The formation of the Athenian state. V

  • 18.05.2020

Attica Triangle   - This is a tiny, but very saturated concentrate of Greece. There was a place for the ancient gods, brave heroes, outstanding philosophers. Here democracy was born and culture was created. A peninsula with stunning history and picturesque nature. The southeastern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, washed by three bays: the Euboean, Saronic and Corinthian. Cape Sounion, the peak of the triangle, completes the beautiful picture of nature. Three mountains separate the base of Attica from the mainland: Pastra, Parnif and Kifenonas (all more than a kilometer high).

The peninsula is part of Central Greece. Attica is one of the seven administrative-territorial units, which is at the same time a historical and geographical region. Attica consists of the southeastern part of Greece, the Peloponnesian Trisinia (Argolis peninsula, the vast majority of the islands of Argosaronic, as well as Kithira and Antikythira. The western border of the peninsula is divided with the Peloponnese. The region's area is 3808 sq. Km (this is about 3% of Greek lands). Two speeches flow through the territory: Kathisos and Ilisos.

The population density of Attica is the highest among the Greek regions. This is explained by the fact that the capital of Athens is located on the peninsula, where a third of the state’s population lives. From a geographical point of view, Attica is divided into the Athenian periphery and other lands of the peninsula. The first includes all metropolitan municipalities.

Attica is an extremely important region for the country's economy. More than a third of the national gross product (38%) falls on the peninsula. The largest share here is the service sector, which is not surprising for a tourist country. Industry occupies a little less, and a small, but not important, part is the agricultural sector (almost 2% of the cultivated land is here). Attica is 71% of the country's construction companies, 69% of processing enterprises and 58% of commercial organizations. Visitors to the country also often choose Attica as their place of residence.

Story

Historical data indicate that the settlement of Attica occurred during the Neolithic. Then its name was somewhat different: Acti, Acti. The first king of the lands was Kekrops, uniting 12 separate tribes. It was then that the capital of Athens was created.

The history of the region, by and large, is the history of Athens. Then Athena argued with Poseidon for the patronage of the city. Presenting the inhabitants with an olive branch as a gift, she earned the favor of the people, and the city was named after her. No less useful was the gift from the god Dionysus, who became the real symbol of Attica - the vine.

The finds found on the Acropolis and in the numerous city-states located here only confirm the various myths that tell about the ancient history of the region. The lands near Athens were united around 800 BC. e. Since the VIII century, Attica has become the largest maritime and economic center. Under the tyrannical power of Pisistratus, the region began active development thanks to the promotion of trade to Sicily, Pontus of Euxine (now the Black Sea) and Egypt. Athens reached artistic and cultural heyday during this period, numerous monuments that adorned the city were erected.

Under a democratic government, Athens becomes the main city of Greece, being the center of the Attic state. This is where the battles with the Persians flare up. The "golden" period of the capital is considered the era of the rule of Pericles. Science, art, culture, power - everything has reached its heights. Ancient Greek civilization received the most powerful centers: Eleusis, Megaru, Egostenon, Pages. It was destroyed during the Peloponnesian war, and at the same time, the naval power of Athens fell into decay. Subsequently, the capital obeyed Salamis and Attica. A similar weakening of the forces of Greece led to the conquest of territories by the Macedonian forces. After almost 200 years, the state passed to the Romans, who, however, had great respect for Athens, recognizing their significant contribution to the development of education.

The coming of Christianity became a difficult period for Attica. Numerous destruction due to raids of the Goths affected the appearance of Athens. The introduction of the Byzantine religion led to the closure of philosophical schools, and ancient temples became Christian shrines. After this, Attica many times passed into power to various conquerors: Catalans, Neapolitans, Venetians, Turks. The latter crossed the limits, making the Parthenon a mosque, and the Erechtheion a harem. The year 1834 was the moment when Athens was declared the capital of Greece. Then the city was a small village, and the number of inhabitants did not even reach a thousand. Around it was only visible that ruins and stones. However, it was on the wreckage of former grandeur that the city was rebuilt. New buildings harmoniously interwoven antiquity with modernity, restored the Acropolis. Following Athens, they began to return to life other parts of Attica, the significance of which was great in the ancient period: Sounion, Rammund, Torikos, Vravron, Eleusis, Marathon, Oropos, Porto Rafti.

Attica combines all the elements of Greek history. Here the Romans, Byzantines, Franks, Ottomans left their mark, modernity also touched the region. These prints are fresh, as if history is striding along with present time.

The proximity of beautiful resorts - that feature of Attica, which tourists will appreciate. Paleo Faliro is located just 5 kilometers from the capital. There is not only a magnificent promenade and wonderful beaches, but also numerous cafes, bars, taverns, restaurants that open their doors to everyone who wants to have a good time. Resort shops allow you to find souvenirs that will remind you of a trip to return home, local products and products famous for quality. Organized excursions to the Greek islands are another advantage of the Paleo Faliro.

Vouliagmeni

Vouliagmeni   - resort of the luxury segment. Luxury hotels, luxury apartments, expensive villas are not the only virtue. A unique lake with mineral healing springs allows you to relax with health benefits. Coniferous trees make the air clean, full of healthy aromas.

Those who wish to heal can go to Loutraki. Here healing springs are located, and a wonderful beneficial climate helps to feel a complete merger with nature. An interesting location is Cape Sounio. The extreme southern point of Attica gives the opportunity to see the temple of Poseidon, especially beautiful at sunset.

More details

sights

Attica is a region of Greece located directly on the peninsula. It is in this part of the state that the capital of Athens is located, numerous resorts with beautiful beaches, as well as various interesting places where you can simply stroll. In Attica it is not difficult to find an excursion program for every taste, and all types of tourism (whether sports or gastronomic) are open to visitors.

Cult monuments

Due to the fact that Athens is located in this region, it is better to start excursions from the main city of Greece. The fascinating history of the state attracts even those who have little interest in antiquity. The true historical symbol of Athens is truly considered Acropolis. This attraction is an architectural complex, which includes a number of religious buildings, shrines, temples. Most of the buildings are destroyed and are in ruins, however, even from the fragments that have survived to this day, you can see the grandeur of ancient monuments of architecture.

It is definitely worth visiting another architectural building, which is unique in its kind - parthenon Temple. Also attention should be paid erechtheionon Templeas it is shrouded in many secrets and legends. Getting acquainted with Athens and the history of Ancient Greece, you should not miss the opportunity to visit Archaeological Museum. The collection of the cultural center includes historical artifacts that have been discovered by researchers in various regions of the country. Some exhibits are several millennia old, for example, ancient jewelry, objects of worship, as well as amazing statues of gods. Scientists and numerous household items were discovered by the population of the territory of Greece of the ancient period, which are now presented in the museum.

Having left the borders of Athens, one can discover no less than historical monuments. So, located nearby daphne Monastery. This building of the period of the Byzantine era has an interesting history. The fact is that at the time of construction it was to become the temple of Apollo Daphnia. With the advent of Christianity, the building was used as a fortification, and even after a while there was a psychiatric hospital. After a complete reconstruction, Daphne Monastery took its place among the most important historical buildings in Greece.

Attica is rich in religious buildings, so attention should be paid to temple of PoseidonAssociated with various stories. For a long time, until the recent period, sailors made offerings so that the sea element was favorable to them on long trips. And now sailors and travelers come to the god of the sea with the branches of olive and magnolia to appease the deity.

Temple of Demeter   located in Eleksvsin. Now this religious building serves as a museum, the collection of which contains the most important artifacts belonging to different eras. It is worth a walk on the island of Aegina. Here, the traveler will discover unique natural attractions. One of the most iconic places in this area is the ghost town of Palayochora. Residents here did not die many hundreds of years ago, but all the buildings were preserved in excellent condition. There is even an old monastery, as well as 28 churches, each of which amazes visitors with its interior.

