War against Nabis did the rest of Laconia become free from Spartan domination. However, Laconia instead fell under the domination of the Achaean League until the whole of the Peloponnese was conquered by the Romans in 146 BC.
Messenia
Messenia occupied the south-western part of the Peloponnese. To the north it had a border with Elis along the Neda river, from whence the border with Arcadia ran along the tops of Mount Elaeum and Mount Nomia. The northern border with Arcadia then ran amongst the foothills of Taygetos, but all the headwater of the Alpheios river lay outside Messenia. The eastern border with Laconia ran along the Taygetos ridge up to the Koskaraka river, and then along that river to the sea, near the city of Abia.
There is a modern regional unit of Greece of the same name.
Thessalia
Thessaly or Thessalia was one of the traditional regions of Ancient Greece. During the
Achaea Phthiotis
The Phtiotic Achaeans were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and had two votes on the Amphictyonic council.
Magnesia
The Magnetes were members of the Delphian Amphictyonic League, and had two votes on the Amphictyonic council.
Histiaeotis
Pelasgiotis
Perrhaebia
Perrhaebia was the northernmost district of ancient
Thessaliotis
Epirus
Athamania
Athamania (Greek: Ἀθαμάνες) referred to the southeastern area of Epirus, which was the homeland of the Greek tribe of the Athamanians, who are usually considered to be Greek by modern scholars, although Strabo and Hecataeus of Miletus considered them "barbarians." The former Greek municipality of the same name is named after the ancient territory.
Chaonia
Chaonia or Chaon (
Molossis
The Molossians (
Thesprotia
Parauaea
Parauaea (Greek: Παραυαία) was an ancient Greek region in Epirus.[24]
Tymphaea
Macedonia
Macedonia or Macedon (from
Almopia
Bisaltia
Bottiaea
Chalcidice
Crestonia
Edonis
Traditionally part of Thrace but after its annexation by the kingdom of Macedon it was regarded as part of the region of Macedonia.
Elimiotis
Emathia
Eordaea
Lynkestis
Mygdonia
Odomantis
Traditionally part of Thrace but after its annexation by the kingdom of Macedon it was regarded as part of the region of Macedonia.
Orestis
Pelagonia
Pieria
Sintice
Traditionally part of Thrace but after its annexation by the kingdom of Macedon it was regarded as part of the region of Macedonia.
Greek colonies
Magna Graecia
Asia Minor
Aeolis
Doris (Asia Minor)
Ionia
Pontus
Cyprus
Crimea
Cyrenaica
See also
References
- ISBN 0802036430, p. 538, "Acarnania on the northern side of the Corinthian gulf was part of Epirus"
- ^ Marcus Tullius Cicero
- ^ Aperantia
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 494–510
- ^ A Latin Dictionary
- ^ An inventory of archaic and classical poleis
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 527–535
- ^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854)
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 517–526
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 459–779
- ^ Herodotus I, 56–57
- ^ Herodotus VIII, 73
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 603–611
- ^ Pausanias, Book II
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 559–568
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 570–573
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 615–624
- ^ Homer, Iliad II, 581–590
- ^ Errington, Malcolm. A History of Macedonia. University of California Press, 1990.
- ^ The Cambridge Ancient History: Vol. 6, the Fourth Century BC.
- ^ Virgil. Aeneid, 3.295.
- ^ Hammond 1994, pp. 430, 433–434; Wilkes 1995, p. 104; Errington 1990, p. 43; Borza 1992, pp. 62, 78, 98; Hammond 1982, p. 284; Hammond 1998; Encyclopædia Britannica ("Epirus") 2013.
- ^ Hornblower, Spawforth & Eidinow 2012, p. 966: "Molossi: common name of tribes forming a tribal state (koinon) in Epirus, which originated in northern Pindus."
- ISBN 0-521-23446-8, p. 461: "and Parauaea in the border country between Epirus and Macedonia"
- ^ "Macedonia". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
Bibliography
- Primary sources
- The Iliad
- Herodotus, The Histories
- Pausanias, Description of Greece
- Secondary sources
- Borza, Eugene N. (1992). In the Shadow of Olympus: The Emergence of Macedon (Revised ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-00880-9.
- Bunson, Matthew (1994). Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. New York: Facts on File Inc.
- Encyclopædia Britannica ("Epirus") (2013). "Epirus". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- Errington, Robert Malcolm (1990). A History of Macedonia. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06319-8.
- Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1982). "CHAPTER 40 ILLYRIS, EPIRUS AND MACEDONIA". In Boardman, John; Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (eds.). The Cambridge Ancient History: The Expansion of the Greek World, Eighth to Sixth Centuries B.C. Vol. III, Part 3 (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 261–285. ISBN 0-521-23447-6.
- Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1998). Philip of Macedon. London: Duckworth. ISBN 0-7156-2829-1.
- Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1994). "CHAPTER 9d. ILLYRIANS AND NORTH-WEST GREEKS". In Lewis, David Malcolm; Boardman, John; Hornblower, Simon; Ostwald, M. (eds.). The Cambridge Ancient History: The Fourth Century B.C. Vol. VI (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 422–443. ISBN 0-521-23348-8.
- Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (2012) [1949]. The Oxford Classical Dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-954556-8.
- Wilkes, John (1995) [1992]. The Illyrians. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Limited. ISBN 0-631-19807-5.
External links
- Media related to Regions of ancient Greece at Wikimedia Commons