Attica
- The most distinguished province of Greece, situated in Hellas proper, with Athens as capital.
- A Form Attĭca, Mel. 2, 3, 7; Ter. Eun. 110.—
- B Form Attĭcē, Plin. 4, 1, § 1; 4, 7, 11, § 23.—
- II Attĭca, the name of the daughter of T. Pomponius Atticus, Cic. Att. 12, 1; cf. Atticula.
[Atticus, T. Pomponius.]
A´TTICA (ἡ Ἀττική, sc. γῆ), one of the political divisions of Greece.
I. Name.The name of Attica is probably derived from Acte (Ἀκτή), as being a projecting peninsula, in the same manner as the peninsula of Mt. Athos was also called Acte. [ACTE] Attica would thus be a corruption of Actica (Ἀκτική), which would be regularly formed from Acte. It is stated by several ancient writers that the country was originally called Acte. (Strab. 9. p. 391; Steph. B. s. v. Ἀκτή; Plin. iv, 7. s. 11.) Its name, however, was usually derived by the ancient writers from the autochthon Actaeus or Actaeon, or from Atthis, daughter of Cranaus, who is represented as the second king of Athens. (Paus. 1.2.6; Strab. 9. p. 397; Apollod. 3.14.5.) Some modern scholars think that Attica has nothing to do with the word Acte, but contains the root Att or Ath, which we see in Ath-enae.
II. Natural Divisions.Attica is in the form of a triangle, having two of its sides washed by the sea, and its base united to the land. It was bounded on the east by the Aegaean sea, on the west by Megaris and the Saronic gulf, and on the north by Boeotia. It is separated from Boeotia by a range of lofty, and in most places inaccessible, mountains, which extend from the Corinthian gulf to the channel of Euboea. The most important part of this range, immediately south of Thebes and Plataeae, and near the Corinthian gulf, was called Cithaeron. From the latter there were two chief branches, one extending SW. through Megaris under the name of the Oenean mountains, and terminating at the Scironian rocks on the Saronic gulf; and the other, called Parnes, running in a general easterly direction, and terminating on the sea coast above the promontory Rhamnus. The modern name of Parnes is Noziá; that of Cithaeron, or at least of its highest point, is Elaté, derived from its fir-trees. These two chains of mountains, together with the central one of Cithaeron, completely protect the peninsula of Attica from the rest of Greece. It thus appears that Megaris naturally forms a part of the peninsula: it was one of the four ancient divisions of Attica, but was afterwards separated from it. [MEGARIS]
There are two passes across the mountains from Corinth into the Megaris, which are spoken of under MEGARIS. Through the range of Cithaeron and Parnes there are three principal passes, all of which were of great importance in ancient times for the protection of Attica on the side of Boeotia. The most westerly of these passes was the one through which the road ran from Thebes and Plataeae to Eleusis; the central one was the pass of Phyle, through which was the direct road from Thebes to Athens; and the eastern one was the pass of Deceleia, leading from Athens to Oropus and Delium. A more particular account of these important passes is given below. [See Nos. 43, 48, 51.] The highest points of Mt. Parnes lie between the passes of Phyle and Deceleia: one of the summits rises to the height of 4193 feet.
From this range of mountains there descend several other ranges into the interior, between which there lie four plains of greater or less extent.
On the NW. boundary of Attica a range of mountains runs down to the south, terminating on the west side of the bay of Eleusis in two summits, formerly called Cerata (τὰ Κέρατα, Strab. 9. p. 395) or the Horns, now Kandili: this range forms the boundary between Attica and Megaris. Another mountain range, extending from Parnes to the south, terminates on the eastern side of the bay of Eleusis, and at the narrow strait which separates the island of Salamis from the mainland: it bore the general name of Aegaleos, and parts of it were also called Poecilum and Corydallus. [AEGALEOS] Between the range of Cerata and that of Aegaleos lies the Eleusinian and Thriasian Plain.
Eastward of this plain lies the Athenian Plain, frequently called simply The Plain (τὸ Πέδιον). It is bounded on the west by Aegaleos, as has been already mentioned. Through this range of mountains there is an important pass leading from the Eleusinian into the Athenian plain. It is a narrow rocky opening between Mt. Corydallus, and is now called the pass of Dhafni: through it the Sacred Way from Eleusis to Athens formerly ran. Further north, towards Acharnae, are some openings in the heights, where are found ruins of a rampart, seven feet high, and five feet and a half thick, built along the crest of the hills: the summit of the wall forms a commanding platform towards the Eleusinian plain. (Leake, p. 143.) On the west the Athenian plain is bounded by a range of mountains, which also descends from Parnes. The northern part of this range appears to have been anciently called Brilessus (Thuc. 2.23), and subsequently Pentelicus (τὸ Πεντελικὸν ὄρος, Paus. 1.32.1; Mons Pentelensis,Vitr. 2.8), now Mendeli or Penteli. The first Greek writer who applies the name of Pentelicus to this mountain is Pausanias; but as Strabo (9. p. 399) speaks of Pentelic marble, we may infer with Leake that the celebrity of the marble quarried in the demus of Pentele, upon the side of Mt. Brilessus, had caused the name of Pentelicus to supplant that of the ancient Brilessus. The plain of Athens is bounded on the south-east by the lofty range of Mt. Hymettus, which is separated from that of Pentelicus by a depression about two miles in length. Hymettus, the highest point of which is 3506 feet, is separated by a remarkable break into two parts, the northern or greater Hymettus, now called Telo-Vuni, and the southern or lesser Hymettus, which formerly bore also the name of Anhydrus (Ἄνυδρος, Theophr. de Sign. Pluv. p. 419, Heins.) or the Waterless, now called Mavro-Vuni. The latter terminates in the promontory Zoster.
The hill of Lycabettus, in the neighbourhood of Athens, is spoken of elsewhere. [See 303b.]
Sometimes both the Eleusinian and Athenian plains are included under the general name of The Plain; and the coast of these two plains was more specifically called Acte. (Strab. 9. p. 391.)
North east of the Athenian plain, between Parnes, Pentelicus, and the sea, is a mountain district, known by the name of Diacria (Διακρία) in antiquity. Its inhabitants, usually called Diacreis or Diacrii (Διακρεῖς, Διακρίοι), were sometimes also termed HyperacriiὙπερακρίοι, Hdt. 1.59), apparently from their dwelling on the other side of the mountain from the city. The only level part of this district is the small plain of Marathon, open to the sea. At the north-eastern extremity of this district, west of Cape Kálamo, there rises an eminence 2038 feet in height, which is probably the ancient Phelleus (Φελλεύς), a name which came to be used by the Athenians for any rocky heights adapted for the pasture of goats. (Aristoph. Nub. 71, Acharn. 272; Isaeus, de Ciron. Hered. p. 227, Reiske; Harpocrat., Suid., s. v. Φελλέα; Hesych. s. v. Φέλλος. )
South-east of the Athenian plain is an undulating district, anciently called Mesogaea (Μεσόγαια) or the Midland district, and now Mesóghia. It is bounded by Pentelicus on the north, Hymettus on the west, the sea on the east, and the hills of Paralia on the south
Paralia or Paralus (Παραλία, Πάρακος), i. e. the Sea-coast district, included the whole of the south of Attica, extending from the promontory Zoster on the west, and from Brauron on the east, to Sunium. It was a hilly and barren district, but contained the rich silver-mines of Laurium. (Thuc. 2.55; Steph. B., Suid. s. v.)
It appears, then, that Attica is distributed into five natural divisions. 1. The Eleusinian or Thriasian Plain. 2. The Athenian Plain. 3. The Diacria or Highlands, including the Plain of Marathon. 4. The Mesogaea or Midland District. 5. The Paralia or Sea-coast District. This geographical distribution gave rise also to political divisions, as we shall see presently.
The small plain of Oropus, lying north of Parnes upon the Euboean channel, generally belonged to Attica, though physically separated from it, and properly a part of Boeotia. [OROPUS]
The area of Attica is about 700 square miles, not including the island of Salamis, which is about 40 more. The length of the west coast from Cerata or the Horns to Sunium is about 60 miles, and the length of the east coast is about the same. (There is a good account of the physical features of Attica in the Penny Cyclopaedia, vol. 3. p. 59.)
III. Rivers.The rivers of Attica are little better than mountain torrents, almost dry in summer, and only full in winter, or after heavy rains. The Athenian plain is watered by two rivers, the Cephissus and the Ilissus. The Cephissus (Κηφισσός), which is the more important of the two, flows southwards from Mt. Parnes on the west side of Athens, and after crossing the Long Walls falls into the Phaleric bay. Strabo (10. p. 400) places its sources at Trinemii. Leake observes: The most distant sources of the river are on the western side of Mt. Pentelicus, and the southern side of Mt. Parnes, and in the intermediate ridge which unites them; but particularly at Kivisía, at the foot of Pentelicus,--near Fasídhero, in the part of Diacria adjoining to the same mountain,--at Tatóy, near the ancient Deceleia, and in the steepest part of Mt. Parnes, from whence descends a broad torrent, which, passing near the village Menídhi, pours a large occasional supply into the main channel of the Cephissus.S trabo says (l. c.) that the Cephissus is only a torrent stream, and that in summer it fails altogether;b ut this is not in accordance with the account of most modern travellers, who represent it as the only river in Attica which is supplied with water during the whole year. In ancient times it flowed in a single channel, and was probably carefully embanked: it is now allowed to find its way through the olive-groves in several streams, from which there are many smaller derivations, for the purpose of watering olive-trees and gardens.( Leake.)
The Ilissus (Ἰλισσός) is a more insignificant river. It was composed of two branches, one of which was named Eridanus (Ἠριδανός, Paus. 1.19.5). The main branch rises at the northern extremity of Hymettus, and receives near the Lyceium, on the east side of Athens, the Eridanus, which rises on the western slope of Hymettus at a spot called Syriáni. The united stream then flows through the southern portion of the city, towards the Phaleric bay; but it scarcely ever reaches the sea, and in the neighbourhood of Athens it is always dry in the summer. The spreading plane trees, and the shady banks of this stream, which have been immortalized by the beautiful description in the Phaedrus of Plato, have been succeeded by sun-burnt rocks and stunted bushes. (Dodwell, vol. 1. p. 475.) The source of the river at Syriáni is a beautiful spot, and is apparently described in the passage of Ovid (Ar. Am. 3.687), beginning: Est prope purpureos colles florentis HymettiFons sacer, et viridi cespite mollis humus.
There was a torrent in the Athenian plain called Cycloborus (Κυκλόβορος), described as rushing down with a great noise (Aristoph. Equit. 137, with Schol., Acharn. 381; Hesych., Suid.): it is probably the large and deep channel, called Megalo Potamo, which descends from Parnes, and flows some miles, until lost in the olive-groves. (Dodwell, vol. 1. p. 477.)
Two small streams water the Eleusinian plain; one called the Cephissus (Sarandáforo), rises in Mt. Cithaeron, and traverses the narrow plain of Eleutherae, before it descends into that of Eleusis (Paus. 1.28.5); the other, now named Ianúla, has its origin in the range of Parnes, near Phyle. A small stream called lapis (Ἰαπίς) formed the boundary between the territory of Eleusis and Megaris. (Scylax, s. v. Μέγαρα; Callim. ap. Steph. B. s. v. Ἰαπίς. )
The only other rivulets of Attica deserving notice are three on the eastern coast: one flowing through the plain of Marathon; a second rising on the south-eastern side of Pentelicus, and flowing into the sea a little, below Ratína; and a third, now called the river of Vraóna, which descends from Hymettus, and flows into the bay of Livádhi: the last is probably the ancient Erasinus (Ἐρασῖνος : Strab. 8. p. 371).
IV. Products.The mountains of Attica are chiefly calcareous. The best marble was obtained from Mt. Pentelicus, which supplied inexhaustible materials for the public buildings and statues of Athens. The Pentelic marble is of a dazzling white colour, hard, and fine-grained; but, owing to the little pieces of quartz or flint imbedded in it, not easy to work. Hymettus also produced fine marble: it is not so brilliantly white as the Pentelic, and in some places is almost grey. It was much used by the Romans in architecture. ( Trabes Hymettiae,Hor. Carm. 2.18. 3.) Blue or black marble, which was frequently used in the Athenian architecture, is found at Eleusis, and was also obtained from a quarry near the promontory of Amphiale. (Strab. 9. p. 395.) Marble was an article of export from Attica. (Xen. de Vect. 1 § 4.) Between Pentelicus and Parnes, the mass of rocks appears to have been mica slate, which is also the basis of Pentelicus. Near the Horns, on the boundaries of Megaris, there is a large deposit of conchiferous limestone, which Pausanias mentions (1.44.6).
The hilly district of Laurium, above the promontory of Sunium, contained valuable silver mines, which contributed to raise Athens at an early period to a foremost rank among the Grecian states. These mines require a separate notice. [LAURIUM]
The soil of Attica is light and dry, and produces at present little wheat. In antiquity, however, agriculture was held in great honour by the Athenians, who cultivated their land with extraordinary care. Some remarks are made elsewhere respecting the quantity of corn probably grown in Attica in ancient times. [ATHENAE p. 262.]
