Listed 36 sub titles with search on: Information about the place for wider area of: "ARTA Prefecture EPIRUS" .
AMVRAKIA (Ancient city) EPIRUS
Amprakia, Thuc.; Ambrakia, Xen. and subsequent writers; Amprakiotes,
Herod. viii. 45, Thuc. ii. 80; Ionic Amprakietes, Herod. ix. 28; Ambrakieus, Xen.
Anab. i. 7. § 18, et alii; Aubrakieus, Apoll. Rhod. iv. 1228; Ambrakios, Ambrakinos,
Steph. B. s. v.: Ambraciensis, Liv. xxxviii. 43; Ambraciota, Cic. Tusc. i. 34:
Arta.
An important city to the north of the Ambraciot gulf, which derived
its name from this place. It was situated on the eastern bank of the river Arachthus
or Arethon, at the distance of 80 stadia from the gulf, according to ancient authorities,
or 7 English miles, according to a modern traveller. It stood on the western side
of a rugged hill called Perranthes, and the acropolis occupied one of the summits
of this hill towards the east. It was rather more than three miles in circumference,
and, in addition to its strong walls, it was well protected by the river and the
heights which surrounded it. It is generally described as a town of Epirus, of
which it was the capital under Pyrrhus and the subsequent monarchs; but in earlier
times it was an independent state, with a considerable territory, which extended
along the coast for 120 stadia. How far the territory extended northward we are
not informed; but that portion of it between the city itself and the coast was
an extremely fertile plain, traversed by the Arachthus, and producing excellent
corn in abundance. Ambracia is called by Dicaearchus and Scylax the first town
in Hellas proper. (Strab. p. 325; Dicaearch. 31, p. 460, ed. Fuhr; Scyl. p. 12;
Polyb. xxii. 9; Liv. xxxviii. 4.)
According to tradition, Ambracia was originally a Thesprotian town,
founded by Ambrax, son of Thesprotus, or by Ambracia, daughter of Augeas; but
it was made a Greek city by a colony of Corinthians, who settled here in the time
of Cypselus, about B.C. 635. The colony is said tom have been led by Gorgus (also
called Torgus or Tolgus), the son or brother of Cypselus. Gorgus was succeeded
in the tyranny by his son Periander, who was deposed by the people, probably after
the death of the Corinthian tyrant of the same name. (Strab. pp. 325, 452; Scymn.
454; Anton. Lib. 4; Aristot. Pol. v. 3. § 6, v. 8. § 9; Ael. V. H. xii. 35; Diog.
Laert. i. 98.) Ambracia soon became a flourishing city, and the most important
of all the Corinthian colonies on the Ambraciot gulf. It contributed seven ships
to the Greek navy in the war against Xerxes, B.C. 480, and twenty-seven to the
Corinthians in their war against Corcyra, B.C. 432. (Herod. viii. 45; Thuc. i.
46,) The Ambraciots, as colonists and allies of Corinth, espoused the Lacedaemonian
cause in the Peloponnesian war. It was about this time that they reached the maximum
of their power. They had extended their dominions over the whole of Amphilochia,
and had taken possession of the important town of Argos in this district, from
which they had driven out the original inhabitants. The expelled Amphilochians,
supported by the Acarnanians, applied for aid to Athens. The Athenians accordingly
sent a force under Phormion, who took Argos, sold the Ambraciots as slaves, and
restored the town to the Amphilochians and Acarnanians, B.C. 432. Anxious to recover
the lost town, the Ambraciots, two years afterwards (430), marched against Argos,
but were unable to take it, and retired after laying waste its territory. Not
disheartened by this repulse, they concerted a plan in the following year (429),
with the Peloponnesians, for the complete subjugation of Acarnania. They had extensive
relations with the Chaonians and other tribes in the interior of Epirus, and were
thus enabled to collect a formidable army of Epirots, with which they joined the
Lacedaemonian commander, Cnemus. The united forces advanced into Acarnania as
far as Stratus, but under the walls of this city the Epirots were defeated by
the Acarnanians, and the expedition came to an end. Notwithstanding this second
misfortune, the Ambraciots marched against Argos again in B.C. 426. The history
of this expedition, and of their two terrible defeats by Demosthenes and the Acarnanians,
is related elsewhere. It appears that nearly the whole adult military population
of the city was destroyed, and Thucydides considers their calamity to have been
the greatest that befel any Grecian city during the earlier part of the war. Demosthenes
was anxious to march straightway against Ambracia, which would have surrendered
without a blow; but the Acarnanians refused to undertake the enterprize, fearing
that the Athenians at Ambracia would be more troublesome neighbours to them than
the Ambraciots. The Acarnanians and Amphilochians now concluded a peace and alliance
with the Ambraciots for 100 years. Ambracia had become so helpless that the Corinthians
shortly afterwards sent 300 hoplites to the city for its defence. (Thuc. ii. 68,
80, iii. 105--114.)
