Edonis or Edonida (), also

transliterated Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...

as Edonia, was an ancient region of

Thrace Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...

which later became a district of Macedon. Its name is derived from the ancient Thracian inhabitants of the region, the Edonians. Later, the Greeks settled in the region, drove out the Edonians and built several colonies, including Amphipolis and Eion. It was bordered by Odomantice in the north, Bisaltia in the west, and the

Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans and Anatolia, and covers an area of some . In the north, the Aegean is connected to the Marmara Sea, which in turn con ...

in the south, and was separated from Thrace proper by the river Nestos in the east.

Geography and history

Edonis stretched from the lake Cercinitis (today Achinos) and the mouth of the Strymon river in the west, to Nestos river in the east (natural border between the regions of Macedonia and

). The region was predominantly settled by the tribe of Edoni. Later, the Greeks settled in the region, drove out the Edonians and built several colonies, including Amphipolis and Eion. Within its limits was Pangaion, whose mines were being exploited by Philip II after his conquest and the annexation of the region to the kingdom of Macedon. After the Roman conquest, Via Egnatia was passing through Edonis and with the establishment of

Philippi Philippi (; , ''Phílippoi'') was a major Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos. Its original name was Crenides (, ''Krēnĩdes'' "Fountains") after its establishment by Thasian colonists in 360/359 BC. The city was renamed by Phili ...

as a Roman colony (42 BC) most of Edonis became part of its territory (territorium).

Pieris

Thucydides Thucydides ( ; ; BC) was an Classical Athens, Athenian historian and general. His ''History of the Peloponnesian War'' recounts Peloponnesian War, the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been d ...

testified that at the foot of Pangaion settled Pierians, who had been expelled from their homeland, Pieria, when the Macedonians conquered it. There they built the namesake town Edonian Methoni in contrast to Pierian Methoni and they named the nearby land "Pieris".

Towns

Edonis and especially mount Pangaio was one of the oldest worship places of the gods

Apollo Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...

Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ...

and Orpheus. The most important towns of Edonis, apart from Methoni, were also:
D. C. Samsaris, Historical Geography of Eastern Macedonia during the Antiquity (in Greek), Thessaloniki 1976 (Society for Macedonian Studies), p. 135-170 .Benjamin H. Isaac, ''The Greek Settlements in Thrace Until the Macedonian Conquest'', p. 4-69 * Amphipolis * Eion *

* Apollonia (Kavala), Apollonia * Neapolis * Pistyros * Myrkinos * Oisyme * Phagres * Galepsus * Gazoros * Drabeskos *Pergamos *Domeros *Antisara *Perne *Topeiros

References

External links

{{commonscat-inline, Edonis Historical regions in Greece Geography of ancient Thrace Geography of ancient Macedonia

Geography and history

Pieris

Towns

See also

References

External links