The soil is better adapted for the growth of fruits. The olives and figs were particularly delicious; they both ripened earlier and continued longer in-season than those in other countries. (Xen. de Vect. 1) The olive-tree was regarded as the gift of Athena, and its cultivation was always under the especial care and protection of the goddess. From the olive-tree which grew in the temple of the goddess on the Acropolis, there came the Moriae (μορίαι), or sacred olive-trees in the Academy [see p. 303]; and from these again all the other olive-trees, which grew in the precincts of the temples and the grounds of private persons. Even in the present day there are extensive groves of olive-trees along the banks of the Cephissus. The fig-tree was under the protection of Demeter, as the olive was under the care of Athena. Like the sacred olive-tree on the Acropolis, there was a sacred fig-tree at Eleusis, which the goddess Demeter is said to have produced. Olives were exported from Attica, and so probably were figs also; for the law which is said to have prohibited the exportation of the latter became obsolete in historical times, if indeed it ever existed. (Böckh, Publ. Economy of Athens, p. 41, 2nd ed.)
The wine of Attica was pleasant to the taste, though not of a superior kind. The most celebrated was grown at Icaria, where Dionysus is said to have been welcomed. [See below, No. 42.] One of the varieties of the Attic grape was called the Nicostratian (Νικοστράτιος Βότρυς, Athen. 14. p. 654.) The honey, however, was particularly fine, especially from the bees which sucked the wild flowers of Mt. Hymettus.
Attica is not adapted for the breeding of horses to any extent; the country is too hilly, and the soil too poor to afford much nourishment for them. Hence they were very scarce in early times, and even at later times could be kept only by the wealthy. For the same reason horned cattle were also scarce, and Philochorus mentions an ancient law which prohibited the killing of these animals. (Athen. 9. p. 375.) The slopes of the mountains, however, afforded excellent pasture for sheep and goats, which were very numerous in ancient times. Goats in particular formed a large portion of the wealth of the ancient inhabitants; and, from this animal, one of the four ancient tribes was called Aegicoreis. Of sheep there were several different breeds, particularly of the finest kinds. (Dem. c. Euery. et Mnesib. p. 1153; Athen. 12. p. 540.) To encourage the breeding of sheep, there was an ancient law, which forbade the sacrifice of a sheep until it had lambed or had been shorn. (Athen. 9. p. 375.) The seas around the coast abounded in fish, which were a favourite article of diet among the Athenians. Leake enumerates several varieties caught in the Phaleric bay, of which the ἀφύη, probably a sort of anchovy or sardine, is often mentioned. Off Cape Zoster was caught the red mullet (τρίγλη).
On the mountains wild animals were found. Even in the time of Pausanias the bear and the wild boar were hunted on Mt. Parnes. (Paus. 1.32.1.)
V. Political Divisions.The oldest political division of Attica is said to have been made by Cecrops, who divided the country into twelve independent communities, which were afterwards united into one state by Theseus. The names of these communities were: Cecropia, Tetrapolis, Epacria, Deceleia, Eleusis, Aphidna, Thoricus, Brauron, Cytherus, Sphettus, Cephisia, and Phalerus. (Philochor. ap. Strab. 9. p. 397; Etymol. M. s. v. Ἐπακρία; Plut. Thes. 24.) Their position has been ably discussed by Finlay, in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature (vol. 3. p. 396), but as we shall have occasion to speak of each presently, it is only necessary to state now that these names continued to exist down to the latest times of Athenian history; that Cecropia became the Acropolis of Athens; that Tetrapolis contained the four demi of Oenoë, Marathon, Tricory-thus, and Probalinthus (Strab. 8. p. 383); and that the remaining cities sunk into demi.
Another ancient division of Attica into four parts, among the sons of Pandion, has a distinct reference to the physical divisions of the country. Nisus received Megaris; Aegeus the Coastland (ἀκτή), with the capital and the adjoining plain (πεδιάς); and the two other brothers Diacria (διακρία), or the Highlands in the NE. of the country, and Paralia (παραλία), or the southern coast. (Strab. 9. p. 392; Schol. ad Aristoph. Vesp. 1223, and ad Vesp. 58.) That this division has a reference to some historical fact, is clear from the circumstance that, after Megaris had been torn away from Athens by the Dorians, the inhabitants of the remaining parts formed three political parties in the time of Solon and Peisistratus, known by the name of the Men of the Plain, the Parali, and the Diacrii or Hyperacrii. (Hdt. 1.59; Plut. Sol. 13.)
Another division of the people of Attica into four (φυλαί or tribes, existed from the earliest times. These tribes were called by different names at different periods. In the time of Cecrops they were called Cecropis, Autochthon, Actaea, and Paralia, the two former names being derived from mythical persons, and the two latter from the physical divisions of the country. In the reign of Cranaus, these names were changed into Cranais, Atthis, Mesogaea, and Diacris, where again the two former are mythical, and the two latter local denominations. Afterwards we find a new set of names, Dias, Athenais, Poseidonias, and Hephaestias, evidently derived from the deities who were worshipped in the country. But these names all disappeared before the four Ionic tribes of Geleontes, Hopletes, Argades, and Aegicores, which continued to exist down to the time of Cleisthenes (B.C. 510). One of the most important measures in the democratical revolution, brought about by Cleisthenes after the expulsion of the Peisistratidae, was the abolition of the four ancient Ionic tribes, and the formation of ten new tribes. The names of these ten tribes, derived from Attic heroes, were, in order of precedence, Erechtheis, Aegeis, Pandionis, Leontis, Acamantis, Oeneis, Cecropis, Hippothoontis, Aeantis, Antiochis. This number remained unaltered down to B.C. 307, when it was increased to twelve by the addition of two new tribes, Antigonias and Demetrias, in honour of Antigonus and his son Demetrius, because the latter had delivered Athens from the rule of Cassander. The name of Antigonias was subsequently changed into that of Ptolemais, in honour of Ptolemy Philadelphus; and the Demetrias into Attalis, when Attalus was the ally of Athens against Philip and the Rhodians. Finally, the number of tribes was increased to thirteen, in the reign of Hadrian, by the addition of Hadrianis, in honour of this emperor.
Each tribe was subdivided into a certain number of δῆμοι, townships, cantons, or parishes. The whole territory of Attica was parcelled out into these demi, in one or other of which every Athenian citizen was enrolled. The number of these demi is not ascertained: we only know that they were 174 in the time of Polemo, who lived in the third century B.C. (Strab. 9. p. 396; Eustath. in Il. 2.546.) It has been supposed, from the words of Herodotus (δέκα δὲ καὶ τοὺς δῆμους κατένεμε ἐς τὰς φυλάς, 5.69), that there were originally one hundred demi, ten to each tribe; but it is improbable that the number of demi was increased so largely as from 100 to 174, and hence some modern critics construe δέκα with φυλάς, and not with δήμους, as the least difficulty in the case.
It is important to bear in mind that the demi assigned by Cleisthenes to each tribe were in no case all adjacent to each other. The reason for this arrangement cannot be better stated than in the words of Mr. Grote (vol. 4. p. 177): The tribe, as a whole, did not correspond with any continuous portion of the territory, nor could it have any peculiar local interest, separate from the entire community. Such systematic avoidance of the factions arising out of neighbourhood will appear to have been more especially necessary, when we recollect that the quarrels of the Parali, the Diacrii, the Pediaci, during the preceding century, had all been generated from local feud, though doubtless artfully fomented by individual ambition. Moreover, it was only by this same precaution that the local predominance of the city, and the formation of a city-interest distinct from that of the country, was obviated; which could hardly have failed to arise, had the city itself constituted either one deme or one tribe.W e know that five of the city demi belonged to five different tribes: namely, the demus Cerameicus belonged to the tribe Acamantis; Melite to the Cecropis; Collytus to the Aegeis; Cydathenaeum to the Pandionis; Scambonidae to the Leontis. Moreover, Peiraeeus belonged to the Hippothoontis, and Phalerum to the Aeantis.
For further information respecting the Athenian tribes in general, and the organization of the demus, the reader is referred to the Dict. of Antiq. arts. Tribus and Demus.
It is certain that the descendants of a man always remained in the demus in which their ancestor was originally enrolled in the time of Cleisthenes. Consequently, if a person transferred his abode to another demus, he was not enrolled in the new demus in which he settled, even if he was highly esteemed by the inhabitants of the latter, and had conferred great obligations upon them. This is clear from an inscription in Böckh's collection (n. 101). (Sauppe, De Demis Urbanis Athenarum, p. 13.) It is important to bear this fact in mind, because modern writers have sometimes fixed the site of a demus, simply in consequence of finding upon the spot the name of this demus attached to the name of a man; but this is not conclusive, since the demus in which a man was enrolled, and the demus in which he resided, might be, and frequently were, different.
Each of the larger demi contained a town or village; but several of the smaller demi possessed apparently only a common temple or place of assembly, the houses of the community being scattered over the district, as in many of our country parishes. The names of most of the demi are preserved. It was the practice in all public documents to add to the name of a person the name of the district to which he belonged; and hence we find in inscriptions the names of a great number of demi. Many others are met with in Harpocration, Hesychius, Stephanus, and Suidas, as well as in the earlier writers. But though the names of most of the demi are thus preserved, it is impossible to fix the site of a large number of them, as they were not of sufficient importance to be mentioned in history. We shall endeavour, however, to ascertain their position as far as is practicable, arranging the demi under: 1. The Demi of the Athenian Plain.2. The Demi of the Eleusinian Plain.3. The Demi of Diacria and Mount Parnes.4. The Demi of Paralia and Mesogaea.
A. THE DEMI OF THE ATHENIAN PLAIN. A. THE DEMI OF THE ATHENIAN PLAIN.[ATHENAE p. 301, seq.] They were CERAMEICUS, MELITE, SCAMBONIDAE, COLLYTUS, CYDATHENAEUM, DIOMEIA, COELE, and perhaps CERIADAE. To these must be added PEIRAEEUS and PHALERUM[See p. 304, seq.]
a. West of the Cephissus in the direction from N. to S. were: 11. XYPETE(Ξυπέτη, )XYPETE(Ξυπέτη, also Ξυπετεών, Strab. 13. p. 604), said to have been likewise called TROJA(Τροία), because Teucrus led from hence an Attic colony into Phrygia. (Dionys. 1.61; Strab. l. c.; Steph. B.) It was apparently near Peiraeeus or Phalerum, since Xypete, Peiraeeus, Phalerum, and Thymoetadae formed the τετράκωμοι (Pollux, 4.105), who had a temple of Hercules in common (τετράκωμον Ἡρακλεῖον, Steph. B. s. v. Ἐχελίδαι; Böckh, Inscrip. vol. 1. p. 123). Leake places Xypete at a remarkable insulated height, a mile from the head of the harbour of Peiraeeus, where are still seen some Hellenic foundations; but Ross remarks that this cannot be correct, since Xenophon (Xen. Hell. 2.4.34) mentions this hill without giving its name, which he certainly would not have done if it had been Xypete.
12. THYMOETADAE(Θυμοιτάδαι )THYMOETADAE(Θυμοιτάδαι), deriving its name from Thymoetas, a king of Attica, possessed a port, from which Theseus secretly set sail on his expedition to Crete. (Plut. Thes. 19.) This retired port seems to have been the same as the PHORON LIMEN (Φώρων λιμήν) or Thieves' port,s o called from its being frequented by smugglers. (Dem. c. Lacrit. p. 932; Strab. 9. p. 395.) It is a small circular harbour at the entrance to the bay of Salamis, and according to Dodwell is still called Klephtho-limani. Leake noticed the foundations of a temple upon a height near the beach, and other remains at a quarter of a mile on the road to Athens. This temple was probably the Heracleium mentioned above. It was situated on the Attic side of the Strait of Salamis (Ctesias, Pers. 100.26, ed. Lion; Diod. 11.18); and it was from the heights of Aegaleos, above this temple, that Xerxes witnessed the battle of Salamis. (Phanodemus, ap. Plut. Them. 13; comp. Hdt. 8.90.) It is true that this temple was not situated at the narrowest part of the strait, as some writers represent; but Leake justly remarks, that the harbour was probably the point from whence the passage-boats to Salamis departed, as it is at the present day, and consequently the Heracleium became the most noted place on this part of the Attic shore. At the foot of Mt. Aegaleos are still seen vestiges of an ancient causeway, probably the road leading from Athens to the ferry. The σισύραι, or garments of goatskins of Thymoetadae, appear to have been celebrated. (Aristoph. Vesp. 1138.)
13. ECHELIDAE(Ἐχελίδαι )ECHELIDAE(Ἐχελίδαι), so called from the hero Echelus, lay between Peiraeeus and the Heracleium, in or near a marshy district, and possessed a Hippodrome, in which horse-races took place. (Steph. B. s.v.; Etym. M.s. v. Ἔχελος; Hesych. and Etym. M. s. v. ἐν Ἐχελιδῶν.) It is probable that this Hippodrome is the place to which the narrative in Demosthenes refers (c. Everg. p. 1155, seq.), in which case it was near the city. (Ibid. p. 1162; comp, Xen. de Mag. Eq. 3 § § 1, 10.)
14. CORYDALLUS(Κορυδαλλός )CORYDALLUS(Κορυδαλλός), at the foot of the mountain of the same name, is placed by Strabo (9. p. 395) between Thria and Peiraeeus, near the straits of Salamis, opposite the islands of Pharma-cussae. This position is in accordance with the account of Diodorus (Diod. 4.59), who, after relating the contest of Theseus with Cercyon, which, according to Pausanias (Paus. 1.39.3), took place to the west of Eleusis, says that Theseus next killed Procrustes, whose abode was in Corydallus. Against the express testimony of Strabo, we cannot accept the authority of other writers, who make Corydallus a mountain on the frontiers of Boeotia and Attica. (Athen. 9. p. 390; Plin. Nat. 10.41; Antig. Caryst. 6; Aelian, H. An. 3.35.)