Not only is rich in natural monuments aegina island, but also slopes of Mount Imittos. The pristine nature will give guests peace after the constant tourist bustle of Athens, and here you can also find a healing spring. According to legend, Hephaestus presented it to the people. Nearby is an ancient monastery, which belongs to the monuments of antiquity. It impresses with skillful decorations and unique religious artifacts.

Athenian Riviera

Greece is not only a story. This state is rich in various beach activities and resorts, the most comfortable of which are located within the Athenian Riviera. This is a number of amazing beaches and small resorts, it is here that the famous Paleo Faliro and Cavouri are located. In this part of Attica, tourists will find the most expensive resorts with the best hotels and numerous attractions for every taste. On the Athenian Riviera there is a place for those who love outdoor activities, as there are yacht clubs and diving centers and many sports activities. Separate beaches are equipped for a wonderful holiday with your family.

Just a half hour drive from the center of the capital, travelers get the opportunity to walk along the picturesque bays, shop around in search of expensive brands and various souvenirs, relax in one of the many cafes and clubs overlooking the sea. In this place everything is located, for which many love Greece so much.

Faliro - a truly special suburb of Athens. Although it is located close to the capital, however, it is very far from the constant fuss and noise, therefore the Athenians themselves often come to rest here. There is always something to do here, since the institutions work almost round the clock. The bay is considered to be a real business card of this area, but it is better to stroll or ride a bicycle in a local park that is perfectly suitable for these purposes. The magnificent view of the Saronic Gulf, which opens from the promenade, is mesmerizing. Restaurants and shops, playgrounds and parks - all this is open until the end of September. Interestingly, from Wednesday to Saturday, from 17:30 to 20:30, you can get a free bike and go on an exciting walk. This event is part of the local program “Tram - Bicycle. Coastal routes. "

No less beautiful is suburb of Glyfada. Well-maintained beaches, plenty of sunshine, date palms directly in the recreation area - all these beach pleasures are complemented by a truly endless nightlife in clubs. Young people will appreciate the fun that reigns in this town. There are a lot of expensive shops and hotels, and local restaurants offer to taste the whole of Greece.

Moving a couple of kilometers from Glyfada, you can look into voula district. It is considered the decoration of the Athenian Riviera. Voula is two beaches with embankments: A and B. Here you can not only swim and have a wonderful rest. The entire tourist infrastructure and the opportunity to engage in water sports allow you to combine relaxation with active entertainment. Mostly engaged in water skiing, beach volleyball and roller coaster in Voula, so at first glance the atmosphere resembles an amusement park. Of the expensive entertainment, Glyfada is famous for its golf centers, so here you can feel like a real aristocrat.

Lake Vouliagmeni   It is known for its rich vegetation and picturesque beaches. The luxurious restaurants and hotels of Attica are represented here in a wide variety. Local chefs are ready to surprise everyone with the delights of traditional Greek (and not only) cuisine. Night entertainment centers will also please even those who, it would seem, have already seen everything.

One of the most famous beaches of Vouliagmeni is Asteras. Perfectly clear water and a unique natural landscape make it possible to relax under the warm Greek sun. The beach was marked with the Blue Flag, which only confirms its quality.

Popular tourist resort of Varkizawhich is located along the coast. Perfectly clean water, all kinds of water sports, landscaped areas for every taste, including free ones - each traveler will find something to his taste. You should definitely visit the taverns, where the freshest sea fish and seafood are served. Windsurfers will especially enjoy Varkiza, for whom all the necessary infrastructure is organized here.

The Athenian Riviera stretches along the Saronic Gulf to Cape Sounion, therefore, on the way, vacationers will also meet Lagonisipopular for family vacations due to its clean beaches and fragrant lemon groves, and Saronida, worthy of attention no less.

Having already departed from a beach holiday on the Athenian Riviera, you can improve your health in Attica. In this region, the famous medical resort Loutraki. This place is known for its healing springs, the properties of which were noted by ancient philosophers and scientists. Modern medicine allows you to discover unique qualities and influence various diseases with the help of innovative programs.

tier (strip) above the main cornice in the antique facade.

(Ancient culture: literature, theater, art, philosophy, science. Dictionary-reference book / Edited by V.N. Yarcho. M., 1995.)

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

Attica

Attica, region in the southeast. parts Center. Greece. In antiquity there were several. small settlements, which gradually merged into the city-state of Athens. This process was completed by the 7th century. BC. Families of large landowners continued to live outside the city, although during the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), the countryside was often plundered by invading Spartans. A. was rich in natural resources, especially clay, necessary for the flourishing pottery industry, as well as marble, lead and silver, a cut needed to finance the Athenian fleet.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

ATTIC

Titus Pomponius (110 - 132 BC) - rich and influential. Rome. the horseman received the name A. due to the fact that he lived in Athens for more than 20 years. Being made up. landowner., a merchant and financier, tried to occupy in troubled with politic. point of view time is neutral. position between the confrontations. in batches. This is a fence. A. from encroachment on his condition and security. intermediary. role. Letters, write. Cicero, with to-Crimea A. communication. many years. friendship, are histor. document of that era. A. App. highly-imagery. and prosv. man, he won himself known. publication and distribution. lit. production For this purpose, he had educated. copyist slaves. His own. Op. The Chronicle is a brief chronological. essay on the history of Rome since its foundation. A.'s life is described in detail. his friend Cornelius Nepot.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

Attica

peninsula to the southeast Middle Greece, bordering the north with Boeotia, and the west with the Megara region; pl. Peninsula 2200 km2, relief preim. mountain. Mountains Kiferon (1409 m) and Parnassus (1413 m) with spurs form natures. border of the attic region. Other significant mountain peaks known for marble quarries are Pentelikon and Gimet. South the tip of the peninsula forms Cape Sunius. Athens is located in the lowlands of the peninsula. Eleusis and the Marathon. Pp. Kefis and Iliss, which tend to dry out in the summer. Soil in A. preim. calcareous, therefore ch. agricultural cultures in antiquity were grapes, olives and figs. DOS mineral deposits were in Lavrion, mined pottery clay, silver and iron ore. The first inhabitants came to A. c. 1900 BC e. Because the great resettlement of the Dorians in the con. 2nd millennium BC e. A. was not affected, the inhabitants of this region considered themselves autochthonous. OK. 1000 BC e. A.'s population was united under the rule of Athens. Other significant settlements of A. include Piraeus, Eleusis, Forikos, Bravron and Ramnunt.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

ATTICA

Ancient (´Attikn) - area of \u200b\u200bDr. Greece. Occupied since the Neolithic. The spurs of Kiferon and Parnet divide A. into small plains: Athenian, Eleusinian, Mesogean, marathon - suitable for the village. h-va. In addition to the plain, terraced farming was widespread. Ch. S.-kh. A. cultures in ancient times were grapes and olives. The yields of barley and wheat were low, there was not enough bread. Sheep and goats were raised on mountain pastures. A. was rich in salt, marble, clay, silver (mined in the mountains of Lavrion in the south of A.). In A., crafts were developed (pottery, metal processing, shipbuilding). The ruggedness of the coast of A., its middle position in Dr. Greece, the need for import of bread contributed to the development of pestilence. trade A. (harbor - Piraeus, Faleron). To the 5th century BC e. A. gradually became the most developed socio-economic., Politic. and cultural area (center - Athens) Greece. In modern times Greece A. forms one of the adm.-terr. units - nom. Lit .: Kolobova K. M., Gluskina L. M., Essays on the History of Ancient Greece, L., 1958; Wrede W., Attika, Athen, 1934. - *** - *** - *** - Attica of the time of Klisfen