The severe blow which Ambracia had received prevented it from taking
any active part in the remainder of the war. It sent, however, some troops to
the assistance of Syracuse, when besieged by the Athenians. (Thuc. vii. 58.) Ambracia
was subsequently conquered by Philip II., king of Macedonia. On the accession
of Alexander the Great (B.C. 336) it expelled the Macedonian garrison, but soon
after-wards submitted to Alexander. (Diod. xvii. 3, 4.) At a later time it became
subject to Pyrrhus, who made it the capital of his dominions, and his usual place
of residence, and who also adorned it with numerous works of art. (Pol. xxii.
13; Liv. xxxviii. 9; Strab. p. 325.) Pyrrhus built here a strongly fortified palace,
which was called after him Pyrrheum Hpurrheion). (Pol. xxii. 10; Liv. xxxviii.
5.) Ambracia afterwards fell into the hands of the Aetolians, and the possession
of this powerful city was one of the chief sources of the Aetolian power in this
part of Greece. When the Romans declared war against the Aetolians, Ambracia was
besieged by the Roman consul M. Fulvius Nobilior, B.C. 189. This siege is one
of the most memorable in ancient warfare for the bravery displayed in the defence
of the town. In the course of the siege the Aetolians concluded a peace with Fulvius,
whereupon Ambracia opened its gates to the besiegers. The consul, however, stripped
it of its valuable works of art, and removed them to Rome. (Pol. xxii. 9-13; Liv.
xxxviii. 3-9.) From this time Ambracia rapidly declined, and its ruin was completed
by Augustus, who removed its inhabitants to Nicopolis, which he founded in commemoration
of his victory at Actium. (Strab. p. 325; Pans. v. 23. § 3.)
There is no longer any doubt that Arta is the site of Ambracia, the
position of which was for a long time a subject of dispute. The remains of the
walls of Ambracia confirm the statements of the ancient writers respecting the
strength of its fortifications. The walls were built of immense quadrangular blocks
of stone. Wolfe measured one 18 ft. by 5. The foundations of the acropolis may
still be traced, but there are no other remains of Hellenic date.
How long Ambracia continued deserted after the removal of its inhabitants
to Nicopolis, we do not know; but it was re-occupied under the Byzantine Empire,
and became again a place of importance. Its modern name of Arta is evidently a
corruption of the river Arachthus, upon which it stood; and we find this name
in the Byzantine writers as early as the eleventh century. In the fourteenth century
Arta was reckoned the chief town in Acarnania, whence it was frequently called
by the name of Acarnania simply. Cyriacus calls it sometimes Arechthea Acarnana.
(Bockh, Corpus Inscr. No. 1797.) It is still the principal town in this part of
Greece, and, like the ancient city, has given its name to the neighbouring gulf.
The population of Arta was reckoned to be about 7000 in the year 1830.
This extract is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited May 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
AMVRAKIKOS GULF (Gulf) EPIRUS
Ambracius Sinus (ho Amprakikos kolpos, Thuc. i. 55; ho Ambrakikos
kolpos, Pol. iv. 63, Strab. p. 325, et al.; he thalassa he Amprakike, Dion Cass.