15. HERMUS(Ἕρμος )HERMUS(Ἕρμος), lay on the sacred road to Eleusis, between the Cephissus and the Pythium, a temple of Apollo on Mt. Poecilum, upon a rivulet of the same name. Here was the splendid monument of Pythonice, the wife of Harpalus. (Plut. Phoc. 22; Harpocrat. s. v. Ἕρμος; Paus. 1.37.4; Athen. 13. p. 594; Diod. 17.108.)
16. OEA or OE (Ὀία or Ὄη )OEA or OE (Ὀία or Ὄη), was situated above the Pythium, to the west of Mt.Aegaleos, to the north of the pass of Poecilum. (Soph. Oed. Col. 1061, Οἰάτιδος ἐκ νόμου, with the Schol.; Leake, p. 151.)
b. West of the Cephissus, and E. of the city, in the direction from N. to S.: 17. OEUM CERAMEICUM(Οἶον Κεραμεικὸν )OEUM CERAMEICUM(Οἶον Κεραμεικὸν), to distinguish it from Oeum Deceleicum near Deceleia. Its name shows that it was near the outer Cerameicus, and it may, therefore, be placed, with Leake, between the Sacred Way and the northern Long Wall. (Harpocrat., Suid. s. v.)
18. SCIRUM(Σκίρον, Σκίρα, )SCIRUM(Σκίρον, Σκίρα, Strab. 9. p. 393), a small place near a torrent of the same name, just outside the Athenian walls on the Sacred Way. It was not a demus, and derived its name from Scirus, a prophet of Dodona, who fell in the battle between the Eleusinii and Erechtheus, and was buried in this spot. (Paus. 1.36.4; Strab. l. c.; Steph. B., Harpocrat. s. v. ; comp. Schol. ad Aristoph. Eccl. 18.)
19. LACIADAE (Λακιάδαι )LACIADAE (Λακιάδαι), on the Sacred Way between Sciron and the Cephissus, and near the sacred fig-tree. It is celebrated as the demus to which the family of Miltiades and Cimon belonged. (Paus. 1.37.2; Plut. Cim. 4, Alc. 22; Cic. de Off. 2.1. 8; Hesych.; Suid.)
20. COLONUS (Κολωνός )COLONUS (Κολωνός), celebrated as the demus of Sophocles, and the scene of one of the poet's tragedies, was situated ten stadia from the gate of the city, called Dipylum, near the Academy and the river Cephissus. (Thuc. 8.67; Cic. de Fin. 5.1.) It derived its name from two small but conspicuous heights, which rise from the plain a little to the north of the Academy. Hence it is called by Sophocles the white Colonus( τὸν ἀργῆτα Κολωνόν, Oed. Col. 670). It was under the especial care of Poseidon, and is called by Thucydides (l. c.) the ἱερόν of this god. It is frequently called Colonus Hippius,t o distinguish it from the Colonus Agoraeusi n Athens. [ATHENAE 298b.] Besides the temple of Poseidon, it possessed a sacred inclosure of the Eumenides, altars of Athena, Hippia, Demeter, Zeus, and Prometheus, together with sanctuaries of Peirithous, Theseus, Oedipus, and Adrastus. (Paus. 1.30.4.) The natural beauties of the spot are described by Sophocles in the magnificent chorus, beginning with the words:-- εὐίππου, ξένε, τᾶσδε χώραςἵκου τὰ κράτιστα γᾶς ἔπαυλα,τὸν ἀργῆτα Κολωνόν.
c. Farther north: 21. ACHARNAE(Ἀχαρναί )ACHARNAE(Ἀχαρναί), the most important of all the Attic demi, described in a separate article. [ACHARNAE]
22. EUPYRIDAE(Εὐπυρίδαι, )EUPYRIDAE(Εὐπυρίδαι, Steph. B.),
23. CROPIA(Κρωπία, )CROPIA(Κρωπία, Steph. B.; Κρωπειά, Thuc. 2.19),
24. PELECES(Πήληκες )PELECES(Πήληκες), three demi forming a community, as τρίκωμοι (Steph. B. s. v. Εὐρυπίδαι), and probably, therefore, adjacent. If the reading in Thucydides (Thuc. 2.19) is correct, διὰ Κρωπειᾶς, these demi should be placed in the north of the Athenian plain, but many editors read διὰ Κεκροπίας. Stuart, who has been followed by most modern writers, was led, by similarity of name, to place Peleces at the modern Bélikas, near Marúsi; but Ross maintains that the name of this Albanian village has no connexion with Peleces.
25. PAEONIDAE(Παιονίδαι, )PAEONIDAE(Παιονίδαι, Paus. 2.18.9), apparently the same as the Paeonia (Παιονίη) of Herodotus (Hdt. 5.62), who describes Leipsydrium as situated above Paeonia. It was perhaps on the site of the modern Menídhi, since we know that the modern Greeks frequently change π into μ; thus Πεντέλη is also pronounced Μεντέλη.
26. LEIPSYDRIUM(Λειψύδριον )LEIPSYDRIUM(Λειψύδριον), was not a demus, but a fortress, in which the Alcmaeonidae fortified themselves after the death of Hipparchus, but was taken by the Peisistratidae after defeating the opposite party. (Hdt. 5.62; comp. Athen. 15. p. 695.) We have already seen that Herodotus describes it as situated above Paeonia, and other authorities place it above Parnes. (Schol. ad Aristoph. Lysistr. 665; Hesych. s. v. Λειψύδριον; Hesych., Suid. ἐπὶ Λειψυδρίῳ μάχῃ.) It is, however, more probable that it stood on the southern slopes of Mt. Parnes, so as to command the descent into the Athenian plain. Leake conjectures that it may have occupied the site of the Metókhi of St. Nicolas, a small monastery, situated amidst the woods of the upper region of Mount Parnes, at the distance of three or four miles to the north of Menídhi.
27. CEPHISIA (Κηφισία )CEPHISIA (Κηφισία), was one of the ancient twelve cities of Cecrops, and continued to be an important demus down to the latest times. It retains its ancient name (Kivisía), and is situated about nine miles NE. of Athens, at the foot of Mt. Pentelicus, nearly opposite Acharnae. It was the favourite summer residence of Herodes Atticus, who adorned it with buildings, gardens, and statues. We learn from modern travellers that a fountain of transparent water, and groups of shady trees, still remain here; and that it continues to be a favourite residence of the Athenians during the heat of summer. (Strab. 9.397; Diog. Laert.; Philostr. Vit. Soph. 2.1.12; Gell. 1.2, 18.10; Harpocrat.; Phot.; Wordsworth, p. 227; Stephani, Reise durch Griechenland, p. 1.)
28. ACTHMONUM (Ἄθμονον, )ACTHMONUM (Ἄθμονον, also Ἀθμονία, Harpocrat.; Steph. B.; Zonar.; Suid.; Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 349), situated on the site of the village Marúsi, which is a mile and a half from Kivisíc on the road to Athens. The name of the modern village has been derived from Amarysia, a surname of Artemis, who was worshipped under this designation at Athmonum. (Paus. 1.35.5.) An inscription found near Marúsi, in which the temenos of this goddess is mentioned, puts the matter beyond dispute. (ὅρος Ἀρτέμιδος τεμένους Ἀμαρυδίας, Böckh, Inscr. n. 528.) Athmonum also possessed a very ancient temple of Aphrodite Urania. (Paus. 1.14.7.) The inhabitants of this demus appear to have been considered clever wine-dressers. (Aristoph. Pac. 190.)
29. IPHISTIADAE or HEPHAESTIADAE(Ἰφιστιάδαι, Ἡφαιστιάδαι, )IPHISTIADAE or HEPHAESTIADAE(Ἰφιστιάδαι, Ἡφαιστιάδαι, Steph. B.; Hesych.), are the names of one demus, and not two separate demi, as Leake maintained. Iphistiadae appears to have been the correct form of the name, not only because it occurs much more frequently in inscriptions, but also because it is much more probable that a name formed from the obscure hero Iphistius should have been converted into one derived from the god Hephaestus, than that the reverse should have been the case. (Ross, p. 74.) We learn from Plato's will (Diog. Laert.), that this demus contained an Heracleium or temple of Hercules, which has probably given its name to the modern village of Araklí, about two or three miles westward of Kivisía and Marúsi. Hence Araklí indicates the site of Iphistiadae, as Marúsi does that of Athmonum.
30. EIRESIDAE(Εἰρεσίδαι, )EIRESIDAE(Εἰρεσίδαι, Steph. B.; Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 246), west or south-west of Cephisia, and adjacent to Iphistiadae. (Diog. Laert..)
31. PENTELE(Πεντέλη, )PENTELE(Πεντέλη, Steph.), was situated at the north-eastern extremity of the Athenian plain, at the marble quarries of Mt. Brilessus, which was called Mt. Pentelicus from this place. [See 322a.] The fact of Pentele being a demus rests upon the authority of Stephanus alone, and has not yet been confirmed by inscriptions.
32. PALLENE(Παλλήνη )PALLENE(Παλλήνη), a celebrated demus, frequently mentioned by ancient writers and in inscriptions. From the mythical story of the war of the Pallantidae against Theseus, we learn that the demi of Pallene, Gargettus, and Agnus were adjacent. When Pallas was marching from Sphettus in the Mesogaea against Athens, he placed a body of his troops in ambush at Gargettus, under the command of his two sons, who were ordered, as soon as he was engaged with the army of Theseus, to march rapidly upon Athens and take the city by surprise, But the stratagem was revealed to Theseus by Leos of Agnus, the herald of Pallas; whereupon Theseus cut to pieces the troops at Gargettus. In consequence of this a lasting enmity followed between the inhabitants of Pallene and Agnus. (Plut. Thes. 13; Philochor. ap. Schol. ad Eurip. Hippol. 35.) The road from Sphettus to Athens passed through the opening between Mt. Pentelicus and Mt. Hymettus. In this situation, on the SW. side of Pentelicus, we find a small village, named Garitó, which is undoubtedly the site of the ancient Gargettus. The proximity of Pallene and Gargettus is indicated by another legend. Pallene was celebrated for its temple of Athena; and we are told that Eurystheus was buried at Gargettus in front of the temple of Athena Pallenis. (Strab. 8. p. 377; Steph., Hesych. s. v. Ταργηττός; πάροιθε παρθένου Παλληνίδος Eurip. Heracl. 1031.) We know further that Pallene lay on one of the roads from the city to Marathon (Hdt. 1.62); and as the most convenient road for warlike operations leads to Marathon around the southern side of Pentelicus, Ross places Pallene half an hour south of Garitó, between the monastery Hieraka and the small village Charvati, at the spot where was discovered a celebrated inscription respecting money due to temples, and which was probably placed in the temple of Athena Pallenis. (Böckh, Inscr. n. 76.) In Hieraka there was also found the Boustrophedon inscription of Aristocles, which probably also came from the same temple. (Böckh, n. 23.) Leake supposes Pallene to have stood at the foot of Hymettus, immediately opposite to Garitó at the foot of Pentelicus, and supposes its site to be indicated by some Hellenic ruins of considerable extent on a height which is separated only from the northern extremity of Hymettus by the main road into the Mesogaea. This place is about a mile and a half to the south-westward of Garitó, near two small churches, in one of which Mr. Finlay found the following fragment: ΞΕΟΦΑΝΗΣ ΠΑΛΛΗΝΕΥΣ. This situation, where the roads of the Mesogaea necessarily unite in approaching Athens, is such a point as would be important, and often occupied in military operations; and accordingly, we find that on three occasions in the early history of Athens, Pallene was the scene of action; first, when Eurystheus fought against the Athenians and Heracleidae; again, when Theseus was opposed to the Pallantidae; and a third time when Peisistratus defeated the Alemaeonidae.( Leake, p. 46.) The inscription, however, in such a case, is not decisive evidence, as we have already seen. [See 325a.]
Agnus is placed by Ross in the hollow which lies between the extreme northern point of Hymettus and Hieraka. Leake, on the other hand, fixes it at Markópulo, in the southern part of the Mesogaea, because Mr. Finlay found at this place an inscription, .... υλίδης Ἀγνούσιος.
33. GARGETTUS(Γαργηττός, )GARGETTUS(Γαργηττός, Steph.; Hesych.; Phavor.; Schol. ad Aristoph. Thesm. 905), spoken of above, and celebrated as the demus of Epicurus.
34. AGNUS or HAGNUS(Ἀγνοῦς or Ἁγνοῦς )AGNUS or HAGNUS(Ἀγνοῦς or Ἁγνοῦς, Steph.; Phryn.; Hesych.; Suid.), also spoken of above.
d. East of Athens: 35. ALOPECE(Ἀλωπέκη )ALOPECE(Ἀλωπέκη), was situated only eleven or twelve stadia from the city (Aesch. c. Timarch. p. 119, Reiske), and not far from Cynosarges. (Hdt. 5.63.) It lay consequently east of Athens, near the modern village of Ambelókipo, between Lycabettus and Ilissus. It possessed a temple of Aphrodite (Böckh, Inscr. n. 395), and also, apparently, one of Hermaphroditus. (Alciphr. Ep. 3.37.) There are some remains of an ancient building in the church at Ambelókipo, which Leake supposes may be those of the temple of Aphrodite.
e. South of Athens: 36, 37. AGRYLE (Ἀγρυλή, Ἀραυλή, Ἀγροιλή,AGRYLE (Ἀγρυλή, Ἀραυλή, Ἀγροιλή, Steph.; Harpocrat.; Suid.; Hesych.; Zonar.; Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 332), was the name of two demi, an upper and a lower Agryle. They lay immediately south of the stadium in the city. (Harpocrat. s. v. Ἀπδηττός.) It is not improbable that the district of Agrae in the city belonged to one of these demi. [See 302b.]