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

Attic

Titus Pomponius Atticus) - a wealthy and influential Roman landowner, merchant and financier, historian, publisher and philanthropist of the 1st century. BC Born in 110, died in 32 B.C. The representative of the Attic riders class was a highly educated and enlightened man, he received his nickname due to the fact that he lived in Athens for more than 20 years. He was in many years of friendship and correspondence with Cicero (the texts of these letters have survived to the present day), also corresponded with Octavian and Mark Anthony in the 30s. BC He was widely known in the educated layers of Roman society as a publisher and distributor of literary works, including the works of his contemporaries. For these purposes, Attik kept at home a whole staff of educated copy-slaves. Titus Pomponius Atticus himself was the author of the “Annals” (Liber annalis) - an essay that was a brief chronological outline of the history of Rome from the day it was founded, as well as selected works on the genealogy of noble Roman families, now lost. Attica's biography, written by one of his friends, historian Cornelius Nepot, survived millennia.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

Attic

1. Titus Pomponius (110 - 32 BC), a wealthy and influential Rome. the horseman received the name A. due to the fact that he lived in Athens for more than 20 years. Being a wealthy landowner, trader and financier, he tried to take into troubled with politic. in terms of time, a neutral position between the opposing parties. This protected A. from encroachments on his condition and ensured mediation. role. The letters written by Cicero, with which A. had long-standing friendship, are a historian. document of that era. A. was highly educated and enlightened. a man, he gained fame for the publication and distribution of lit. works. For this purpose, he had educated copy slaves. His own. the work "Chronicle" ("Liber annalis") - a brief chronological. Essay on the history of Rome from the day it was founded. A.'s life is described in detail by his friend Cornelius Nepot.

2.   low built-in wall, located. over the crowning construction of the cornice (in Roman architecture usually on triumphal arches) and destined. for bas-relief or inscription. It is also found in the art of the Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

Attica

from greek   - coast country)

peninsula, one of the largest areas in the southeast of Sredn. Greece. Its mountains are the branches of Kiferon, a steep rocky ridge that formed A.'s natural border with Boeotia and Megaras. Among the mountain ranges are the plains: Eleusinian, Kekropsky, Mesogey and Marathon. The small rivers A. Kefis and Asop were shallow, the land was barren. But the industriousness of the farmers compensated for the scarcity of land: in A. they cultivated olives, grapes, figs, millet, spelled, barley. In the mountains there were a lot of limestone and marble, suitable for construction. In Lavrion, silver, iron ore and clay were mined, which contributed to the early development of crafts, and thanks to large reserves of table salt, the population began to conserve food products, laying the foundation for the development of an entire industry.

A.'s population considered themselves autochthonous. OK. X century BC, under the legendary king Theseus, it began to unite under the rule of Athens, but this process was lengthy and stretched for centuries. By the 6th century BC. Athens became the center of economic and political transformations in A. The major centers of A. were Eleusis, Piraeus, Forikos, Rammount, and others.

(I.A. Lisovy, K.A. Revyako. The Ancient World in Terms, Names and Titles: Dictionary Dictionary of the History and Culture of Ancient Greece and Rome / Scientific Ed. A.I. Nemirovsky. - 3rd ed. - Mn: Belarus, 2001)

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

ATTIC

church in Constantinople, which was built in the IX century. in the traditions of Eastern Early Byzantine architecture, dating back to the throne rooms of the Babylonian and Assyrian kings in ancient Mesopotamia. Its Byzantine name has not been preserved. As the researchers suggest, the church was not intended for ceremonial cult actions, but was used as a chapel. It was a five-nave cross-domed building with a low dome (5 m in diameter), which did not rest on pillars, but on massive walls with small openings leading to corner rooms. Her plan was based on a square. From the original exterior walls only wide squat apses were preserved, each having three faces without protrusions and decorations. At the eastern end of the cross was an altar room to which an apse adjoined. Prayers were located in front of the altar at the lateral ends of the cross, spread in breadth, with the western end being longer than the northern and southern ones, which strengthened the orientation towards the altar. In the domed square and narthex there were vaulted ceilings, in the extreme side naves turned into isolated chapels with images of saints - wooden ceilings. The masonry of Attica did not differ from similar religious structures of this and subsequent eras: 6-6 rows of massive masonry of stone blocks, characteristic of the architecture of Asia Minor, alternated with 4-4 rows of bricks. After the conquest of Byzantium, the Turks turned this church into a mosque, laying windows and destroying the extreme side naves.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

ATTIC

roman cognomen. Most famous was

1. T. Pomponius Atticus, born 109 BC, came from an ancient family of Roman horsemen and received an excellent education. He was adopted by his uncle Qu. Cecilia was therefore called Qu. Cecilius Pomponian A. To avoid participating in strife during the unrest caused by Sulpicius and Zinnoy, he went to Athens and studied science there. He lived in Athens for many years and from this received the name Atticus. The Athenians fell in love with him (Ner. Att. 2) both for his generosity and sympathy, and for his generous support for the poor and needy, and expressed their respect for him by the construction in honor of his statues. When Sulla, on his return from Asia, lived in Athens, A. enjoyed its great location. Soon then he returned, to the great regret of the Athenians, to Rome, about the time when he inherited the property of his uncle Qu. Cecilia; he used part of this property to support his friends, among whom were Cicero and Gortensky, and did not refuse to help even those whose political conviction he did not sympathize with. A.'s position between the most influential men of his time was very peculiar. He did not intervene in politics; he managed at the same time to be in the best relations with the leaders of various parties; as a friend of Cicero, he took advantage of Anthony's disposition, being in friendship with the younger Mary, did not lose Sulla's respect. Thus, his good fame and his life did not suffer from the wild contention of the parties, because his courteous nature and his rare education put him above them. He never looked for or held positions. He died in 32 BC, at the age of 77, respected by all contemporaries. He rendered a great service to literature by the reproduction and distribution of the works of his contemporaries and friends; correspondence of essays involved ( Nep. Att.   13) his many slaves. He himself wrote historical works, between which the liber annalis, dedicated to Cicero, contained the history of Rome from the foundation to his time, located in chronological tables for officials. Nep. Att. 18 Cic. Brut.   3, 5. I. Nepot (18, 5) also mentions imagines and one Greek composition about the consulate of Cicero. Cic. ad Att. 2, 1, 1. Plin. n h. 35, 3, 11. wed: Boissier, Cicero and his friends;

2. Tib. Claudius Herodes, the son of a wealthy marathon, was born approx. 103 g. From R. X. and was engaged in rhetoric under Marcus Aurelius, who showed him great respect. Being raised by excellent teachers, A. entered the public service and, in 143, held a consular post. Subsequently, however, he left the civil service and completely indulged in scientific studies. He founded an oratory school, from which excellent students came out, and he himself was an excellent orator. Gell.   19, 12. Emperors L. Ver and Marcus Aurelius also used his training. About his relationship to Fronton, not always friendly, wed   letters of the last p. 61. 111. 138. Of his many works, not one has reached us; the authenticity of the works attributed to him cannot be proved. Its main advantage, it seems, was the simplicity and fluency of the language. Possessing great wealth, he was the benefactor of the poor and founded many magnificent useful buildings in Athens, Rome and other cities. He died in 179 in the Marathon.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

