Mygdonia (; ) was an ancient territory, part of ancient

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 ...

, later conquered by

Macedon Macedonia ( ; , ), also called Macedon ( ), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, which later became the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by the royal ...

, which comprised the plains around

Therma Therma or Thermē (, ) is the unknown city incorporated into the new city of Thessaloniki by the Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonians on its synoecism and foundation. Little is known of literary Therma, including its exact location. Thessal ...

(

Thessalonica Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area) and the capital city, capital of the geographic reg ...

) together with the valleys of Klisali and Besikia, including the area of the

Axios river The Vardar (; , , ) or Axios (, ) is the longest river in North Macedonia and a major river in Greece, where it reaches the Aegean Sea at Thessaloniki. It is long, out of which are in Greece, and drains an area of around . The maximum depth of ...

mouth and extending as far east as Lake

Bolbe In Greek mythology, Bolbe (; Ancient Greek: Βόλβη) was a beautiful lake goddess or nymph, who dwelled in a Macedonian lake of the same name (modern Lake Volvi). Like other lake gods and goddesses, Bolbe's offspring were Limnades, nymphs w ...

. To the north it was joined by

Crestonia Crestonia (or Crestonice) () was an ancient region immediately north of Mygdonia. The Echeidorus river, which flowed through Mygdonia into the Thermaic Gulf, had its source in Crestonia. It was partly occupied by a remnant of the Pelasgi, who spo ...

. The Echeidorus, which flowed into the

Thermaic Gulf The Thermaic Gulf (, ), also called the Gulf of Thessaloniki and the Macedonian Gulf, is a Gulf (geography), gulf constituting the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. The city of Thessaloniki is at its northeastern tip, and it is bounded by Pie ...

near the marshes of the Axios, had its sources in Crestonia. The pass of Aulon or Arethusa was probably the boundary of Mygdonia towards

Bisaltia Bisaltia () or Bisaltica was an ancient country which was bordered by Sintice on the north, Crestonia on the west, Mygdonia on the south and was separated by Odomantis on the north-east and Edonis on the south-east by river Strymon.The eponymo ...

. The maritime part of Mygdonia formed a district called

Amphaxitis Amphaxitis () refers to the western maritime part of the Mygdonia district of ancient Macedonia Macedonia ( ; , ), also called Macedon ( ), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, which later became the ...

, a distinction which first occurs in

Polybius Polybius (; , ; ) was a Greek historian of the middle Hellenistic period. He is noted for his work , a universal history documenting the rise of Rome in the Mediterranean in the third and second centuries BC. It covered the period of 264–146 ...

, who divides all the great plain at the head of the Thermaic gulf into Amphaxitis and

Bottiaea Bottiaea (Greek: ''Bottiaia'') was a geographical region of ancient Macedonia and an administrative district of the Macedonian Kingdom. It was previously inhabited by the Bottiaeans, a people of uncertain origin, later expelled by the Macedon ...

, and which is found three centuries later in

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

. The latter introduces Amphaxitis twice under the subdivisions of Macedonia (in one instance placing the mouths of the Echidorus and Axios in Amphaxitis, and mentioning Thessalonica as the only town in the district, which agrees with Polybius and with

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

). In another place Ptolemy includes

Stageira Stagira (), Stagirus (), or Stageira ( or ) was an ancient Greek city located near the eastern coast of the peninsula of Chalkidice, which is now part of the Greek province of Central Macedonia. It is chiefly known for being the birthplace of ...

and Arethusa in Amphaxitis, which, if correct, would indicate that a portion of Amphaxitis, very distant from the Axios, was separated from the remainder by a part of Mygdonia; but since this is improbable, the word is perhaps an error of the text.

History and etymology

The area has been inhabited since the

Mesolithic era The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymous ...

(9000–7000 BC). Early inhabitants probably were the

Pelasgians The name Pelasgians (, ) was used by Classical Greek writers to refer either to the predecessors of the Greeks, or to all the inhabitants of Greece before the emergence of the Greeks. In general, "Pelasgian" has come to mean more broadly all ...

, followed by the Mygdones, who gave their name to the region. The Mygdones may have been a Brigian or

Thracian The Thracians (; ; ) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Southeast Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied the area that today is shared between north-eastern Greece, ...

tribe.

Paeonians Paeonians () were an ancient Proto-Indo-Europeans, Indo-European people that dwelt in Paeonia (kingdom), Paeonia. Paeonia was an old country whose location was to the north of Ancient Macedonia, to the south of Dardania (Roman province), Dardania ...

and also

Thracians The Thracians (; ; ) were an Indo-European languages, Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Southeast Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied the area that today is shared betwee ...

(in particular, the

Edonians The Edoni (also ''Edones'', ''Edonians'', ''Edonides'') () were a Thracian tribe who dwelt mostly between the Nestus and the Strymon rivers in southern Thrace, but also once dwelt west of the Strymon at least as far as the Axios. They inhabited ...

) ruled and inhabited the region for a time, until it was annexed to

. Mygdonia and the Mygdones were named after

Mygdon In Greek mythology, Mygdon ( Ancient Thracia: Μύγδων) may refer to the following personages: * Mygdon, son of Ares and Callirhoe, eponymous of Mygdones * Mygdon (brother of Amycus), killed by Heracles, son of Poseidon. * Mygdon of Phrygia ...