38. HALIMVIUS (Ἁλιμοῦς, )HALIMVIUS (Ἁλιμοῦς, Harpocrat.; Suid.; Steph.; Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 376; Schol. ad Aristoph. Av. 498), said to have been so called from τὰ ἅλιμα, sea-weeds (Etym. M. s. v.), was situated on the coast between Phalerum and Aexone (Strab. 9. p. 398), at the distance of 35 stadia from the city (Dem. c. Eubulid. p. 1302), with temples of Demeter and Core (Paus. 1.31.1), and of Hercules. (Dem. pp. 1314, 1319.) Hence Leake places it at C. Kallimákhi, at the back of which rises a small but conspicuous hill, crowned with a church of St. Cosmas. Halimus was the demus of Thucydides the historian.
38*. AEXONE(Αἰξωνή, )AEXONE(Αἰξωνή, Harpocrat.; Suid.; Zonar.; Steph.; Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 358; Xen. Hell. 2.4. 26), situated on the coast south of Halimus (Strab. l. c.), probably near the promontory of Colias. [Respecting the position of Colias, see 305b.] Aexone was celebrated for its fisheries. (Athen. 7. p. 325; Hesych., Zonar., Suid., s. v. Αἰξωνίδα τρίγλην. )
39. HALAE AEXONIDES (Ἁλαὶ Αἰξωνίδες )HALAE AEXONIDES (Ἁλαὶ Αἰξωνίδες), a little south of the preceding, derived its name from its salt-works. (Strab. l. c.; Steph.) They occupy a level behind a cape called Aghiá, where are found numerous remains of an ancient town, and among them a lion in white marble.( Leake.)
B. THE DEMI OF THE ELEUSINIAN OR THRIASIAN PLAIN.The celebrated Sacred Way (Ἱερὰ Ὁδός), leading from Athens to Eleusis, demands a few words. It was the road along which the solemn procession in the Eleusinian festival travelled every year from Athens to Eleusis. It was lined on either side with numerous monuments. (Dict. of Ant. s. v. Eleusinia. ) This road, with its monuments, is described at some length by Pausanias (Paus. 1.36--38), and was the subject of a special work by Polemon, which is unfortunately lost. (Harpocrat. s. v. Ἱερὰ Ὁδός. )
It has been mentioned elsewhere, that there were probably two roads leading from Athens, to each of which the name of the Sacred Way was given, one issuing from the gate called Dipylum, and the other from the Sacred Gate, and that these two roads united shortly after quitting Athens, and formed the one Sacred Way. [ATHINAE, 263a.]
Pausanias, in his journey along the Sacred Way, left Athens by Dipylum. The first monument, which was immediately outside this gate, was that of the herald Anthemocritus. Next came the tomb of Molossus, and then the place Scirum, already described. [See above, No. 18.] After some monuments mentioned by Pausanias there was the demus Laciadae [see No. 19], and shortly afterwards the Cephissus was crossed by a bridge, which Pausanias has omitted to mention, but which is celebrated as the place at which the initiated assailed passengers with vulgar abuse and raillery, hence called γεφυρισμοί. (Strab. 9. p. 400; Suid. s. v. Γεφυρίζων; Hesych. s. v. Γεφυρισταί.) After crossing the Cephissus, Pausanias describes several other monuments, of which he specifies two as the most remarkable for magnitude and ornament, one of a Rhodian who dwelt at Athens, and the other built by Harpalus in honour of his wife Pythionice. The latter, as we have already seen, was situated at the demus Hermus. [See above, No. 15.]
The next most important object on the road was the temple of Apollo on Mount Poecilum, the site of which is now marked by a church of St. Elias. In one of the walls of this church there were formerly three fluted Ionic columns, which were removed by the Earl of Elgin in 1801: the capitals of these columns, a base, and a part of one of the shafts, are now in the British Museum. It was situated in the principal pass between the Eleusinian and Thriasian plains. This pass is now called Dhafni; at its summit is a convent of the same name. [See 322a.] Beyond the temple of Apollo was a temple of Aphrodite, of which the foundations are found at a distance of less than a mile from Dhafni. That these foundations are those of the ancient temple of Aphrodite appears from the fact that doves of white marble have been discovered at the foot of the rocks, and that in the inscriptions still visible under the niches the words Φίλη Ἀφροδίτῃ may be read. This was the Philaeum or the temple of Phila Aphrodite, built by one of the flatterers of Demetrius Poliorcetes in honour of his wife Phila (Athen. vii. pp. 254, a. 255, c.); but Pausanias, whose pious feelings were shocked by such a profanation, calls it simply a temple of Aphrodite. Pausanias says that before the temple was a wall of rude stones worthy of observation,o f which, according to Leake, the remains may still be seen; the stones have an appearance of remote antiquity, resembling the irregular masses of the walls of Tiryns.
At the bottom of the pass close to the sea were the RHEITI(Πειτοί), or salt-springs, which formed the boundaries of the Athenians and Eleusinians at the time of the twelve cities. The same copious springs are still to be observed at the foot of Mt. Aegaleos; but the water, instead of being permitted to take its natural course to the sea, is now collected into an artificial reservoir, formed by a stone wall towards the road. This work has been constructed for the purpose of turning two mills, below which the two streams cross the Sacred Way into the sea.( Leake.)
Half a mile beyond the Rheiti, where the road to Eleutherae branches off to the right, was the Tomb of Strato, situated on the right-hand side of the road. There are still ruins of this monument with an inscription, from which we learn its object; but it is not mentioned by Pausanias. The Way then ran along the low ground on the shore of the bay, crossed the Eleusinian Cephissus, and shortly afterwards reached Eleusis. Leake found traces of the ancient causeway in several places in the Eleusinian plain, but more recent travellers relate that they have now disappeared. (Mure, vol. 2. p. 31.) Respecting the Sacred Way in general, see Leake, p. 134, and Preller, De Via Sacra Eleusinia, Dorpat. 1841.
40. ELEUSIS(Ἐλευσίς )ELEUSIS(Ἐλευσίς), is noticed separately. [ELEUSIS]
41. THRIA(Θρία )THRIA(Θρία), an important demus, from which the Eleusinian plain, or, at all events, the central or eastern part of it, was called the Thriasian Plain. When Attica was invaded from the west, the Thriasian Plain was the first to suffer from the ravages of the enemy. (Θριάσιον πεδίον, Strab. 9. p. 395; Hdt. 9.7; Thuc. 1.114, 2.19.) A portion of the Eleusinian plain was also called the Rharian Plain (Πάριον, Hom. Hymn. Cer. 450) in ancient times, but its site is unknown.
The territory of Thria appears to have been extended as far as the salt-springs Rheiti, since the temple of Aphrodite Phila is said to have been in Thria. (Athen. 6. 255c.) Thria is placed by Leake at a height called Magúla, on the Eleusinian Cephissus, about three miles above Eleusis, but it is much more probable that it stood upon the coast somewhere between Eleusis and the promontory Amphiale (εἶτα [after Eleusis] τὸ Θριάσιον πεδίον καὶ ὁμώνυμος αἰγιαλὸς καὶ δῆμος· εἴθ ἡ ἄκρα ἡ Ἀμφιάλη, Strab. l. c.). Fiedler mentions the ruins of a demus, probably Thria, situated on the coast, at the distance of scarcely ten minutes after leaving the pass of Dhafni. (Fiedler, Reise, &c. vol. 1. p. 81.)
42. ICARIA(Ἰκαρία )ICARIA(Ἰκαρία), the demus, in which Icarius received Dionysus, who taught him the art of making wine. (For the legend, see Dict. of Biogr. and Myth., art. Icarius.) The position of this demus and of Mount Icarius (Plin. Nat. 4.7. s. 11) has been variously fixed by modern scholars. Leake has identified Icarius with Mount Argalíki, on the south side of the Marathonian plain, since Icarius is said by Statius (Theb. 11.644) to have been slain in the Marathonian forest. But, as Ross has observed, Marathonian is here used only in the sense of Attican; and the argument derived from this passage of Statius is entirely overthrown by another passage of the same poet, in which the abodes of Icarius and of Celeus (i. e. Icaria and Eleusis) and Melaenae are mentioned together as three adjacent places. ( Icarii Celeique domus viridesque Melaenae,S tat. Theb. 12.619.) Ross, with greater probability, places Icaria in the west of Attica, because all the legends respecting the introduction of the worship of Dionysus into Attica represent it as coming from Thebes by way of Eleutherae, and because the Parian chronicle represents men from Icaria as instituting the first chorus at Athens, while the invention of comedy is assigned to the Megarian Susarion. From the latter circumstance, Ross conjectures that Icaria was near the frontiers of Megara; and he supposes that the range of mountains, separating the. Megarian and Eleusinian plains, and terminating in the promontory of the Kerata or the Horns, to which no ancient name has been hitherto assigned, was Mount Icarius. (Ross, p. 73.)
43. OENOE(Οἰνόη )OENOE(Οἰνόη),which must be distinguished from a demus of the same name in the Marathonian Plain, was situated upon the confines of Boeotia and Attica, near Eleutherae, and upon the regular road to Plataea and Thebes. (Strab. 8. p. 375; Hdt. 5.74; Thuc. 2.18; Diod. 4.60.) Hysiae and Oenoe are mentioned as the frontier demi of Attica in B.C. 507, when they were both taken by the Boeotians. (Herod. l. c.) From this time Hysiae continued to be a Boeotian town; but Oenoe was recovered by the Athenians, and was fortified by them before the commencement of the Peloponnesian war (Thuc. l. c.) In B.C. 411 the Boeotians again obtained possession of Oenoe (Thuc. 8.98); but it must have been recovered a second time by the Athenians, as it continues to be mentioned as an Attic demus down to the latest times. Oenoe was situated on the Pythian Way, so called because it led from Athens to Delphi (Strab. 9. p. 422): this road apparently branched off from the Sacred Way to Eleusis, near the tomb of Strato. Near Oenoe was a Pythium, or temple of Apollo Pythius, in consequence of the sanctity of which Oenoe obtained the epithet of the Sacred. (Liban. Declam. 16, in Dem. Apol. 1. p. 451.) This Pythium is said to have formed the northern boundary of the kingdom of Nisus, when Attica and the Megaris were divided between the four sons of Pandion. (Strab. 9. p. 392.)
At the NW. extremity of Attica there is a narrow pass through Mount Cithaeron, through which ran the road from Thebes and Plataeae to Eleusis. This pass was known in antiquity by the name of the Three Heads, as the Boeotians called it, or the Oak's Heads, according to the Athenians. (Hdt. 9.38.) On the Attic side this pass was guarded by a strong fortress, of which the ruins form a conspicuous object, on the summit of a height, to the left of the road. They now bear the name of Ghyftó--kastro, or gipsy castle, a name frequently given to such buildings among the modern Greeks. Leake supposes these ruins to be those of Oenoe, and that ELEUTHERAE was situated at Myúpoli, about four miles to the south-eastward of Ghyftó--kastro. The objection to this hypothesis is, that Eleutherae was originally a member of the Boeotian confederacy, which voluntarily joined the Athenians, and never became an Athenian demus, and that hence it is improbable that Oenoe, which was always an Attic demus, lay between Plataeae and Eleutherae. To this Leake replies, that, on examining the ruins of Ghyftó--kastro, its position and dimensions evidently show that it was a fortress, not a town, being only 700 or 800 yards in circumference, and standing upon a strong height, at the entrance of the pass, whereas Myúpoli has every appearance of having been a town, with an acropolis placed as usual on the edge of a valley. (Respecting Eleutherae, see Paus. 1.38.8; Xen. Hell. 5.4. 14; Strab. 8. p. 375, 9. p. 412; Plut. Thes. 29; Steph. B.; Plin. Nat. 4.7. s. 12.) The position of these places cannot be fixed with certainty; but we think Leake's opinion is, upon the whole, the most probable. Müller, Kiepert, and others suppose the ruins of Ghyftö--kastro to be those of PANACTUM described by Thucydides as a fortress of the Athenians, on the confines of Boeotia, which was betrayed to the Boeotians in B.C. 420, and subsequently destroyed by them. (Thuc. 5.3, 42; comp. Paus. 1.25.6; Dem. de Fals. Leg. p. 446; Steph. B.) Leake places Panactum on the Boeotian side of the pass of Phyle; but Ross thinks that he has discovered its ruins in the plain of Eleutherae, west of Skurta. Ross, moreover, thinks that Eleutherae stood to the east of Ghyftó--kastro, near the convent of St. Meletius, where are ruins of an ancient place; while other modern writers suppose Eleutherae to have stood more to the west, near the modern village of Kúndara.