ATTICA

? ?????? (from ?????, instead of ???????), was also called ????, “Coastal country”and poets ???????, or ?????, or ??????????? and was the most important of the 8 areas that made up their own (middle) Hellas. It had the shape of a triangle, the top of which was facing southeast, bordering Boeotia in the north, bordering the Aegean Sea in the east, Saronsky Bay (n. Aegina Bay) in the west, and Megara in the west and occupying an area around 1960 sq. versts. A. is a mountainous country and is covered by separate but frequent, mostly bare groups of mountains and hills, between which only a few and insignificant plains are located. All the mountains represent the spurs of Kiferon (????????, n. Of the same name, the highest peak is called Elatia), a wild steep and rocky ridge reaching up to 4000 feet high, known from the myths about the hunt for the Kiferon lion, about hunting Acteon and about Oedipus, and formed the border of A. by Boeotia and Megara. The sharp contrast between him and neighboring Helikon gave rise to the myth of two brothers turned into mountains; the meek and kind Helikon became the seat of the Muses, the cruel Kiferon, who killed his father and mother, became the seat of the Erinis. Passed through the wildest places of Kiferon ?????? ??????? or?????? ???????, n. Gifto Kastro. To the south of Kiferon was a lower chain of mountains, probably called ??????? ??????, representing the Megar border and ending near the coast, opposite the northern part of Salamis with two horn-shaped peaks (n. ??????). To the east of Kiferon, the country is cut through by Parnef (??????, N. Ozea), the most significant in height (over 4000 feet) and the length of the mountain range A. In ancient times, Parnef was covered with forests and is still growing partly on the slopes. deciduous trees and shrubs, part of the same pine. It is rich in beautiful views. To the south, its continuation is a much lower chain of mountains, n. ?????????, which separated the Athenian plain from the west from the Eleusinian; the middle part of this chain, through which the sacred road to Eleusis led, had the name ??? ???????? ??????, the extreme, southwestern part, with a cape ??????? - ??????????, according to one of the demos. From the top of Coridall, Xerxes watched the battle of Salamis. Hdt. 8, 90. Brilett (?????????) or ??? rises southeast of Parnef ???????????? ??????, by theme ???????; he was famous for his marble. Adjacent to it and heading south, but closer to the city, is also rich in marble Gimett ???????, n. Trelo-Vuni, also famous for its fragrant thyme and excellent honey. Gimett ends with a cape ?????? (N. Cape Helikes). Mount Lycabettus (??????????, N. Hagios Georgios) represents a separate rocky cone, reaching in the northeast to the walls of Athens; adjacent to it, heading north, a rocky chain of mountains, probably ancient ????????. The southern part of Africa is also covered by mountain chains forming at the Suni cape (N. Cape Colonna) the Lavrian mountains (???????? or ???????) steeply descending to the sea with rich silver mines ( Hdt.   7, 144. Plut. Them. 4), which constituted the main source of wealth for ancient Athens. There were three plains in A.

1.   Eleusinian (?????????? ??????), between Kiferon and the marshy coast of the Eleusinian Gulf, the granary of Athens, as a result of which the Spartans were the first to be devastated at the beginning of the Peloponnesian war. The western part of it was called ´ ?????? ??????, eastern, most - ???????? ??????; its part adjacent to Megara, the inalienable property of Demeter, bore the name ??? ???? or??????;

2.   Kekropskaya plain, in the north-east of Athens, called simply ??? ?????? (n. Calandrian plain), was surrounded by Aygalei and Gymett and irrigated by Kefisa; in the northeast, Dekhelea towered over it, which was therefore occupied by the Spartans in the Peloponnesian War;

3.   Mesogean Plain (????????), n. Mesoghia, was in the east off the coast near Bravron.

In addition, there were even smaller plains - the Marathon and the plain at the mouth of Asop. The country's irrigation was scarce, almost all rivers and streams in the summer are very shallow. A. belongs to Asopus flowing from Boeotia in its lower reaches. The country's most important river, Kefis (??????? n. Kiphissos) flows from the southwestern slope of Briletta, connects to the few streams originating in Parnef, and flows through the Kekropsky plain, on the western side of Athens (cutting through the long walls) ; in winter, it protrudes from the banks at the mouth near the Faler harbor. Iliss (Ilissos) flows from Gimett, connects with the stream Eridanus, flows from the southern side of Athens and is lost in the plain. Another Kefis (n. Sarandopotamos), originating on Kiferon, flows into the sea east of Eleusis. To the east of it were ´ ??????, flowing salt waters, in which fishing belonged to the Eleusinian temple. Athens and their environs were not richer in water than the rest of A. The only water that was delivered except Iliss and Kefisa was the sources of Panop and Kallirroi (?????????, near Odeon), also called ?????? ?????? or?????????????; now this key also gives muddy water. Only Adrian (117-138) built a water pipe from Anhesma for the eastern part of the city. The rest of the wells gave bad water and therefore were sometimes also called ??????? ( Hdt.   8, 55). The Well Overseer (?????????? ???????) was an important person watching that no one diverted water without having the right to do so. The most important of the bays were: on the east side - a shallow marathon bay, on the west - the harbor of Athens ( cm. below) and Eleusinian bay. Although it is now difficult to formulate the correct concept of the state of the country in antiquity, since its dryness has reached a high degree due to the disappearance of forests and shallowing rivers, it can nevertheless be argued that A. was not fertile in antiquity, with the exception of only a few parts of it; and the now noticeable terrace-shaped fields show that they tried to take advantage of every patch of land. The layer of fertile land (black soil) was so insignificant that it was forbidden to take away land in a special lease; however, the poverty of the soil was rewarded by the diligence of the inhabitants and an excellent climate. Agriculture, blessed by religious ordinances and the cult of Eleusinian Demeter, was even an honorable occupation even for noble Athenians. The bread (barley) was excellent, but the harvest only gave? grain necessary for the population (during the prosperity of the state, 500,000 inhabitants - 140,000 free and up to 400,000 slaves - destroyed 3 million medimas of bread). In the same way, olive oil, which was the subject of export, was excellent (in Athena’s temple of Poliad, Athena herself planted the first olive tree that remained unharmed even during the Persian Wars. Hdt.   8, 55). Wine was plentiful, but not particularly good; there were better figs born in large numbers; hence the proverb: ??? ????? ???? ?????? to express something useless. The often mentioned prohibition of their export ( cm. ???????????, Sikofant) should be considered a fiction. In addition, mulberry, laurel and almond trees, well-known omega, etc., oak, beech, pine, spruce, cedar grew well; the latter covered the slopes of Parnef and Kiferon, from where the Athenians received firewood and coal (Aharna). The mountains are composed of limestone, slate and marble, Pentel marble was especially valued for its whiteness and its fine-grained composition. In the Lavra region there were significant silver mines, so rich that every Athenian citizen annually received a net income of 10 drams (about 2.5 gold rubles). Cape Koliad produced good clay; in addition, emeralds and other stones and the famous Attic forces, golden paint like ocher. The salt obtained in A. was of such good quality that it entered the proverb. Especially sheep, goats were bred from domestic animals, horses were only on the marathon plain; working cattle, on the basis of ancient decrees, was dedicated to the triptolem; kept many donkeys and mules. From wild animals in the past, wild boars, wolves and bears were found in the mountains. Especially many owls nested in the clefts of the Acropolis (hence the proverb: ??? ???????? ???????, which had the same meaning as the one mentioned above ??? ????? ???? ??????). The sea was full of fish. The climate in the plains has already been suffocating since March; in August it reaches the unbearable heat of 28-32 ° Reom .; he was especially strangled in Athens under the influence of the rocky Acropolis; however, in some places cool sea winds moderate the temperature. When all the vegetation dries up, the piercing singing of countless filly begins to be heard from the olives. On the mountains in the winter the snow lasts quite a long time, and this season is especially healthy due to moderate temperatures. A.'s air is usually extremely pure, light is distinguished by a peculiar luster due to the strong reflection of rays from the treeless mountains for the most part. The dry air contributed a lot to the preservation of ancient buildings and other objects of art. The inhabitants of the Ionian tribe, in all probability, moved by sea from Asia Minor, and the Peloponnesian Ionians joined them in addition to other immigrants. Before them, the country was probably inhabited by Pelasgians, who were subjugated by the Ionians and merged with them. At first, the population of A. was divided into 4 phyla ( cm.   ????, Phil), then, from the time of Kleisfen, into 10 phil, crushed into 174 demes ( cm.   ??????, Demos); in addition, the country was divided by the nature of the area into ?????? - "Plain", in the north and northwest of Athens; ??????? or???? - "Coast", a strip by the sea between Athens and Sounia (adjacent to this strip ????????) and ??????? or??????? - "Mountain country", which occupied most of the eastern coast. This division also had political significance, cm.   Pisistratus. ?, Pecystorate. ? ?????? there was 1) the Athenian plain with the city of Athens (?? ???????), the capital A. and the greatest city of Greece. Athens consisted of two parts: the city and the harbors, which since the days of Cimon have been interconnected by long walls (??? ?????). Nothing reliable can be said about the size of the city before the Persian Wars. The main founder of his greatness should be considered Themistocles, who, after the destruction of Athens by the Persians, restored the city in a more magnificent form, surrounded it with walls and built the Piraeus harbor, which was of great importance. The direction of the walls erected by Themistocles is still clearly visible in the south and west, while in the north and east only minor traces of them are noticeable. Their perimeter was equal, according to Thucydides (2, 13), 174, 5 stages or 30 versts, of which 56, 5 stages belonged to the harbor, 75 long connecting walls, 43 city itself. From this it is clear why Athens almost equals the circumference of Rome, occupied only 0, 25 of its area. In Athens, there were up to 10,000 houses ( Hen. Socrat.   3, 6, 14) and, according to Boeckh’s estimate, 180,000 inhabitants, while others say a little more than 100,000. With the exception of public buildings, there were hardly many beautiful buildings; most of the houses were made of beams and unfired brick, especially in the western part of the city, populated by the poorest citizens; the streets were wrong and narrow (????????).

