Aegae (Achaea)

Aegae or Aigai (Ancient Greek: Αἰγαί[1]), also known as Aega or Aiga (Αἰγά), was a town and polis (city-state) of ancient Achaea, and one of the 12 Achaean cities.[2][3] It was situated upon the river Crathis and upon the coast, between Aegeira and Bura.[4]

Map of Ancient Achaea

One of the mentions of Aegae in Homer's Iliad points to this town.[5][2][lower-alpha 1]

It was afterwards deserted by its inhabitants, who removed to the neighbouring town of Aegeira; and it had already ceased to be one of the 12 Achaean cities on the renewal of the Achaean League in 280 BCE, its place being occupied by Ceryneia.[2][6] Its name does not occur in Polybius.[2] Neither Strabo nor Pausanias mention on which bank of the Crathis it stood, but it probably stood on the left bank, since the right is low and often inundated.[2][7][4]

Its site is located near the modern Akrata.[2][8][9] The location of the ancient city has been excavated.[10]

Explanatory notes

  1. The other mention of Aegae, in Homer, Iliad, 13.21, points to Aegae (Euboea).[2]

References

  1. Autenrieth, Georg (1891), "Αἰγαί", A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
  2. Public Domain Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Aegae". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
  3. Mogens Herman Hansen & Thomas Heine Nielsen (2004). "Achaia". An inventory of archaic and classical poleis. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 478–479. ISBN 0-19-814099-1.
  4. Pausanias. Description of Greece. 7.25.12.
  5. Homer. Iliad. 8.203.
  6. Herodotus. Histories. 1.145.
  7. Strabo. Geographica. pp. 386–387.
  8. Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.
  9. Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 58, and directory notes accompanying.
  10. www.in.gr

38°08′52″N 22°20′54″E


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.