I. 12: Sinus Ambracius, Liv. xxxviii. 4; Mel. ii. 3: Gulf of Arta), an arm of
the Ionian sea, lying between Epirus and Acarnania, so called from the town of
Ambracia. Polybius (l. c.) describes the bay as 300 stadia in length, and 100
stadia in breadth: Strabo gives 300 stadia as its circumference, which is absurdly
too small. Its real length is 25 miles, and its breadth 10. The entrance of the
gulf, one side of which was formed by the promontory of Actium, is described under
Actium. In consequence of the victory which Augustus gained over Antony at the
entrance to this gulf, Statius (Silv. ii. 2. 8) gives the name of Ambraciae frondes
to the crowns of laurel bestowed upon the victors in the Actian games. The Ambracius
Sinus is also frequently mentioned in Greek history. On it were the towns of Argos
Amphilochicum, and Anactorium, and the sea-port of Ambracia. The rivers Charadra
and Arachthus flowed into it from the N. It was celebrated in antiquity for its
excellent fish, and particularly for a species called kapros. (Ath. iii. p. 92,
d., vii. pp. 305, e., 311, a., 326, d.) The modern gulf still maintains its character
in this respect. The red and grey mullet are most abundant, and there are also
plenty of soles and eels. (Wolfe, Observations on the Gulf of Arta, in Journal
of Geographical Society, vol. iii.)
This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited July 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
AMVRAKOS (Ancient port) EPIRUS
Ambracus (Ambrakos) is described by Polybius as a place well fortified by ramparts
and outworks, and as surrounded by marshes, through which there was only one narrow
causeway leading to the place. It was taken by Philip V., king of Macedonia, in
B.C. 219, as a preliminary to an attack upon Ambracia. (Pol. iv. 61, 63.) Scylax
probably alludes to this place, when he says that Ambracia had a fortress near
its harbour; for near the western shore of the old mouth of the river Arachthus
(Arta) some ruins have been discovered, whose topographical situation accords
with the description of Polybius. They are situated on a swampy island, in a marshy
lake near the sea. They inclosed an area of about a quarter of a mile in extent,
and appeared to be merely a military post, which was all that the swampy nature
of the ground would admit of. (Wolfe, Ibid. p. 84.) This fortress commanded the
harbour, which is described by Scylax and Dicaearchus (ll. cc.) as a kleistos
limen, or a port with a narrow entrance, which might be shut with a chain. The
harbour must have been an artificial one; for the present mouth of the Arta is
so obstructed by swamps and shoals as scarcely to be accessible even to boats.
In ancient times its navigation was also esteemed dangerous, whence Lucan (v.
651) speaks of orae malignos Ambraciae portus.
This extract is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited May 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ARACHTHOS (River) ARTA
Arachthus (Arachthos, Pol. xxii. 9; Ptol. iii. 13; Liv. xliii. 22;
Plin. iv. 1; Aratthos, Strab. pp. 325, 327; Atatthos, Dicaearch. 42, p. 460, ed.
Fuhr; Araithos, Lycophr. 409 ; Tzetz. ad loc.; Arethon, Liv. xxxviii. 3; respecting
the orthography, see Kramer, ad Strab. p. 325: Arta), a river of Epirus, rising
in Mount Tymphe and the district Paroraea, and flowing southwards first through
the mountains, and then through the plain of Ambracia into the Ambraciot gulf.
The town of Ambracia was situated on its left or eastern bank, at the distance
of 7 miles from the sea, in a direct line.
The Arachthus formed the boundary between Hellas proper and Epirus,
whence Ambracia was reckoned the first town in Hellas. The country near the mouth
of the river is full of marshes. The entrance to the present mouth of the Arta,
which lies to the E. of the ancient mouth, is so obstructed by swamps and shoals
as scarcely to be accessible even to boats; but on crossing this bar there are
16 or 17 feet of water, and rarely less than 10 in the channel, for a distance
of 6 miles up the river. Three miles higher up the river altogether ceases to
be navigable, not having more than 5 feet in the deepest part, and greatly obstructed
by shoals. The course of the river is very tortuous; and the 9 miles up the river
are only about 2 from the gulf in a direct line. At the entrance, its width is
about 60 yards, but it soon becomes much narrower; and 9 miles up its width is
not more than 20 yards. At Ambracia, however, its bed is about 200 yards across;
but the stream in summer is divided by sand-banks into small rivulets, shallow,
but rapid, running at least 4 miles an hour. Above the town, it appears comparatively
diminutive, and 5 or 6 miles higher up, is lost among the hills. This is the present
condition of the river, as described by Lieutenant Wolfe, who visited it in 1830.
(Journal of the Geographical Society, vol. iii. p. 81.)