The names of the 11 city gates (counting from west to south) were:

1.   Dipil (???????), originally the Friasian or Kerameik gates, of considerable size ( Liv. 31, 24);

2.   The Sacred Gate (?? ????? ?????), on the road to Eleusis;

3.   The Horseman Gate (?? ??????? ?????), through which, probably, the Peregius Pausanius entered the city and from which he took his walk;

4.   Piraeus Gate (????????? ?????);

5.   Melite Gate (?? ????????? ?????);

6.   Eton Gate (?? ??????? ?????);

7.   Aegean Gate (?? ?????? ?????); probably near the Panaphenian stage;

8.   Diokharov Gate (?? ???? ????????? ?????),

9.   Diomean Gate (? ??????? ?????), on the way to Kinosarg;

10.   Barrow Gate (?? ????? ?????);

11.   Acharn Gate (?? ????????? ?????).

The position of some gates is doubtful. Nearly in the middle of the city, a huge steep cliff towered 150 feet high, accessible only from the western side and having a peak area of \u200b\u200b900 feet long (from west to east) and 400 feet wide (at its widest point). The Kremlin was built on this rock, called the Pelasgians ??????, under Kekron ????????, under Erechtea ??????, - later, when the city began to be called ????? ??, - ?????????. According to legend, the north side of it was strengthened by Pelasgians ( Hdt.   6, 137), while the south was fortified by Cimon. The space between these walls represented ´ ???? in the proper sense, at all times it constituted the center of the city in religious, artistic and political relations. On the western, accessible side of Pericles in 435-430. with the help of Mnesicle, he built the famous magnificent Propylaea for decoration and protection [The names of the buildings from which the remains are indicated] (?????????) with a beautiful staircase leading from the Acropolis to the base of the rock. Propylaea was a luxurious entrance building of Pentel marble, with 5 aisles; their construction, which lasted 5 years, was worth 2012 talents. On the right side is the entrance to the Propylaea, a small staircase leads to the bastion, which houses the well-preserved small * temple of Athena Niki, usually called ???? ´ ???????. On the right and left sides of the Propylaea were extensions; the left, large (northern), well preserved, served as an art gallery (??????????), in which, by the way, were the famous paintings of Polygnot ( cm.   pictores, Painting, 2); the right one, the smaller one (south), represented a room for watchmen and gatekeepers. On the Acropolis Square, dotted with shrines, sacred offerings, statues, etc., were located: the colossal copper statue of Athena made by Phidias (?????? ????????), the helmet and spear of which were visible on the distant distance ( Paus. 1, 28, 2), and two famous temples, the Parthenon and the so-called Erechtey. * Parthenon (????????), the temple of the virgin Athens, was built of marble at Pericles in 438 by Iktinus and Kallikrath. Despite the fact that the Venetians bombed the church in 1687, they inflicted great damage in the early 19th century. Lord Elgin took away a lot of metope, bas-reliefs and other items adorning him (Elgin marbles in the British Museum), but this magnificent building still causes our surprise today. In the Parthenon stood a statue of Athena with 26 Greek cubits (39 feet) high, made by Phidias of gold and ivory. The clothes of the statue, which was removed and weighed 44 talents, were stolen by the tyrant and demagogue Lahar in 299 during the time of Demetrius Poliorket. Paus.   1, 25. On her right hand, the goddess held Nika with 4 Greek elbows facing the viewer, made of ivory and dressed in a gold dress. The back part of the Parthenon (???????????) served to store the sacred money of Athena and other gods and the state treasury ( wed: Michaelis, Der Parthenon, 1871 and architecti 4.5.) To the north of the Parthenon was the most ancient temple of the Acropolis, which belonged to Athena of Poliad and was usually called by its branch * Erechtheum (?? ?????????). It was built during the Peloponnesian war; it housed: an ancient wooden image of Athena, the alleged grave of Kekrop, a well with salt water (????????? ???????), formed from the blow of Poseidon with a trident, and a sacred olive tree (? ??? ?????), planted by Athena herself. The city surrounding the Acropolis was formed from a combination of several demos, which retained their names in subsequent times: Kerameyka, in the north-west; Scambonid, Keyriad, Melites - in the west, Coil, Colitis - in the southwest; Kidaphenaea - in the south; Agr and Diomei - in the east. A rocky hill ´ ????? rose west of the Acropolis ?????, the Areopagus, at such a close distance from it that the Persians with the help of burning arrows lit the Acropolis from it, which then consisted of wooden buildings ( Hdt.   8, 52). The court of the Areopagus and the temple of Erinius (??????? ????) with the tomb of Oedipus, near the hill - Kiloney (?????????), built to atone for the killing by the Athenians, were located on the eastern side of the hill Kilon ( cm. Cylon, Cylon) and his supporters; to the south of Kilonea stood the temple of Areus, and closer to the Acropolis - the temple of 12 gods and statues of Garmodius and Aristogateton. On the edge of the city, in its southwestern part, there was a high, rather steep rocky hill called Musey (?? ?????????), named after the singer Musey buried there, according to legend. This hill was turned by Demetrius Poliorket into the Macedonian fortress. Another hill adjoins this hill from the north, usually called Pniks (????, Gen. ??????); this exaltation served as a venue for public gatherings. There, and now you can still see the stage carved into the rock, as it was believed, for the speakers, facing the semicircular square designated for the people. But recently, Velker, Urlichs, E. Kurtius, and others have made strong arguments in favor of the opinion that on the hill bearing the name of Pniks was most likely the altar of Zeus (????? ?????????) and the name Pniks (as Curtius claims) was only another name for Moses, and that the place of public gatherings was the plain between Moses and the Acropolis. Later they used the Dionysus Theater for this. Between the Acropolis, Areopagus, Pniks and Musey was located decorated with many statues of the Agora (?????), in the part of the city, called the inner Kerameyk. On it was Stoa Poikile, or picture gallery. with paintings Polygnota, Kolonos Agoraios, small mound, Stoa Basileios, office building of the archon basileus, Stoa of Zeus Elevferios’a, temple of Apollon Patroos’a, temple of the mother of the gods (????????), Council building (??? ?????????), where the five hundred council sat, and the so-called Tholos (?????) is a round building with a domed roof. Between Agora and Pniks stood the temples of Aphrodite Urania, Hephaestus and the sanctuary of Eurisacus. To the east of the Agora, on the southern slope of the Acropolis, lay: Odeon of Herodes Attica ( cm. Atticus, 2, Attik), built by this rich Athenian in honor of his wife, the temple of Asclepius, Stoa Eumenes, * the main theater dedicated to Dionysus; this building was opened only in 1862 by the Prussian scientific expedition, headed by Strack, E. Curtius and Bettiher; from the south adjoins the Lenaion Theater, where the Lenais in honor of Dionysus were celebrated; finally, on the southeastern slope of the cliff occupied by the Acropolis, stood Pericles, for musical performances, the Odeon, inferior in size to the theater, but similar in shape to it, with a wooden tent-shaped roof. In the part of the city that lies east of the Acropolis (later called the Hadrian Castle), near the spring of Kallirroi, by the river Ilissa, Olympiaon stood, the grand