44. ELEUTHERAE(Ἐλευθεραί )ELEUTHERAE(Ἐλευθεραί), not a demus. Respecting its site, see No. 43.
45. PANACTUM(Πάνακτον )PANACTUM(Πάνακτον), a fortress, also not a demus. Respecting its site, see No. 43.
46. MELAENAE(Μέαιναι )MELAENAE(Μέαιναι), a fortified demus, on the frontier of Attica and Boeotia, celebrated in Attic mythology as the place for which Melanthus and Xanthus fought. It was sometimes called Celaenae. (Polyaen. 1.19; Callim. ap. Steph. B. s. v. Μελαινεῖς; Schol. ad Aristoph. Acharn. 146, Pac. 890; Suid. s. v. Ἀπατούρια, Κελαιναί.) Leake supposes the ruins near the convent of St. Meletius, of which we have just spoken, to be those of Melaenae, and remarks that the groves and fountains, which maintain the verdure of this spot, accord with the epithet bestowed by the Latin poet upon the place (viridesque Melaenae, Stat. Theb. 12.619.).
47. DRYMUS(Δρυμός )DRYMUS(Δρυμός), a fortress, not a demus, in the same neighbourhood, but of uncertain site. (Dem. de Fals. Leg. p. 446; Hesych.; Harpocrat.)
C. THE DEMI OF DIACRIA AND MOUNT PARNES. 48. PHYLE(Φυλή )PHYLE(Φυλή), still called Fili, a strong fortress, stands on a steep rock, commanding the narrow pass across Mt. Parnes, through which runs the direct road from Thebes to Athens, past Acharnae. On the northern side of the pass was the territory of Tanagra. Phyle is situated at the distance of more than 120 stadia from Athens (Psephisma, ap. Dem. de Cor. p. 238), not 100 stadia, as Diodorus states (14.32), and was one of the strongest Athenian fortresses on the Boeotian frontier. The precipitous rock upon which it stands can only be approached by a ridge on the eastern side. It is memorable in history as the place seized by Thrasybulus and the Athenian exiles in B.C. 404, and from which they commenced their operations against the Thirty Tyrants. The height of Phyle commands a magnificent view of the whole Athenian plain, of the city itself, of Mt. Hymettus, and the Saronic Gulf. (Xen. Hell. 2.4. 2, seq.; Diod. l. c.;Nep. Thrasyb. 2; Strab. ix. pp. 396, 404.) In Phyle there was a building called the Daphnephoreion, containing a picture, which represented the Thargelia. (Athen. 10. 424f.)
49. HARMA(Ἅρμα )HARMA(Ἅρμα), a fortress, but not a demus, near Phyle, situated on a height visible from Athens. (Strab. 9. p. 404; Eustath. ad II. 2.499.) Leake places it above Phyle, towards the summit of the ridge, and to the left of the modern road, where the ruins of a fortress are visible; but other writers place it south-east of Phyle.
50. CHASTIEIS(Χαστιεῖς )CHASTIEIS(Χαστιεῖς), a demus, mentioned only by Hesychius (s. v.); but in consequence of the similarity of name, it is supposed to have occupied the site of Khassiá, the largest village in Attica, which is the first place met with on descending the pass of Phyle towards Athens.
51. DECELEIA(Δεκέλεια )DECELEIA(Δεκέλεια) was situated near the entrance of the eastern pass across Mount Parnes,which leads from the north-eastern part of the Athenian plain to Oropus, and from thence both to Tanagra on the one hand, and to Delium and Chalcis on the other. It was originally one of the twelve cities of Attica. (Strab. 9. p. 397.) It was situated about 120 stadia from Athens, and the same distance from the frontiers of Boeotia: it was visible from Athens, and from its heights also might be seen the ships entering the harbour of Peiraeeus. (Thuc. 7.19; Xen. Hell. 1.1. 25) It was by the pass of Deceleia that Mardonius retreated from Athens into Boeotia before the battle of Plataeae (Hdt. 9.15); and it was by the same road that the grain was carried from Euboea through Oropus into Attica. (Thuc. 7.28.) In B.C. 413 Deceleia was occupied and fortified by the Lacedaemonians under Agis, who kept possession of the place till the end of the war; and from the command which they thus obtained of the Athenian plain, they prevented them from cultivating the neighbouring land, and compelled them to bring the corn from Euboea round Cape Sunium. (Thuc. 2.27, 28.) The pass of Deceleia is now called the pass of Tatóy. Near the village of this name there is a peaked height, which is a conspicuous object from the Acropolis: the exact site of the demus is probably marked by a fountain, near which are many remains of antiquity. (Leake.)
52. OEUM DECELEICUM(Οἶον Δεκελεικόν )OEUM DECELEICUM(Οἶον Δεκελεικόν), of unknown site, but near Deceleia, so called to distinguish it from the Oeum Cerameicum. (Harpocrat.; Suid.) [No. 17.]
53. SPHENDALE(Σφενδάλη )SPHENDALE(Σφενδάλη), a demus, at which Mardonius halted on his route from Deceleia to Tanagra. (Hdt. 9.15; Steph.; Hesych.) Hence it appears to have stood not far from the church of Aio Merkúrio, which now gives name to the pass leading from Deceleia through the ridges of Parnes into the extremity of the Tanagraean plain. But as there is no station in the pass where space can be found for a demus, it stood probably at Malakása, in a plain where some copious sources unite to form the torrent, which joins the sea one mile and a half east of the Skala of Apostólus.( Leake.) In the territory of Sphendale there was a hill, named Hyacinthus. (Suid. s. v. Παρθένοι, where Σφενδαλέων should be read instead of Σφενδονίων.
54. OROPUS(Ὠρωπός )OROPUS(Ὠρωπός), was originally a Boeotian town, and though afterwards included in Attica, was not an Attic demus. This place, together with its harbour Delphinium, and Amphiaraeium, in its neighbourhood, is spoken of separately. [OROPUS]
55. PSAPHIS(Ψαφίς )PSAPHIS(Ψαφίς), originally a town of the Oropia, but subsequently an Attic demus, lay between Oropus and Brauron, and was the last demus in the north-eastern district of Attica. (Strab. 9. p. 399.)
56. RHAMNUS(Ῥαμνοῦς )RHAMNUS(Ῥαμνοῦς), south of Psaphis, on the coast of the Euripus, requires a separate notice on account of its celebrated temples. [RIHAMNUS.]
57. APHIDNA(Ἄφιδνα )APHIDNA(Ἄφιδνα), one of the twelve ancient cities of Attica, lay between Deceleia and Rhamnus. It is also spoken of separately.
58, 59, 60. TITACIDAE(Τιτακίδαι )TITACIDAE(Τιτακίδαι), PERRHIDAE(Περρίδαι), and THYRGONIDAE(Θυργωνίδαι), were probably all in the neighbourhood of Aphidna. These three demi, together with Aphidna, are said to have been removed from the Aeantis to another tribe. (Harpocr. s. v. Θυργωνίδαι.) Perrhidae is described as a demus in Aphidna (Hesych. Phavor. δῆμος ἐν Ἀφίδναις); and that Titacidae was in the same locality may be inferred from the story of the capture of Aphidna by the Dioscuri in consequence of the treachery of Titacus. (Hdt. 9.73; Steph. s. v. Τιτακίδαι. )
61. TRINEMEIA(Τρινέμεια )TRINEMEIA(Τρινέμεια), at which one of the minor branches of the Cephissus takes its rise, and therefore probably situated at the modern village of Buyáti. (Strab. 9. p. 400; Steph. B. s. v.)
62, 63, 64, 65. MARATHON(Μαραθών )MARATHON(Μαραθών), PROBALINTHUS(Προβάλινθος), TRICORYTHUS(Τρικόρυθος), and OENOE(Οἰνόη), four demi situated in the small plain open to the sea between Mt. Parnes and Mt. Pentelicus, originally formed the Tetrapolis, one of the twelve ancient divisions of Attica. The whole district was generally known under the name of Marathon, under which it is described in this work. [MARATHON]
66. EPACRIA (Ἐπακρία )EPACRIA (Ἐπακρία), one of the twelve ancient districts of Attica (Strab. 9. p. 397), and subsequently, as appears from an inscription, a demus near Plotheia and Halae Araphenides. (Böckh, Inscr. No. 82.) As the name of a district, it was probably synonymous with Diacria. (Etym. M. Ἐπακρία; Steph. Σημαχίδαι.) An ancient grammarian describes the district of Epacria as bordering upon that of the Tetrapolis of Marathon. (Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 259.) Finlay and Leake place the town of this name at Pikérmi, upon the south-eastern heights of Pentelicus, where a strong position on a perennial stream, added to some vestiges of buildings, and several inscriptions, are proofs of an Hellenic site.
67. SEMACHIDAE(Σημαχίδαι )SEMACHIDAE(Σημαχίδαι), described by Philochorus (ap. Steph. s. v.) as a demus in the district of Epacria, but its exact site is uncertain. (Hesych.; Phot.)
68. PLOTHEIA(Πλώθεια )PLOTHEIA(Πλώθεια) appears to have belonged to the district of Epacria, and to have been not far from Halae Araphenides. (Harpocr.; Suid.; Steph.; Phot.; Böckh, Inscr. No. 82.)
69, 70. PHEGAEA(Φηγαία )PHEGAEA(Φηγαία), the name of two demi of uncertain site. (Steph.; Harpocr.; Suid.; Etym. M.; Phot.; Hesych.) It is probable, however, that Stephanus speaks of one of these demi, under the name of PHEGEUS, when he describes Halae Araphenides as lying between Phegeus near Marathon and Brauron. (Steph. s. v. Ἁλαί. )
71. HECALE(Ἑκάλη )HECALE(Ἑκάλη), probably near Marathon, since this demus is said to have obtained its name from a woman who hospitably received Theseus into her house, when he had set out to attack the Marathonian bull, which was ravaging the Tetrapolis. It contained a sanctuary of Zeus Hecaleius. (Philochor. ap. Plut. Thes. 14; Suid. s. vv.Ἑκάλη, Κωλιάς, Ἐπαύλια; Steph. s. vv.Ἑκάλη, Ἱαπίς, Τρινεμεῖς; Schol. ad Aristoph. Acharn. 127.)
72. ELAEUS(Ἐλαιοῦς, )ELAEUS(Ἐλαιοῦς, Steph.; Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 249), of uncertain site, but placed by Leake at Liósia, a village two miles to the west of Aphidna, because he considers this name a corruption of Elaeus; but this is not probable.
D. THE DEMI OF PARALIA AND MESOGAEA.Mount Hymettus, which bounded the Athenian plain on the south, terminated in the promontory of ZOSTER(Ζωστήρ), opposite to which was a small island called PHAURA(Φαῦρα). At Zoster, upon the sea, stood four altars, sacred respectively to Athena, Apollo, Artemis, and Leto; (Strab. ix. p. 398; Paus. 1.31.1; Steph. s. v. Ζωστήρ.) The hill of Zoster terminates in three capes; that in the middle is a low peninsula, which shelters in the west a deep inlet called Vuliasméni. ( Leake.) The island Phaura is now called Fleva or Flega.
73. ANAGYRUS(Ἀναγυροῦς )ANAGYRUS(Ἀναγυροῦς), situated on the western coast, a little north of the promontory Zoster, on the site of the modern Vári. [ANAGYRUS]
74. CHOLLEIDAE(Χολλεῖδαι, Χολλίδαι, )CHOLLEIDAE(Χολλεῖδαι, Χολλίδαι, Harpocr.; Suid.; Steph.; Schol. ad Aristoph. Acharn. 404), is supposed to have been near the Nymphaeum, or Grotto of the Nymphs, situated at the southern end of Mt. Hymettus, and about three miles from Vári by the road. From the inscriptions in this cave, we learn that it was dedicated to the nymphs and the other rustic deities by Archedemus of Pherae (not Therae, as is stated by some modern writers), who had been enrolled in the demus of Cholleidae. Hence it is inferred that the grotto was, in all probability, situated in this demus. A full and interesting description of the grotto is given by Wordsworth (p. 192, seq.; comp. Leake, p. 57.).
75. THORAE(Θοραί )THORAE(Θοραί), a little south of Anagyrus. (Strab. 9. p. 398; Harpocr.; Steph.; Etym. M.)
76, 77. LAMPTRA(Λάμπτρα, )LAMPTRA(Λάμπτρα, in inscr.; Λάμπρα, in Strab. &c.), the name of two demi, Upper Lamptra (Λάμπτρα καθύπερθεν), and Lower or Maritime Lamptra (Λάμπτρα ὑπένερθεν or παράλιος). These places were between Anagyrus, Thorae, and Aegilia. (Strab. l. c.) Upper Lamptra was probably situated at Lamoriká, a village between three and four miles from the sea, at the south-eastern extremity of Mt. Hymettus; and Lower Lamptra on the coast. At Lamptra the grave of Cranaus was shown. (Paus. 1.31.2; Steph.; Hesych.; Harpocr.; Suid.; Phot.)
78. AEGILIA(Αἰγιλία )AEGILIA(Αἰγιλία), south of Lamptra, spoken of separately. [AEGILIA]
79. ANAPHLYSTUS(Ἀνάφλυστος )ANAPHLYSTUS(Ἀνάφλυστος), now called Anáuyso, situated between the promontories of Astypalaea and Sunium, a little south of the former. It is also spoken of separately. [ANAPHLYSTUS] Opposite the promontory of Astypalaea is a small island, now called Lagonísi or Lágussa, in ancient times ELEUSSA (Ἐλεοῦσσα, Strab. l. c.). Astypalaea and Zoster were the two chief promontories on the western coast of Attica.
Strabo (l. c.) speaks of a PANEIUM (Πανεῖον), or Grotto of Pan, in the neighbourhood of Anaphlystus. It is no doubt the same as the very beautiful and extensive cavern above Mt. Elymbo in the Paralian range, of which the western portion bears the name of Paní.