This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited July 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ORRAON (Ancient city) EPIRUS
A town of Molossis in Epirus, of uncertain site. (Liv. xlv. 26.)
THEODORIA (Ancient city) ARTA
One of the chief towns of the Athamanes in Epeirus, is identified by Leake with
the modern Thodhoriana, a village situated near Mount Ttzumerka in a pass which
leads from the Achelous to the Arachthus. (Liv. xxxviii. 1; Leake, Northern Greece,
vol. iv. p. 212.)
AMVRAKIA (Ancient city) EPIRUS
The modern Arta; a town on the left bank of the Arachthus, north
of the Ambracian Gulf, and originally included in Acarnania, but afterwards in
Epirus. It was colonized by the Corinthiaus about B.C. 660. Pyrrhus made it the
capital of his kingdom, and adorned it with public buildings and statues. At a
later time it joined the Aetolian League, was taken by the Romans in B.C. 189,
and stripped of its works of art. Its inhabitants were trausplanted to the new
city of Nicopolis, founded by Augustus after the battle of Actium, B.C. 31.
This text is cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
AMVRAKIKOS GULF (Gulf) EPIRUS
A gulf of the Ionian Sea between Epirus and Acarnania, twentyfive miles long and ten wide.
ARACHTHOS (River) ARTA
or Aretho. A river of Epirus, rising in Mt. Lacmon, and flowing into the Sinus Ambracius.
AMVRAKIKOS GULF (Gulf) EPIRUS
Photo Album in URL, information in Greek only.
THEODORIANA (Village) ARTA
ARTA (Prefecture) EPIRUS
In the following WebPages you can find an interactive map with all the monuments and museums of the Prefecture, with relevant information and photos.
THEODORIANA (Community) ARTA
VOURGARELI (Small town) ARTA
Vourgareli is one of the biggest villages in the mountain area of
Arta, 58 km. from the capital of the county. It is located on the southern side
of the Tzoumerka Mountain, between two hills covered with fir trees, east the
Profitis Ilias and west the Omali hill, that protect the village, as in a natural
breast. A village particularly favored by the nature, having dominant vegetation
with all kinds of green tones, affluent running waters forming two streams at
the borders of the village and full of stone houses with tiled roofs, as well
as a wide view to the open horizon.
The most likely explanation for the name of the village is that before
the area got populated, this very place was covered by a dense wood where worked
a woodcutter named Vourgarelis. Thus, those coming from the neighboring villages
to find wood looked for Vouglarelis. Note that for about 30 years (1950-1980)
the name of the village has been changed to Drossopigi. Georgios Papadimitriou,
searcher and teacher, claimed that the first houses were built in the years 1600-1630,
while the first inhabitants originated from the surrounding settlements.
In 1881, after the liberation of the Arta region from the Turks,
was created the Municipality of Theodoria, with Vourgareli as its seat. In 1912,
upon the abolition of the municipalities, the Community of Vourgareli was instituted
and then, in 1998, the village became once again the seat of the Municipality
of Athamania. Vourgareli was one of the region's larger villages, with schools,
educated inhabitants, public services, and important social and intellectual life.
The difficult years of the German Occupation deeply marked our village. The Germans
bombarded the village in May 1943 and then burned it in October of the same year,
destroying the largest part of the village and killing a lot of people. The inhabitants
of Vourgareli rebuilt their houses and managed to get a life. The urban pull of
the '60s devitalized our village, along with the Greek countryside. In the recent
years, however, efforts are made with encouraging results. Vourgareli became once
again a lively village with important development prospects and new activities.
This text is cited Sep 2002 , from the WebSite of the Union of Vourgareliotes of Attica
AMVRAKIA (Ancient city) EPIRUS
AMVRAKOS (Ancient port) EPIRUS
The port of Ambrakia on the bank of a lagoon by the Gulf of Arta,
where the foundations of a circuit wall ca. 1200 m long are awash. A gap in the
foundation marks the exit of the harbor, which led into the course of the river
Arachthos. It was a locked harbor with fortifications (Scylax 33 and Polyb. 4.61.7),
and there was a small town there (StBiz. s.v.).
N.G.L. Hammond, ed.
This text is from: The Princeton encyclopedia of classical sites,
Princeton University Press 1976. Cited Nov 2002 from
Perseus Project URL below, which contains bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
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