temple of Olympian Zeus, stage 4 in a circle, begun by Pericles, but ended only by Emperor Hadrian; 16 colossal columns of this temple are still standing at the present time. At the northwestern tip were the Triumphal Gate of Hadrian, in the east - the temple of Aphrodite in the gardens (??? ??????). On the small island of Ilissa was the temple of Demeter and Cora; beyond Iliss, therefore, outside the city limits, is the magnificent Panafenaikon Stadium, arranged by orator Lycurgus for the Panaphenian games and trimmed by Herod Atticus with Pentelian marble; The stadium was so large that Adrian once set up a hunt for 1,000 wild animals in it. The rocky hill, rising south of the Stadium, was, presumably, that Ardett (????????), on which annually determined by lot lot heliastas judges took the oath. A little to the east of the Periklov odeon, where the street on the eastern side of the Acropolis turns north (Tripodov street), there is a * choretic monument of Lysicrates, now called the Demosthenes lantern - a small beautiful temple, round in shape, with 6 slender Ionian columns, the domed roof of which was crowned with a copper tripod erected as a gift to the gods and to the glory of one choregic victory ( cm. ??????????, 2, Liturgy); this temple was built in 334 in Prytaneion, where they were treated to ambassadors and honored citizens, was located at the north-eastern bottom of the Kremlin, next to the temple of Sarapis; to the west of it is the sanctuary of Dioskurov (?????????, ?? ´ ??????), and above this sanctuary, on the northern slope of the Kremlin, is the sanctuary of Aglavra, in a grotto communicating through a crevice in the rock with the upper square of the Acropolis. To the west of here was (and still is) a cave with a source; the cave is the Grotto of Apollo and Pan, and the source was called ???????? or ??????, because they thought that it flows underground from Athens to Faler; through the water supply, he connected to the water clock of Andronik Kirrest, a monument, also known now under the name "Towers of the winds". Between Pniks and Musey there was a southwestern road to the Piraeus gate: there lay: Hermes Gymnasium, the temples of Hercules Aleksikak and Demeter and Pompeyon, which served as a repository of sacred gold and silver vessels, which constituted the necessary accessory during the solemn processions; between Pniks and Areopagus there was another road in the northwest through the inner Keramik to the gates of Dipilu; to the left of this was the so-called Nymph Hill (in ancient times, it was probably assigned to Pniks), to the right was the magnificent Stoa Attala, now unfairly called the Ptolemy Gymnasium, and further to the north of it * Feseyon, which is now unfairly considered by some to be the temple of Areus; the building is completely preserved. To the east of it - * A stoa of giants, Adrian Grammar School and the sanctuary of Athena Archegetida. Outside the city, on the northwestern edge of the outer Kerameik (this suburb was actually the abode for the poorest classes, it also served as the burial place for citizens who died in the war or provided other services to the state, e.g. Miltiada, Kimon, Thucydides; as a result, on both sides a long road crossing the suburbs stretched long rows of tombs with "Steles", i.e., marble boards of the correct quadrangular shape, which served as tombstones and decorated with inscriptions and bas-reliefs) was located 6 stages from the city wall of the Academy (?????????), a beautifully arranged gymnasium surrounded by a beautiful garden where Plato; a little north - Gippios Kolonos - the birthplace of Sophocles. Honored archaeologists - Otfried Müller and Letron (Letronne) rest here. Beyond the eastern Diomean gate, south of Lycabettus, was Kinosart (??????????), a gymnasium. dedicated to Hercules, in which Antisthenes, the founder of the cynical school, taught. To the south of this is Lyceyon (???????), an institution consisting of a park and gardens at the temple of Apollo Likeysky, with a gymnasium in which Aristotle taught. About Athens Topography wed   Leake, Topographie von Athen. 2 Aufl. ? bers, von Baiter und Sauppe (1844). Forchhammer, Topogr. von Athen (1842). C. Wachsmuth, die Stadt Athen im Alterthum (Bd. I. 1874). E. Curtius und Raupert, Atlas von Athen (1878). The long walls (?????? ????? or ??? ?????) from 456 connected the city with its harbors; north wall, 40 stages long, ??? ??????? ??????? or??? ???????? (because she was more open to enemy attacks) went to the north wall of Piraeus; the southern wall is 5 stages shorter than the northern, - ?? ?????? or????????? - led to Fehler. Between these two walls was built, however, after 12 years another third, ??? ????? ???????, which also went to Piraeus and had the purpose of maintaining the communication of the city with one of the harbors in the event that the other was in the hands of the enemy; this also explains the traces of the internal fortifications between both harbors. Since the construction of this inner wall, the Faler wall has been abandoned. The Athenian harbors are formed mainly by a rocky scythe, in the middle of which stands the hill of Munihiya, and at the very end - Piraeus hill. From the southern coast of this peninsula two almost round natural pools open, connecting narrow straits with the sea; the Munichia basin adjoins more to the mainland, and the Zea basin extends partly between the mentioned hills. Both harbors served as military ports (Zea contained about 200 ships), along with the Kanfara basin located on the other side of the peninsula (o ???????? ?????), which forms part of the vast Piraeus harbor; the rest, a much larger part of this last one served for trading purposes only (?????????). One branch of it was called, it seems, Aphrodision. The general raid for warships was the vast Faleron Bay, which was perfectly protected from storms. This bay was the oldest Athenian harbor; other harbors came into use only from 493; last in time was Piraeus. From the Munichi hill, one could quite overlook the whole part of the city. These superbly fortified harbors had their own temples, theaters, etc. In Piraeus there was a large pantry for goods (???????), a large ????????? (store) Filon, shipyards for 400 ships, an extensive grain store (?????????????) Pericles and theater: in Munichia they indicated the imaginary tomb of Themistocles (Plut. Them. 32, Paus. 1, 1, 2). Often referred to trial? ??? ?????????? ???????????, who tried people who were expelled for the murder and who were accused for the second murder, committed after the expulsion, must have been placed at the entrance to Zeya harbor (the defendants went to the court on the shuttle). To the west of Piraeus was still a small harbor o ?????? ?????, identical, without a doubt, with the so-called ?????? ????? (thieves' harbor), one of the favorite sites of smugglers.

1.   Of the towns located on the Athenian plain, it is also worth mentioning:

Aharnah (???????), 60 stages north of Athens, the most significant dem, engaged in agriculture and especially the burning of coal; Kefissia, near the springs of Kefisa near Pentelik; Pallina, with the famous temple of Athens, where Pisistratus defeated the Athenians ( Hdt.   1, 62); Gargett, near Gymett, the birthplace of Epicurus; Alopec, the birthplace of Aristide and Socrates, 10 stages of the journey east of Athens, on Anhesma; Galimunt, the birthplace of the historian Thucydides, north of Cape Coliada, famous for its pottery clay; on the cape stood the temple of Aphrodite;

2.   The Eleusinian and Friasian plains, to the west of Athens, where a sacred road led, adorned with many all kinds of monuments, led.