80. AZENIA(Ἀζηνία )AZENIA(Ἀζηνία), the only demus mentioned by Strabo (l. c.) between Anaphlystus and Sunium. (Harpocr.; Hesych.; Steph.; Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 348.) It was probably situated in the bay of which Sunium forms the eastern cape. Opposite this bay is a small island, now called Gaidharonísi, formerly the Island or Rampart of Patroclus (Πατρόκλου χάραξ or νῆσος), because a fortress was built upon it by Patroclus, who commanded on one occasion the ships of Ptolemy Philadelphus. (Strab. l. c.;Paus. 1.1.1; Steph. s. v. Πατρόκλου νῆσος.) Ten miles to the south of this island, at the entrance of the Saronic gulf, is Belbina, now St. George, which was reckoned to belong to Peloponnesus, though it was nearer the coast of Attica. [BELBINA]
81. SUNIUM(Σοῦνιον )SUNIUM(Σοῦνιον), situated on the southern promontory of Attica, which was also called Sunium, now Cape Kolónnes, from the columns of the ruined temple on its summit, is noticed separately. [SUNIUM] Northward of the promontory of Sunium, and stretching from Anaphlystus on the west coast to Thoricus on the east coast, was Mt. Laurium, which contained the celebrated silver mines. [LAURIUM]
82. THORICUS(Θορικός )THORICUS(Θορικός), north of Sunium on the east coast, was a place of importance, and also requires a separate notice. [THORICUS] Midway between Sunium and Thoricus was the harbour PANORMUS(Πάνορμος, Ptol. 3.15.8), now named Panórimo. Parallel to the east coast, and extending from Sunium to Thoricus, stretches the long narrow island, called Macris or Helena. [HELENA]
83, 84. AULON(Αὐλών )AULON(Αὐλών) and MARONE1A (Μαρώνεια), two small places of uncertain site, not demi, in the mining district of Mt. Laurium. [LAURIUM]
85. BESA(Βῆσα )BESA(Βῆσα), situated in the mining district, midway between Anaphlystus and Thoricus (Xen. Vect. 4 § § 43, 44), and 300 stadia from Athens. (Isaeus, de Pyrrh. Her. p. 40, Steph.). Xenophon (l. c.) recommended the erection of a fortress at Besa, which would thus connect the two fortresses situated respectively at Anaphlystus and Thoricus. Strabo (9. p. 426) says that the name of this demus was written with one s, which is confirmed by inscriptions.
86. AMPHITROPE(Ἀμφιτρόπη )AMPHITROPE(Ἀμφιτρόπη), north of Besa and in the district of the mines, placed by Stuart at Metropísti. (Böckh, Inscr. No. 162; Steph.; Hesych.)
87, 88. POTAMUS(Ποταμός )POTAMUS(Ποταμός or Ποταμοί), the name of two demi, as appears from an inscription quoted by Ross (p. 92), though apparently only one place. It lay on the east coast north of Thoricus, and was once a populous place: it was celebrated as containing the sepulchre of Ion. (Strab. ix. pp, 398, 399; Paus. 1.31.2, vii. 1.2; Plin. Nat. 4.7. s. 11; Suid.; Harpocr.) Its harbour was probably the modern Dhaskalió; and the demus itself is placed by Leake at the ruins named Paleókastro or Evreókastro, situated on a height surrounded by torrents two miles to the south-west of Dhaskalió, a little to the south of the village Dárdheza. The port Dhaskalió was probably, as Leake observes, the one which received the Peloponnesian fleet in B.C. 411. (Thuc. 8.95.)
89. PRASIAE(Πρασίαι )PRASIAE(Πρασίαι), on the east coast, between Potamus and Steiria, with an excellent harbour, from which the Theoria or sacred procession used to sail. Here was a temple of Apollo, and also the tomb of Erysichthon, who died at this place on his return from Delos. (Strab. 9. p. 399; Paus. 1.31.2; Thuc. 8.95; Liv. 31.45.) The ruins of the demus are seen on the north-east side of the bay. The harbour, now called Porto Rafti, is the best on the eastern coast of Attica, and is both deep and capacious. The entrance of the harbour is more than a mile in breadth; and in the centre of the entrance there is a rocky islet, upon which is a colossal statue of white marble, from which the harbour has derived its modem name, since it is commonly supposed to bear some resemblance to a tailor (ῥάφτης) at work. The best description of this statue is given by Ross, who remarks that it evidently belongs to the Roman period, and probably to the first or second century after the Christian era. (Ross, Reisen auf den Griech. Inseln, vol. 2. p. 9; comp. Leake, p. 72; Wordsworth, p. 217.) We also learn from Ross that in the middle of the bay there is a rocky promontory with ruins of the middle ages upon it, which promontory Ross supposes to be the CORONEIA of Stephanus (s. v. Κορώνεια).
90. STEIRIA(Στείρια, )STEIRIA(Στείρια, Steph.; Hesych.; Suid.; Plin. Nat. 4.7. s. 11), on the east coast, between Prasiae and Brauron. (Strab. 9. p. 399.) Wordsworth says that it is an hour's walk from Prasiae to Brauron, and that on the way he passed some ruins, which must be those of Steiria. Stiris in Phocis is said to have been founded by the inhabitants of this demus. (Paus. 10.35.8.) The road from Athens to Steiria and the harbour of Prasiae was called the Στειριακὴ ὁδός. (Plat. Hipparch. p. 229.) Steiria was the demus of Theramenes and Thrasybulus.
91. BRAURON(Βραυρών )BRAURON(Βραυρών), one of the twelve ancient cities, but never mentioned as a demus, though it continued to exist down to the latest times. It was situated on or near the eastern coast of Attica, between Steiria and Halae Araphenides, near the river Erasinus. (Strab. 8. p. 371, 9. p. 399.) Its name is apparently preserved in that of the two villages, called Vraóna and Paleó Vraóna, situated south of the Erasinus. Brauron is celebrated on account of the worship of Artemis Brauronia, in whose honour a festival was celebrated in this place. (Hdt. 6.138.) Here Orestes and Iphigeneia were supposed to have landed, on their return from Tauris, bringing with them the statue of the Taurian goddess. (Paus. 1.33.1, 3.16.7; Eurip. Iphig. in Taur. 1450, 1462; Nonnus, Dionys. 13.186.) This ancient statue, however, was preserved at Halae Araphenides, which seems to have been the proper harbour of Brauron, and therefore the place at which the statue first landed. Pausanias (Paus. 1.33.1), it is true, speaks of an ancient statue of Artemis at Brauron; but the statue brought from Tauris is expressly placed by Callimachus (Hymn. in Dian. 173), and Euripides (Iphig. in Taur. 1452) at Halae; and Strabo (9. p. 399) distinguishes the temple of Artemis Tauropolus at Halae Araphenides from the temple of Artemis Brauronia at Brauron. There was a temple of Artemis Brauronia on the Acropolis, containing a statue of the goddess by Praxiteles. (Paus. 1.23.7.)
92. HALAE ARAPHENIDES(Ἁλαὶ Ἀραφηνίδες )HALAE ARAPHENIDES(Ἁλαὶ Ἀραφηνίδες), so called to distinguish it from Halae Aexonides [No. 39], lay on the east coast between Brauron and Araphen, and was the proper harbour of Brauron, from whence persons crossed over to Marmarium in Euboea, where were the marble quarries of Carystus. (Strab. 9. p. 399, 10. p. 446.) Hence Halae is described by Euripides (Iphig. in Taur. 1451) as γείτων δειράδος Καρυστίας. The statue of the Taurian Artemis was preserved at this place, as has been already shown. [No. 91.]
93. ARAPHEN(Ἀραφήν )ARAPHEN(Ἀραφήν), on the east coast, north of Halae and Brauron, the name of which is probably preserved in the village of Rafína, situated near the mouth of the river of that name. (Harpocr.; Suid.; Steph.; Bekker, Anecd. 1. p. 338.)
We learn from Strabo (9. p. 399) that the demi in the Mesogaea were very numerous; and his statement is confirmed by the great number of remains of ancient buildings which occur in this district. (Wordsworth, p. 226). But the names of only a few have been preserved, which we can assign with certainty to the Mesogaea; and the position of many of these is doubtful.
94. PROSPALTA(Πρόσπαλτα )PROSPALTA(Πρόσπαλτα) lay in the interior, between Zoster and Potamos, at the modern village of Keratià, as we may infer from an inscription discovered at this place. (Paus. 1.31.1Dem. c. Macart. p. 1071; Harpocr.; Phot.; Suid.; Steph.)
95. MYRRHINUS(Μυρρινοῦς )MYRRHINUS(Μυρρινοῦς) lay to the east of Prasiae or Porto Raphti, at Méronda, as appears from inscriptions found at this place. Artemis Colaenis was worshipped at Myrrhinus (Paus. 1.31.4; Schol. ad Aristoph. Av. 874); and in one of the inscriptions at Méronda mention is made of a temple of Artemis Colaenis. (Böckh, Inscr. No. 100.) (See also Strab. 9. p. 399; Steph.; Phot.)
96. PHLYA(Φλύα, Φλυά )PHLYA(Φλύα, Φλυά), the site of which cannot be determined, though there can be little doubt that it lay in the Mesogaea from the position which it occupies in the list of Pausanias. It must have been a place of importance from the number of temples which it contained, and from its frequent mention in inscriptions. (Paus. 1.31.4, 4.1.5; Plut. Them. 1; Athen. 10. p. 424; Harpocr.; Suid.; Steph.; Phot.)
97, 98. PAEANIA(Παιανία )PAEANIA(Παιανία), divided into Upper and Lower Paeania, was situated on the eastern side of Hymettus, near the modern village of Liogesi. It was the demus of Demosthenes. (Paus. 1.23.12; Harpocr.; Suid.; Phot.; Ross, in Annal. dell' Inst. Arch. vol. 9. p. 5, foll.)
99. PHILAIDAE(Φιλαΐδαι )PHILAIDAE(Φιλαΐδαι) appears to have been near Brauron, since it is said to have derived its name from Philaeus, the son of the Telamonian Ajax, who dwelt in Brauron. Philaïdae was the demus of Peisistratus. (Plut. Sol. 10; Plat. Hipparch. p. 228; Paus. 1.35.2; Hdt. 6.35.)
100. CEPHALE(Κεφαλή )CEPHALE(Κεφαλή) appears, from the order in which it occurs in the list of Pausanias (Paus. 1.31.1), to have been situated south or east of Hymettus, perhaps in the neighbourhood of Brauron and Vraóna, where Ross found an inscription containing the name of this demus. Cephale possessed a temple of the Dioscuri, who were here called the Great Gods. (Paus. l. c.; Harpocr.; Suid.; Phot.; Schol. ad Aristoph. Av. 417.)
101. SPHETTUS(Σφηττός )SPHETTUS(Σφηττός), one of the twelve ancient cities, and subsequently a demus. Its position has given rise to much dispute. Leake places it in the northern part of the Mesogaea, and thinks that Spata may be a corruption of Sphettus. That it was situated either in the Mesogaea or the Paralia is certain from the legend, that Pallas, who had obtained these districts, marched upon Athens from Sphettus by the Sphettian Way. (Plat. Thes. 13; Philochor. ap. Schol. ad Eurip. Hipp. 35.) Now we have seen good reasons for believing that Pallas must have marched round the northern extremity of Hymettus [see above, No. 32]; and consequently the Sphettian road must have taken that course. Although the Sphettian road cannot therefore have run along the western coast and entered Athens from the south, as many modern writers maintain, Sphettus was probably situated further south than Leake supposes, inasmuch as Sphettus and Anaphlystus are represented as sons of Troezen, who migrated into Attica; and, seeing that Anaphlystus was opposite Troezen, it is inferred that Sphettus was probably in the same direction. (Paus. 2.30.9; Steph. s. vv.Ἀνάφλυστος, Σφηττός. )
102. CYTHERUS (Κύθηρρος, Inscr.; Κύθηρος, Κύθηρον, )CYTHERUS (Κύθηρρος, Inscr.; Κύθηρος, Κύθηρον, Strab. 9. p. 397; Harpoc.; Suid.; Steph.; Phot.), one of the twelve ancient cities, and afterwards a demus. Its position is quite uncertain. Leake conjectures that its territory as one of the twelve cities may have occupied the southern end of the inland country, on the supposition that the territory of Sphettus occupied the northern half of this district. Ross however conjectures, from a passage of Pausanias (Paus. 6.22.7), that Cytherus may have been near Gargettus. Pausanias states that the nymphs of the river Cytherus in Elis were called Ionides from Ion, the son of Gargettus, when he migrated from Athens to Elis.
(The best works on the demi are by Leake, The Demi of Attica, London, 1841, 2nd ed., and Ross, Die Demen von Attika, Halle, 1846; from both of which great assistance has been derived in drawing up the preceding account. The other most important works upon the topography of Attica are Grotefend, De Demis sive Pagis Atticae, Gött. 1829; Finlay, in Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature, vol. 3. p. 396, seq., and Remarks on the Topography of Oropia and Diacria, 12mo. Athens, 1838; K. O. Müller, art. Attika, in Ersch and, Grüber's Encyclopädie, vol. vi., translated by Lockhart, London, 1842; Wordsworth, Athens and Attica, London, 1836; Kruse, Hellas, vol. ii.; Leake, Northern Greece, vol. ii.; Stuart's Antiquities; and the Travels of Dodwell, Gell, Brönsted, Fiedler, and Mure.)
