Dolopia ( grc, Δολοπία) is a mountainous region of
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...
, located north of
Aetolia
Aetolia ( el, Αἰτωλία, Aἰtōlía) is a mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania.
Geography
The Achelous River separates Aetolia ...
.
Geography
Dolopia was located between
Epirus
sq, Epiri rup, Epiru
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Historical region
, image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinrich ...
and
Thessaly
Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, The ...
, eventually absorbed into the latter. It was a mountainous district in the southwestern corner of Thessaly, lying between Mount
Tymphrestus
Tymfristos ( el, Τυμφρηστός) is a mountain in the eastern part of Evrytania and the western part of Phthiotis, Greece. The mountain is a part of the Pindus mountain range. The elevation of its highest peak, Velouchi ( el, Βελού ...
, a branch of
Pindus
The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metr ...
, on the one side, and
Mount Othrys on the other. The Dolopes were, like the
Magnetes, an ancient Hellenic people, and members of the
Amphictyonic League. They are mentioned by
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the '' Iliad'' and the '' Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of ...
as included in Phthia, but were governed by a subordinate chieftain of their own. Though nominally belonging to Thessaly, they seem practically to have been independent: and their country was at a later period a constant subject of contention between the
Aetolians and the kings of
Macedonia
Macedonia most commonly refers to:
* North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia
* Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity
* Macedonia (Greece), a traditional geographic reg ...
. The only place in Dolopia of the slightest importance was
Ctimene. Other of their cities were,
Angeia and
Dolopeis, close to lake
Xynius.
Mythology and history
The
Dolopes ( el, Δόλοπες) were considered
Thessalians, or sometimes
Aetolians. There was also a son of the god
Hermes
Hermes (; grc-gre, Ἑρμῆς) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Hermes is considered the herald of the gods. He is also considered the protector of human heralds, travellers, thieves, merchants, and orato ...
named
Dolops ( el, Δόλοψ), and two persons in the
Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...
. One was the son of
Lampus, an elder
Trojan and son of king
Laomedon (who was killed by
Menelaus
In Greek mythology, Menelaus (; grc-gre, Μενέλαος , 'wrath of the people', ) was a king of Mycenaean (pre-Dorian) Sparta. According to the ''Iliad'', Menelaus was a central figure in the Trojan War, leading the Spartan contingent of t ...
). Another Dolops was the son of
Clytius, Clytides ( el, Κλυτίδης), who was killed by
Hector, and a third one was the father of
Iphimachus that took care of
Philoctetes.
Dolopians were either under
Thessalian rule, or autonomous and members of the
Amphictyonic league. In 480 BC they joined the Persian marching army. In 420 BC they warred against
Heraclea in Trachis in alliance with Thessalians and
Aenianians. In the 4th century BC they allied themselves with the
Corinthian league under
Philip II.
List of Dolopians
*
Phoenix, the son of Amyntor,
Achaean Leaders
/ref> king whose sight was restored by the centaur Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs".
Biography
Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
See also
* Eurytanes
*Acarnania
Acarnania ( el, Ἀκαρνανία) is a region of west-central Greece that lies along the Ionian Sea, west of Aetolia, with the Achelous River for a boundary, and north of the gulf of Calydon, which is the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. Today ...
* List of traditional Greek place names
*Aetolia
Aetolia ( el, Αἰτωλία, Aἰtōlía) is a mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania.
Geography
The Achelous River separates Aetolia ...
References
;Sources
History of KtimenonDolopes, in Greek
External links
*{{Commonscatinline
Historical regions in Greece
Ancient Greek geography
Geography of ancient Thessaly