Here were: Fria on Eleusinian Kefisa; Eleusis or Eleusis (n. Lepsina) on the northern shore of the gulf of the same name, opposite Salamis, is one of the oldest and most important cities in the country, known for the magnificent temple of Demeter built at Pericles, in which the great Eleusinia was celebrated; Alarich destroyed it, but now large ruins are still visible. Eleuthera, near the Boeotian border, on the Eleusinian Kefis, from where the cult of Dionysus of Eleuthera, which the Great Dionysians celebrated, moved to Athens; Oinoya, Drimos and Panakton - fortresses that defended the plain from the side of Boeotia; the last of them dominated one of the mountain passages of Kiferon; Phila (n. Fili), a small mountain fortress, from where Frasibul came forward to overthrow 30 tyrants, 100 stages from Athens. Hen. Hell. 2, 4, 2. The last of these places are considered part of II. Diakria, a northeastern mountainous strip running through the entire marathon plain. In it: Dekheleia, 120 stages from Athens (Dekhelea is visible from there), - on the northeastern edge of the Athenian plain, - a very important fortified place during the Peloponnesian war (ruins near Tatoy); Orop, now belonging to the Athenians, then to the Boeotians, near the mouth of Asop, on its right bank, with the harbor of Delphinion; near it (to the southeast) the temple and the oracle of Amphiarai, which, according to legend, was absorbed here by the earth, while escaping from Thebes; Ramnunt (Tavrokastro), on Euripus, with the famous temple of Nemesis (Rhamnusia virgo); Aphidna and further to the west of Trinemea - at the main source of Kefisa. Cities Tricorif (near Suli), Marathon (n. Vrana, cm.   Marathon, Marathon), Oinoya (do not mix with the above) and Provalinf (n. Vasilipirgi) were ??????? ??????????. On the now almost completely treeless plain of the marathon (approximately 2 hours long and 0.5-1 hour wide), where Theseus killed the marathon bull, you can see, in the southern part, an artificial earthen hill, about 200 feet in circumference and 36 feet in height probably the common grave of the fallen here in 490 BC by the Athenians; opposite is another small burial mound, under which the corpses of plateaus and slaves were buried ( Paus. 1, 32, 3), disappeared without a trace. The place of battle is a narrow, even valley that favored the actions of a small army against a large one. Nearby are the source of Macarius and Mount Pan with a grotto and oracle. III. In Paralia (west coast) and Mesogee (slope south of Pentelikon and east of Paralia), as well as on the east coast: Gali Arafenidskie (???? ??????????), the harbor of de Arafen , south of the estuaries of Erasinus, famous for the cult of Tauride Artemis. The nearby Bravron (n. Vraona) was, they say, the place where Iphigenia first came ashore, returning from Tauris with the idol of Artemis; therefore, the Tauride (Bravron) Artemis here enjoyed special veneration and in honor of it annual festivities were held here (?????????); Xerxes took the oldest goddess statue. Every 5th anniversary was also celebrated here by Dionysius. Further south is Styria, where the Styrian road led from Athens; homeland of Feramen and Thrasybul; Prasia (Prassa at Porto Rafti Bay) with the Temple of Apollo and the tomb of Erisichphon, son and heir to Kekrop; he died, however, earlier than his father and Kranai seized power; Potamos with the tomb of Jonah; Torikos (Teriko), one of the oldest settlements in Attica, with a beautiful harbor (n. Porto Mandri) and an acropolis, at the foot of which there are still significant ruins. Sounion - in the north-west of the cape of the same name (n.Cap Colonna), heavily fortified, with the famous temple of Athena now lying in ruins, during which the Panathenae presented sea battles with triremes. In the mining district of Lavrione lay Anaflist (n. Anaviso) with a well-fortified harbor, at the entrance of which there was a convoy of Eliuss (n. Lagonisi); further - Sfettos, Lampra, Fora, Anagirunt, near Cape Zostra, with the temple of the mother of the gods; from the fetid shrub growing here ´ ???????? originates the saying ???????? ???????; Exonid Galas with saltworks; Exxon - a significant place, notorious for the quarrelsomeness of its inhabitants; finally, aside from the Styrian road - Peania (n. Liopezi), the birthplace of Demosthenes. Of the islands belonging to Attica, the most significant is Salamis (??????? - ??, n. Kuluri), near the mainland, in the shape of a horseshoe, forming the Eleusinian bay with the shore. In ancient times, it was an independent state ( cm. Aeacus, Eak), then belonged to the Megaras and for a long time served as a bone of contention for the Megarians and Athenians, until it was conquered by Solon and recognized by the Spartans as Athens. He was not, apparently, a deme, but was a special state in the supreme dependence on Attica. The ancient main city stood on the south coast, and later was founded by Novosalamin (n. Ambelaki), in the east, opposite Mount Egaleos in Attica. The closest part of the island to Attica is the Kinosur spit, with the grave of a faithful Themistocles dog throwing herself into the sea when the fleet sailed, and the trophy that Themistocles erected in honor of his great victory (480) over the Persian fleet. The battle took place in a narrow strait between Novosalamin and Attica, the Athenians were locked in the Salamis Bay. Hdt. 8, 84 next   Near Salamis - islands of Farmakusa and Psittaleya (n. Lipsokutali); in the last detachment of the Persian ground army was destroyed by Aristide. Hdt.   8, 95. Aesch. Pers. 422. next   The island of Helena or Makrida (n. Makronisi) was tightly adjoined to Sounion, where, they say, Elena came ashore either after her abduction or upon her return from Troy. wed   generally bursian. Geographie von Griechenland, I. 251 next

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

In contact with

Attica in translation from ancient Greek “coastal country” is the southeastern region of Middle Greece, the connecting link between the Balkan Peninsula and the Archipelago, with an area of \u200b\u200bapproximately 3808 km², borders on the north with Boeotia, in the west through the Isthmus of Corinth - with Megara and the entire Peloponnese. From the south it is washed by the Saronic, from the east by the Petalian and northeast by the Euboean bays of the Aegean Sea.

TUBS, GNU 1.2

Geography

Most of Attica is covered with hills, consisting of limestone and marble, and currently represents some naked, devoid of vegetation space.

CrniBombarder !!! , Public Domain

Only the higher parts of Kiferon and Parnassus, as well as the northwestern slopes of Pentelikon, are covered with pine and spruce forests. The foundation of the entire mountain system is Kiferon (now Elatea, the so-called spruce hill, the highest point of which rises 1411 m above sea level).

Kiferon with his main line separates Attica from Boeotia; Attica is separated from Megara by its branch going to the south and bearing the name Kerata (horns); Parnas (now Ocea) merges with the southeastern spurs of Kiferon, reaching 1413 m, whose northeastern branches, now bearing separate names (Beletzi, Armeni, Mavrovuno, Tsastany, Stavrokoraki, Kotroni), stretching to the eastern edge of the region, form in this part Attica is a real mountainous country (Diakria or Epakria of the ancients).

The southern continuation of Parnassus is Egaleos, which rises much lower above the sea, which in the southern part, where it protrudes into the sea against the island of Salamis, is called Koridallos (now Scaramantha), and in the middle, where it is cut through by a gorge connecting the plains of Athens and Eleusis, called Pekilion.

BishkekRocks, Public Domain

In the northeast, the Athenian plain is bordered by Brilettos, or, as it was usually called in the area lying on its southern slope, Pentelikon (now Menteli). It is a pyramidal hill reaching 1110 m high with extensive, still successfully operated marble quarries, which deliver excellent white marble of the finest grain, which goes to buildings and statues. A 4 km wide valley separates the Pentelikon’s foot in the south from the southern belt, which is almost exclusively composed of bluish-gray marble, which in ancient times was used for architectural purposes. This ridge - Gimet (now Trelovuno) - rises 1027 m, is almost devoid of forest vegetation, but is covered with odorous herbs and is therefore inhabited by wild bees that give excellent honey.

H. Grobe, GNU 1.2

The eastern edge of the region (near the ancient Paralia) is cut by the lower chains of hills, which south of Gimet, where the peninsula narrows, merge into one ridge - the Lavrion Highlands, which consists of a cape steeply descending to the sea - Sunium, on which the ruins of the temple of Athena still now rise , on whose columns the cape is now called the sailors of Cap Colonnes.