In the following alphabetical list of the demi, the first column contains the name of each demus; the second that of the demotes; the third that of the tribe to which each demus belonged during the time of the ten tribes; and the fourth that of the tribe when there were twelve or thirteen tribes. Of the demi in this list, which have not been spoken of above, the site is unknown.
E. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE DEMI.1. Ἀγγελή Ἀγγελῆθεν, Ἀγγελεύς Pandionis Pandionis. 2, 3. Ἀγκυλή καθύπερθεν and ὑπένερθεν. Ἀγκυλῆθεν, Ἀγκυλεύς Aegeis Aegeis. 4. Ἁγνοῦς, Ἀγνοῦς Ἁγνούσιος Acamantis Demetrias, Attalis. [Ἀγριάδαι Ἀγριάδης Hippothoontis.] 5, 6. Ἀγρυλή (Ἀγραυλή, Ἀγροιλή) καθύπερθεν and ὑπένερθεν. Ἀγρυλῆθεν, Ἀγρυλεύς Erechtheis Attalis. 7. Ἀζηνία Ἀζηνιεύς, Ἀζηνιᾶθεν Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 8. Ἄθμονον (Ἀθμονία ) Ἀθμονεύς Cecropis Attalis. 9. Αἰγιλία (Αἴγιλος ) Αἰγιλιεύς Antiochis Antiochis. 10. Αἰθαλίδαι Αἰθαλίδης Leontis Antigonis (?) 11. Αἰξωνή Αἰξωνεύς Cecropis Cecropis. 12. Ἁλαὶ Αἰξωνίδες Ἁλαιεύς Cecropis Cecropis. 13. Ἁλαὶ Ἀραφηνίδες Ἁλαιεύς Aegeis Aegeis. 14. Ἀλεξάνδρεια Ἀλεξανδρεύς Acamantis Acamantis. 15. Ἁλιμοῦς Ἁλιμούσιος Leontis Leontis. 16. Ἀλωπεκή Ἀλωπεκῆθεν, Ἀλωπεκειεύς Antiochis Antiochis. 17. Ἁμαξάντεια Ἁμαξαντειεύς, Ἁμαξαντεύς Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 18. Ἀμφιτροπή Ἀμφιτροπῆθεν Antiochis. 19. Ἀναγυροῦς Ἀναγυράσιος Erechtheis Erechtheis. 20. Ἀνακαία Ἀνακαιεύς Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 21. Ἀνάφλυστος Ἀναφλύστιος Antiochis Antiochis. 22. Ἀπολλωνία Ἀπολλωνιεύς Attalis. 23. Ἀραφήν Ἀραφήνιος Aegeis Aegeis. 24. Ἀτήνη Ἀτηνεύς Antiochis Attalis. 26. Ἄφιδνα Ἀφιδναῖος Aeantis, Leontis Ptolemais, Hadrianis. 27. Ἀχαρναί Ἀχαρνεύς Oeneis Oeneis. 28. Ἀχερδοῦς (Ἀχραδοῦς ) Ἀχερδούσιος Hippothoontis 29. Βατή Βατῆθεν Aegeis. 30. Βερενικίδαι Βερενικίδης Ptolemais. 31. Βῆσα Βησαιεύς Antiochis Hadrianis. 32. Βοιώτιοι Βοιώτιος 33. Βουτάδαι Βουτάδης Oeneis Aegeis (?) 34. Γαργηττός Γαργήττιος Oeneis (?) Aegeis. 35. Γραία Γραεύς Pandionis. 36. Δαιδαλίδαι Δαιδαλίδης Cecropis Cecropis. 37. Δειράδες Δειραδιώτης Leontis Leontis. 38. Δεκέλεια Δεκελεύς, Δεκελεεύς Hippothoontis Hadrianis. 39. Διόμεια Διομεύς, Διομεεύς, Διομειεύς Aegeis Aegeis. [Ἐδαπτεῖς, very doubtful.] 40. Εἰρεσίδαι, Ἠρεσίδαι Εἰρεσίδης Acamantis Acamantis. 41. Εἰτέα (Ἰτέἀ Εἰτεαῖος Acamantis Acamantis. 42. Ἑκάλη Ἑκάλειος Ἑκαλῆθεν Leontis Ptolemais. 43. Ἐλαιοῦς Ἐλαιούσιος Hippothoontis Hadrianis. 44. Ἐλευσίς Ἐλευσίνιος Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 45. Ἐπεικίδαι Ἐπεικίδης Cecropis. 46. Ἐπικηφισία Ἐπικηφίσιος Oeneis. 47. Ἐρίκεια Ἐρίκαια, Ἐρικειεύς, Ἐρικεεύς 48. Ἕρμος Ἕρμειος Acamantis Acamantis. 49. Ἐροιάδαι Ἐροιάδης Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 50. Ἐρχία (Ἔρχεια ) Ἐρχιεύς Aegeis Aegeis. 51. Ἑστιαία, Ἱστιαία Ἑστιαιόθεν Aegeis Aegeis. 52. Εὐνοστίδαι Εὐνοστίδης Antigonis. 53. Εὐπυπίδαι Εὐπυπίδης Leontis. 54. Εὐώνυμον (Εὐωνυμία ) Εὐωνυμεύς Erechtheis Erechtheis. 55. Ἐχελίδαι Ἐχελίδης [Ἡφαιστιάδαι, see Ἰφιστιάδαι.] 56. Θημακός (Θημακοί ) Θημακεύς Erechtheis Ptolemais, Antigonis. 57. Θοραί Θορᾶθεν, Θοραιεύς Antiochis Antiochis. 58. Θορικός Θορίκιος Acamantis Acamantis. 59. Θρία Θριάσιος Oeneis Oeneis. 60. Θυμαιτάδαι Θυμοιτάδαἰ Θυμαιτάδης Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 61. Θυργωνίδαι Θυργωνίδης Aeantis Ptolemais. 62. Ἰκαρία Ἰκαριεύς Aegeis Aegeis. 63. Ἱπποταμάδαι Ἱπποταμάδης [Ἰτέα, see Εἰτέα.] 64. Ἰφιστιάδαι (Ἡφαιστιάδαι ) Ἰφιστιάδης Acamantis. 65. Ἰωνίδαι Ἰωνίδης Aegeis Aegeis. 66. Κειριάδαι Κειριάδης Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 67. Κεραμεικός (Κεραμεῖς ) ἐκ Κεραυέων, Κεραμεύς Acamantis Acamantis. 68. Κεφαλή Κεφαλῆθεν Acamantis Acamantis. 69. Κηδαί (Κηδοί ) ἐκ Κηδῶν Erechtheis Erechtheis. 70. Κηττοί (Κηττός ) Κήττιος Leontis Leontis. 71. Κηφισία Κηφισιεύς Erechtheis Erechtheis. 72. Κίκυννα Κικυννεύς Acamantis, Cecropis 73. Κοθωκίδαι Κοθωκίδης Oeneis 74. Κοίλη ἐκ Κοίλης Hippothoontis. 75. Κολλυτός (Κολυττός ) Κολλυτεύς Aegeis Aegeis. 76. Κολωνός ἐκ Κολωνοῦ, Κολωνῆθεν, Κολωνεύς Antiochis Aegeis, Ptolemais. 77. Κονθύλη Κονθυλεύς, Κονθυλίδης Pandionis Ptolemais. 78. Κόπρος Κόπρειος Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 79. Κορυδαλλός Κορυδαλλεύς Hippothoontis Attalis. 80. Κριῶα Κριωεύς Antiochis Antiochis. 81. Κρωπεία (Κρωπίδαι ) Κρωπίδης Leontis Leontis. 82. Κυδαθήναιον Κυδαθηναιεύς Pandionis Pandionis. 83. Κυδαντίδαι Κυδαντίδης Aegeis Aegeis, Ptolemais. 84. Κύθηρος (Κύθηρον ) Κυθήριος Pandionis Pandionis. 85. Κύκαλα Acantis. 86. Κυρτιάδαι (Κυρτεῖδαι ) Κυρτιάδης Acamantis. 87. Λακιάδαι Λακιάδης Oeneis Oeneis. 88, 89. Λαμπτραὶ καθύπερθεν and ὑπένερθεν. Λαμπτρεύς Erechtheis Erechtheis. 90. Λέκκον Antiochis. 91. Λευκονόη (Λευκόνιον ) Λευκονοεύς, Λευκονοιεύς Leontis Leontis. 92. Λευκοπύρα Antiochis. 93. Λουσία Λουσιεύς Oeneis Oeneis. 94. Μαραθών Μαραθώνιος Aeantis Aeantis. 95. Μελαιναί Μελαινεύς Antiochis. 96. Μελίτη Μελιτεύς Cecropis Cecropis. 97. Μυρρινοῦς Μυρρινούσιος Pandionis Pandionis. 98. Μυρρινούττη ἐκ Μυρρινούττης Aegeis. 99. Θυπέτη Θυπεταιών Cecropis Cecropis. 100. Ὄα (Ὤα ) Ὀαεύς, Ὀαιεύς, Ὄαθεν, Ὤαθεν Pandionis Pandionis, Hadrianis. 101. Ὄη (Οἴη ) Ὀῆθεν, Οἰῆθεν Oeneis Oeneis. 102. Οἰνόη (near Marathon) Οἰναῖος Aeantis Attalis (?). 103. Οἰνόη (near Eleusis) Οἰναῖος Hippothoontis Ptolemais (?). 104. Οἶον Δεκελεικόν ἐξ Οἴου Hippothoontis 105. Οἶον Κεραμεικόν ἐξ Οἴου Leontis 106. Ὀτρυνεῖς Ὀτρυνεύς Aegeis. 107, 108. Παιανία καθύπερθεν and ὑπένερθεν. Παιανιεύς Pandionis Pandionis. 109. Παιονίδαι Παιονίδης Leontis Leontis. 110. Πάκαλη, Πάκαλα Πακαλεύς 111. Παλλήνη Παλληνεύς Antiochis Antiochis. 112. Παμβωτάδαι Παμβωράδης Erechtheis Erechtheis. 113. Πειραιεύς Πειραιεύς Hippothoontis Hippothoontis. 114. Πεντέλη Πεντελῆθεν Antiochis. 115, 116. Περγασή καθύπερθεν and ὑπένερθεν. Περγασῆθεν Erechtheis Erechtheis. 117. Περιθοῖδαι Περιθοίδης Oeneis Attalis (?). 118. Περρίδαι Περρίδης Aeantis Antiochis. 119. Πήληκες Πήληξ Leontis Leontis. 120. Πίθος (Πίτθος ) Πιθεύς Cecropis Cecropis. 121. Πλώθεια Πλωθειεύς, Πλωθεύς Aegeis Aegeis. 122. Πόρος Πόριος Acamantis Acamantis. 123, 124. Ποταμός καθύπερθεν and ὑπένερθεν. ·οτάμιος Leontis 125. Πρασιαί Πρασιεύς Pandionis Pandionis. 126. Προβάλινθος Προβαλίσιος Pandionis. 127. Πρόσπαλτα Προσπάλτιος Acamantis Acamantis. 128. Πτελέα Πτελεάσιος Oeneis. 129. Ῥακίδαι Ῥακίδης Acamantis 130. Ῥαμνοῦς Ῥαμνούσιος Aeantis Aeantis. [Σαλαμίς.] 131. Σημαχίδαι Σημαχίδης Antiochis Antiochis. 132. Σκαμβωνίδαι Σκαμβωνίδης Leontis Leontis. 133. Σούνιον Σουνιεύς Leontis Attalis. 134. Στειρία Στειριείς Pandionis Pandionis. 135. Συβρίδαι Συβρίδης Erechtheis Erechtheis. 136. Συπαληττός Συπαλήττιος Cecropis Cecropis. 137. Σφενδάλη Σφενδαλεύς Hippothoontis. 138. Σφηττός Σφήττιος Acamantis Acamantis. 139. Ταρσός Ταρσεύς Ptolemais. 140. Τίθρας (Τέιθρας ) Τιθράσιος Aegeis Aegeis. 141. Τιτακίδαι Τιτακίδης Aeantis Antiochis. 142. Τρικόρυθος Τρικορύσιος Aeantis Aeantis. 143. Τρινεμεία (Τρινεμεῖς ) Τρινεμεύς Cecropis. 144. Τυρμίδαι (Τυρμεῖδαι ) Τυρμίδης Oeneis Oeneis (?). 145. Ὑβάδαι Ὑβάδης Leontis Leontis (?). 146. Ὑπώρεια Ὑπωρεύς Leontis. 147. Φάληρον (Φάληρος ) Φαληρεύς Antiochis, Aeantis Aeantis. 148. Φηγαία Φηγαιεύς Aeantis Aegeis, Pandionis, Hadrianis. 149. Φηγαία Φηγαιεύς 150. Φηγοῦς Φηγούσιος Erechtheis Erechtheis. 151. Φιλαίδαι Φιλαίδης Aegeis Aegeis. 152. Φλύα (Φλυά ) Φλυεύς, Φλυῆθεν Cecropis Ptolemais. 153. Φρεάρριοι Φρεάρριος Leontis Leontis. 154. Φυλή Φυλάσιος Oeneis Oeneis. 155. ΦΥΠΝ Antiochis. 156. Χαστιεῖς Χαστιεύς 157. Χ . . . . . . Erechtheis. 158. Χολαργός (Κολαργία ) Χολαργεύς Acamantis Acamantis. 159. Χολλεῖδαι (Κολλίδαι ) Χολείδης Leontis Aegeis. 160. Ψαφίς (Ψαφίδαι ) Ψαφίδης Aeantis. [Ὤα, see Ὄα.