, a mythological figure considered to be a son of

Ares Ares (; , ''Árēs'' ) is the List of Greek deities, Greek god of war god, war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for ...

and Callirrhoe, according to

Stephanus of Byzantium Stephanus or Stephen of Byzantium (; , ''Stéphanos Byzántios''; centuryAD) was a Byzantine grammarian and the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled ''Ethnica'' (). Only meagre fragments of the dictionary survive, but the epit ...

. His brothers,

Edonus In Greek mythology, Edonus () was the ancestor of the Edonians in Thrace and Thracian Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia. He was the son of Ares (god of war) and Calliope (muse of epic poetry). The names ''Edonus, Edonian, Edonic'' is therefore ...

, Odomantus and

Biston In Greek mythology, Biston ( ; or ) was the son of Ares and Callirrhoe, daughter of river-god Nestus. His two brothers were Odomas and Edonus (eponyms of two Thracian tribes, the Odomanti and the Edoni). Alternately, he was called son of Pa ...

, had other regions and their peoples named after them as well, and so did his sons, Crusis and

Grastus Grastus is the son of Mygdon (son of Ares), Mygdon. He is considered founder of the Crestonia region and father of Tirse. The town of Tirsae was named after her and other girls, who gave rise to the name of a Macedonian city Parthenopolis (Chalcidic ...

Main cities

The main cities of Mygdonia were

(

Sindus Sindos (; ) is a suburb of Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of Delta. Sindos is home to the main campus of the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki and the Industrial Zone of the city. The community ...

Chalastra Chalastra () is a town and former municipality in the Thessaloniki (regional unit), Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Before 1926, it was known as Κουλουκιά - ''Kouloukia'' ( - ''Kulakiya''). It was renamed to ''Chalastra'' in 1926, to ...

Altus Altus or ALTUS may refer to: Music *Alto, a musical term meaning second highest musical or vocal type * Altus (voice type), a vocal type also known as countertenor Places * Altus, Arkansas, US ** Altus AVA, a wine-growing region near Altus, Ark ...

Strepsa Strepsa (; Greek language, Greek: ) was an ancient city of Mygdonia (Europe), Mygdonia, Macedon, near Therma, toward Chalcidice. The editors of the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, tentatively identify Strepsa with the modern village ...

Cissus ''Cissus'' is a genus of approximately 350 species of lianas (Woody plant, woody vines) in the grape family (Vitaceae). They have a cosmopolitan distribution, though the majority are to be found in the tropics. Decription Extrafloral nectaries ...

, Mellisurgis (today, Mellisourgós), and Heracleustes. According to the

Acts of the Apostles The Acts of the Apostles (, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; ) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of The gospel, its message to the Roman Empire. Acts and the Gospel of Luke make u ...

, the town of Apollonia was visited by the apostles

Paul Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...

and

Silas Silas or Silvanus (; Greek: Σίλας/Σιλουανός; fl. 1st century AD) was a leading member of the Early Christian community, who according to the New Testament accompanied Paul the Apostle on his second missionary journey. Name and ...

. Besides these, the following obscure towns occur in Ptolemy: Chaetae, Moryllus, Antigoneia (which actually refers to

Antigonia Psaphara Antigonia Psaphara or Antigoneia Psaphara (), or simply Antigonia, Antigonea, or Antigoneia (Ἀντιγόνεια) was a Hellenistic city in Macedon in the district Crusis (Krousis) in Chalcidice, placed by Livy between Aeneia and Pallene. It is ...

in the

Chalcidice Chalkidiki (; , alternatively Halkidiki), also known as Chalcidice, is a peninsula and regional units of Greece, regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the Geographic regions of Greece, geographic region of Macedon ...

), Calindaea,

Boerus Baerus or Bairos () was a town of ancient Macedonia, placed by Ptolemy in the district of Mygdonia Mygdonia (; ) was an ancient territory, part of ancient Thrace, later conquered by Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon, which comprised the pla ...

, Physca, Trepilus, Carabia, Xylopolis, Assorus, Lete, Phileres, Dicaea,

Aeneia Aenea (; , ''Aineia'') was an ancient Greek city in northwesternmost Chalcidice, said to have been founded by Aeneas, and was situated, according to Livy, opposite Pydna, and 15 miles from Thessalonica. It appears to have stood on the promontory ...

and Arethusa.

Modern Mygdonia

Today, most of Mygdonia is comprehended within the Thessaloniki regional unit, in

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. The Mygdonia municipal unit is named after the ancient region, however it encompasses a much smaller area, consisting of the communities of Drymos, Liti and Melissochori, a total area of about 100 km². It includes sites of archaeological interest, such as Lete and Derveni. It used to be a municipality of its own, though since 2011 it is part of the municipality of

Oraiokastro Oraiokastro (, also Oreokastro) is a municipality in the Thessaloniki (regional unit), Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece, and a suburb of Thessaloniki. Municipality The municipality Oraiokastro was formed at the 2011 local government reform by t ...

Footnotes

References

* Smith, William (editor),
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Vol 2
' (1854), page 384.

External links