(Ἀττική). A division of Greece, in the form of a triangle, two sides of which are washed by the Aegaean Sea, while the third is separated from Boeotia on the north by the mountains Cithaeron and Parnes. Megaris, which bounds it on the northwest, was formerly a part of Attica. In ancient times it was called Acté and Acticé, or the “coast-land” (ἀκτή), from which the later form, Attica, is said to have been derived. According to tradition, it derived its name from Atthis, the daughter of the mythical king Cranaüs; and old-fashioned etymologists found in it the root which appears in that of the goddess Athené. Attica is divided by many ancient writers into three districts. (1) The Highlands, the northeast of the country.
(2) The Plain, the northwest of the country, including both the plain round Athens and the plain round Eleusis, and extending south to the promontory Zoster.
(3) The Seacoast District, the south part of the country, terminating in the promontory Sunium. Besides these three divisions, we also read of
(4) the Midland District, still called Mesogia, an undulating plain in the middle of the country. The soil of Attica is not very fertile. The greater part of it is not adapted for growing corn; but it produces olives, figs, and grapes, especially the two former, in great perfection. The country is dry; the chief river is the Cephissus, rising in Parnes and flowing through the Athenian plain. The abundance of wild flowers in the country made the honey of Mount Hymettus very celebrated in antiquity. Excellent marble was obtained from the quarries of Pentelicus, northeast of Athens, and a considerable supply of silver from the mines of Laurium near Sunium. The territory of Attica, including the island of Salamis, which belonged to it, contained between 700 and 800 square miles; and the population in its flourishing period was probably about 500,000, of which nearly four fifths were slaves.
Attica is said to have been originally inhabited by Pelasgians. Its most ancient political division was into twelve independent States, attributed to Cecrops, who, according to some legends, came from Egypt. Subsequently Ion, the grandson of Hellen, divided the people into four tribes, Geleoutes, Hopletes, Argades, and Aegicores; and Theseus, who united the twelve independent States of Attica into one political body and made Athens the capital, again divided the nation into three classes, the Eupatridae, Geomori, and Demiurgi. Clisthenes (B.C. 510) abolished the old tribes and created ten new ones, according to a geographical division; these tribes were subdivided into demes or townships. See Athenae; Clisthenes; Demus.
Attica is a small triangular peninsula promontory with an area of only 3350 sq. km. On the east and south the region is bordered by the Aegean Sea, and the northern border with Boeotia is formed by Mts. Parnes and Kithairon. The Megarid is on the west. The landscape of Attica is divided into three interconnecting plains by four mountain systems: Aegalos, Hymettos, Pentelicus, and Laurium. To the west lies the Thracian plain, including both the plain surrounding Athens and Eleusis, and extending southward to the plain of Zoster. To the east lies the midland district, Mesogeia, which is an undulating plain renowned for its vines.The southern tip of Attica is the promontory of Sounion, jutting into the Aegean towards the Cyclades. It is estimated that in antiquity the territory of Attica, including the island of Salamis, had a population of 500,000, of whom nearly four-fifths were slaves.
The soil of Attica is not fertile, and water is scarce. The chief river of the region, today a small stream, is the Kephissos. It rises on Mount Parnes and flows through the Athenian plain. Attica has always been famous for its olives and its oil. Figs and vines are of secondary importance. The mountains surrounding the central Attic plain also had economic importance. Mount Parnes and Mount Pentelicus are sources of beautiful white marble, and Mount Hymettos, covered in thyme, was a source of honey, a celebrated delicacy.
Piraeus, which faces the Saronic Gulf, has been the port of Athens and the principal port of Attica since the fifth century B.C. In addition to the main harbor, Kantharos, there are two smaller harbors on the east coast, called Zea and Munychia.
HistoryTradition holds that in very early times there were several kingdoms in Attica and in the thirteenth century B.C., an Athenian state was formed by an act of union. Some such union enabled Attica to make an early recovery in the early Iron Age from the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization. The Ionian dialect was spoken in Attica, and western Turkey was called Ionia in antiquity because tradition held that the Greeks in Asia Minor were immigrants from Attica.
SitesAthens, the political center of Attica since its unification (attributed to Theseus), is located in the middle of a wide coastal plain with easy access to a harbour at Piraeus. It also provided its early inhabitants with great security. The plain is surrounded by a number of low hills, among them Lykabettos ( 277 m), and Anchesmos ( 338 m), both of which lay outside the city walls in antiquity. The third and most important hill to the city, is the Acropolis (156 m). To the south of the Acropolis are other historically important hills: the Hill of the Nymphs ( 105 m), the Pnyx ( 110 m), the meeting place of the ekklesia, and the Hill of the Muses ( 147 m). Ancient Athens was ill provided with water, but was traversed by two streams the Eridanos, which rises on Lykabettos leaving the city precincts near the Sacred Gate in the Kerameikos, and flowing west to join the Ilissos. The Ilissos rises on the southwest slopes of Hymettos and flows westward to join the Kephissos. To the north of the Acropolis lay a number of large open squares, the agora, the Roman Market, and the Library of Hadrian, the last two being later additions to the Classical city. The Athenian Agora was conveniently situated between the Acropolis and the Dipylon, principal gateway of the city. The area east of the Acropolis is dominated by the Olympeion, the temple of Olympian Zeus, supreme god of the Greek Pantheon. The huge temple was begun by Hippias in c. 550 B.C. and completed by Hadrian in c. 130 A.D. It is the largest temple in Greece. Gracing the exterior of the temple are 8 by 20 Corinthian columns of Pentelic marble, each of which is 17 m high. To the west of the Olympeion precinct stands the Arch of Hadrian, which marks the boundary between the ancient city of Athens (city of Theseus) and the Roman additions to the city (city of Hadrian).
Amphiaraion, a sanctuary and home of an oracle, is situated in a quiet, wooded area in northern Attica opposite Euboea near Oropos. The temple, dedicated to Amphiaraos, was erected in the fourth or third century B.C., and has 6 Doric columns along its front between pilasters. The interior is divided into 3 aisles by 2 rows of 5 columns. In front of the temple is an altar. The site also includes and incubation hall for worshippers seeking a cure and a theater built in the fourth century B.C.
Rhamnous is found on the north coast, east of Amphiaraion. Rhamnous was a coastal stronghold for Attica, and the site of the Sanctuary of Themis and Nemesis, the goddesses of the Righteousness and of Retribution. There is a polygonal limestone temple in antis built in c. 500 B.C., which is dedicated to Themis, adjoining it is the larger Doric peripteral temple of Nemesis dated to c. 430 B.C., and it is famous for its numerous inscriptions.
In the center of Attica is Dekeleia, a fortress guarding the easternmost of the three passes over Mount Parnes, a vital route for bringing food from Euboea to Athens. This site was captured by the Spartans in the Peloponnesian War, which contributed to the defeat of Athens.
Opposite Dekeleia on the western slopes of Parnes sits Phyle. Located on an inland plateau in the Attic countryside, Phyle commands the road from Athens to Tanagra in Boeotia. Although a fortress was built on this site in the fifth century B.C. to protect the frontiers of Attica, very little of it remains. In its place stands a fourteenth century A.D. monastery.
South of Phyle on the route to Athens is Acharnai, a town surrounded by vineyards and famous in literary terms as the setting of Aristophanes' Acharnians. The site was occupied from Mycenaean times, and in classical times its inhabitants engaged in charcoal burning on Mount Parnes.
In westernmost Attica lies the fortress of Eleutherai. Originally Eleutherai was Boeotian, but it was acquired by Athens in the sixth century B.C. In the fourth century B.C. excellent defensive walls were erected which were 3.6 m high with several rectangular towers along the circuit, and the walls today are among the best preserved and most interesting of ancient fortifications.
Eleusis is a city located southwest of Akharnai and 22 km west of central Athens. Eleusis is an important sanctuary of Demeter and home of the Eleusian mysteries, possible the most important religious festival in Classical Antiquity. It is also the birthplace of Aeschylus (525-456 B.C). The city is situated on the eastern slopes of a rocky hill near the Saronic Gulf.
Lying off of Eleusis is the crescent shaped island of Salamis. It shuts off the Bay of Eleusis, giving it the character of a lagoon. The bay can be entered, however, through two narrow channels. It is in the easternmost of the two channels that the famed battle of Salamis between the Persians and the Athenians took place in 480 B.C. Salamis is a limestone island with little arable land. Except for a deep gulf on the west side the landscape consists of low hills.
When travelling from Eleusis to Athens on the mainland one encounters the Dema Pass, which is by the Aegalos-Parnes wall. The wall is a westward facing rampart which follows a winding course along the watershed. The southern two-thirds were built using various styles of masonry, but further north the wall is more crudely constructed. The signal towers which command the wall were possibly built for military use and may be Lycurgan in date (late fourth century B.C.). They probably served to keep the fortresses that surrounded Attica, such as Dekeleia and Eleutherai, in contact.
Daphni, once the site of a shrine to Apollo, is also on the way from Eleusis to Athens. Famed for the eleventh century mosaics in the medieval monastery on the site, Daphni is 10 km west of Athens. Another monastery of the eleventh century is found at Kaisariani on the slopes of Mount Hymettos.
The coast of Attica, between Athens and Sounion is sometimes called the Coast of Apollo. Along this coast lies the Vari Cave, a remarkable stalactite grotto used for the worship of Pan, Apollo, and the Nymphs.
A three-tongued promontory located about halfway between Athens and Sounion was known in antiquity as Cape Zoster. It was believed that Leto loosed her girdle here before giving birth to Apollo and Artemis, and thus it is the site of a sixth century sanctuary of Apollo Zoster.
On the southern tip of the Attic peninsula is Cape Sounion, a precipitous rocky headland rising 60 m. from the sea and crowned by the splendid Temple of Poseidon. Many Classical farmsteads, rock-cut inscriptions, and quarries cut for the construction of the temple have been discovered in the hills behind Sounion.
On the southeastern coast of Attica is the town of Laurion, where silver has been mined for 6000 years. The complex geology of the Laurian region is the secret of Athens' great wealth and power. Abundant quantities of silver, copper, and lead have been mined and processed in the Laurian area continuously from the Neolithic period (ca. 4000 B.C.) to modern times. In Classical times tens of thousands of slaves were condemned to work in the mines to win the rich silver ores that were transformed into the famous Athenian tetradrachms, or Owls, so-named after the image of Athena's owl on the obverse of each coin. North of Laurion lies Porto Rafti, one of the best natural harbors in Greece. The bay is unequally but naturally divided by a narrow rocky spit of land off which lies the islet of Parasonisi. On Rafti itself there is a colossal marble statue of a seated woman, called the tailor, from the Roman period. It is from this statue that the town got its name.
Further north along the east coast is the city of Brauron, site of a large Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia. Northwest of Brauron and slightly inland is a large wine-producing district. Further north on the way to Marathon, located on a small harbour, is the town of Rafina. On its height (Askitarion) there is an Early Helladic village of the third millennium B.C.
Marathon was celebrated in antiquity as the place where Theseus killed the Bull of Marathon, and as the site of the first great battle between the Greeks and the Persians in 480 B.C. When the Persian forces of Xerxes were decisively defeated by a smaller force of Athenians and their Plataean allies.
Curtis Runnels- formerly called Actaea: Paus. 1.2.6
- formerly called Acte, afterwards Cecropia: Apollod. 3.13.8
- sacred to Athena: Paus. 1.26.6
- its islands: Paus. 1.35.1-Paus. 1.36.2
- its mountains: Paus. 1.32.1ff.
- its townships: Paus. 1.31.1-6, Paus. 1.32.3-Paus. 1.33.8
- ravaged by Archidamus: Paus. 3.7.10and by Agis: Paus. 3.8.6
- history of Attica by Androtion: Paus. 6.7.6, Paus. 10.8.1
- work on A. by Clitodemus: Paus. 10.15.5
- Amphictyon, king of: Apollod. 1.7.3
- Marathon in: Apollod. 2.5.7
- Colonus in: Apollod. 3.5.9
- Cecrops the first king of: Apollod. 3.13.8
- Poseidon the first god to come to: Apollod. 3.14.1
- laid under the sea by Poseidon: Apollod. 1.9.5
- Demeter and Dionysus come to: Apollod. 1.9.16
- Sunium in: Apollod. 2.8.1
- Attic letters: Paus. 1.2.4, Paus. 6.19.6
- Attic language: Hdt. 6.138
- Attic weights and measures: Hdt. 1.192
- Attic dance movements: Hdt. 6.129
- Attic oil: Paus. 10.32.19
- Attic sculpture: Paus. 5.25.13, Paus. 7.5.5, Paus. 10.33.4, Paus. 10.37.8
- Attic settlers in Sicily: Paus. 5.25.6
- Athens
- attic west coast and Mount Hymettos from south
- attic west coast from south
- view to Dema Pass between Aigaleos (left) and Parnes (right)
- classical fortification wall of various masonry work
- overall view
- view from south
- snow-capped peaks of Mount Parnes from south
- Mount Pentelikon from Mount Parnes to northwest
- Mount Pentelikon from northwest
- Mount Pentelikon with snow cap, from southwest
- Mount Pentelikon from south