Apanag, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Lavrion Mountains, in their wealth of silver, were of great importance to Attica in antiquity; but these mines, at first very profitable, were intensively exploited before that, already immediately after the beginning of BC. e. had to stop mining. Only in later times did they try, and not unsuccessfully, to extract benefits from the slag remaining from previous work.

The mountains stretch partly directly to the sea, partly to their soles accumulated alluvial land, forming more or less wide coastal plains, of which many were known in antiquity.

Rabe! GNU 1.2

The most remarkable of them is the Marathon Plain on the north shore. It is a lowland of 9 km long and from 2-4 km wide., With an extensive swamp to the northeast. Here in 490 BC e. the Persian army was defeated by the Athenian army.

There are only three more significant plains, which either start off the coast and extend far inland or are completely separated from the sea: 1) the Athenian plain, often simply called “plain” (pedion); 2) the smaller, separated from the Athenian Aegelean mountains, Triassic plain (the so-called ancient area of \u200b\u200bTria) and 3) the plain between Gimet and the lower mountain ranges of the eastern coast, which connects to the Athenian plain through the valley separating Pentelikon from Gimet.

The country's irrigation is extremely poor. The most significant streams flow along the Athenian plain, namely: Kefiss, starting at the southwestern foot of Pentelikon in the forest-rich area of \u200b\u200bKefizia, fed by various tributaries from Parnassus. It flows through the plain in a southwestern direction and west of the city is diverted into numerous channels for irrigation of vegetable gardens and plantations; Ilissus begins at the northern foot of Gimet, flows at the eastern and southern sides of the city and is lost in the sands to the southwest of it. In addition to them, it is necessary to mention the other Kefis of the Elevzinskaya Plain, the creek Enoe cutting through the Marathon Plain (the so-called ancient area lying to the north of the Marathon) and Erasinos, flowing further south from the east coast, near the ancient area of \u200b\u200bArafen (now Rafina).

Grzegorz Wysocki, GNU 1.2

Story

The country's population, not to mention some of the Pelasgian elements of the prehistoric era and the huge number of foreigners who subsequently permanently resided in Athens, belonged in ancient times to the Ionian tribe. Residents called themselves autochthonous, that is, indigenous, since their ancestors came directly from the soil of the country and since time immemorial, the land has been in their continuous possession.

Like all Ionian peoples, the inhabitants of Attica split into four tribes or classes (phyla): gelons (noble), hoplites (warriors), Egicoreans (shepherds in general and goats in particular) and ergadeis (farmers). According to legend, in the country since time immemorial, there were 12 independent cities or community unions. These were part of separate, even later existing settlements, such as Kekropiya (later Athens), Eleusis, Dekelei and Afidna (the last two in the north of the country), Brauron (among the east coast), Torikos (in the southernmost part of the east coast), Kiteros (location unknown), Sfetos and Kefissia, part of the same unions of several settlements as Epakria (northern mountainous country), Tetrapolis (union of four cities) on the Marathon Plain and Tetracomia (union of four villages) in the very south of the Athenian plain. According to legend, these 12 communities are connected by Theseus into one political whole, whose capital Athens became.

Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0

Administrative division

On the map of prefectures (nomes), the decentralized administration of Attica is divided into 4 nomes (nomarchies), shown on the map below:

  1. Athens
  2. East Attica
  3. Piraeus
  4. West Attica

Following the administrative reform of 2011, the decentralized administration of Attica consists of 65 municipalities.

Agriculture and Fossils

The soil of the country is almost entirely a light, rather thin layer of rocky limestone, which is not very suitable for the cultivation of wheat, more so for barley and grapes, but especially for olive and fig, and therefore the latter, both in antiquity and now are the main products of the country and items of its export. Cattle breeding is significant even today, and in ancient times Attic wool was very famous. In the mountains, not to mention the already exhausted silver mines of Lavrion, excellent marble is mined; the soil in many places, especially on the coastal strip, going southwest of Piraeus harbor and the Falernaya bay and ending at the foothills of the Kolias (now Gagios Cosmas), provides excellent clay for dishes, and therefore pottery represented a flourishing branch of industry in ancient Athens and its products were very common.

Photo gallery











Helpful information

greek Αττική
english Attica

The political system in antiquity

Politically, Attica was in antiquity the most centralized region of Greece.

The main city was not only the seat of administration, but also the court, as well as the public assemblies, in the hands of which since the democratic reforms begun by Klisfen and ended by Pericles, the supreme solution of all state affairs has been concentrated.

The significance that Attica, thanks to its main city of Athens, had in the political and cultural life of Ancient Greece, can only be correctly assessed in connection with the presentation of the general history of Greece.

Administrative divisions in antiquity

The division of the people into 4 phyla remained under both the kings and the archons. Even the legislator Solon did not abolish this division, and in parallel with it, partly wishing to reduce the influence of the ancient aristocratic clans, partly to lead to a more equitable distribution of the tax burden among citizens, created a new division of citizens into 4 classes according to their property.

Only Klisfen canceled the ancient Ionian tribal division and put in its place the division of the people into 10 phil, of which each bore the name of the ancient Athenian hero (eponym).

Each of these fil embraced a certain number of communities (demos) lying in different parts of the country.

Ordinarily, each not-so-significant area constituted a special “demu,” while large ones, like the cities of Athens and Brauron, split into several dem. The number of dems was not the same at different times: - at the beginning of the Christian era there were 371 of them.

Thanks to the writers and inscriptions, the names of approximately 180 dems have reached us, but the location of many is now impossible to establish. The total number of citizens fluctuated, judging by the censuses, during the heyday of the state, to the Peloponnesian War, in the range of 80-100 thousand. The number of patrons under the patronage reached 40,000, the number of slaves reached 400,000, so that the total number of free and not free people exceeded 500,000. An increase in the number of fil (10) by two new ones took place in 307 BC. e.

Out of a desire to flatter Demetrius Poliorketu, the latter were named after him and the name of his father Antigonus - Antigonides and Demetriad. But the first was renamed in 265 BC. e. in honor of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus in Ptolomaida, the second in 200 in honor of the Pergamon king Attalus I in Attalid.

Finally, under the emperor Hadrian, the 13th fila was annexed and named Adrianida by the name of this benefactor of the city of Athens.

About whose name the city will receive: Poseidon created the horse, Athena gave an olive tree (a source of wealth, since oil was made from its fruits), and the city was named Athens in honor of the goddess. The myth of Theseus is purely Athenian. The legend attributed this hero to the union of the whole Attica into one state by the merger of individual communities into one city. According to legend, Attica was also invaded by dorians during the return of the Heraclides (in the middle of the 11th century), but was saved by its king Codrom.The Delphic oracle announced that the side on which the king would be slain would prevail. A codre dressed as a shepherd sneaked into an enemy camp and was killed there. No longer hoping for victory, the Doryans retreated, and the Athenians announced that after Codri no one could be worthy of the tsar’s dignity. So the poetic legend explained the abolition of royal power in Athens.

107. Geography of Attica

Attica, the southeastern part of Central Greece, protrudes into the sea in a triangle, one side of which adjoins the land. This small country was in a very close proximity to states in which shipping was the first to develop in European Greece.Attica was adjacent to the same shore. Saronicthe gulf near which lay Megaraand Korinfand the waters of which washed the island Aeginathe other shore of Attica was separated only by a narrow strait from the island of Euboea, on which almost against Attica were Chalcis and Eretria. Sunithe cape, which constitutes the southern tip of the country, is closer than other points of the Greek mainland to the Cyclades. In this way attica's position at sea was very beneficial for the development of trade,but still Athens took an active part in trade a lot later the cities of Euboea and Istmau the island of Aegina.Attica could not boast of its fertility and did not produce enough bread to feed its inhabitants. The best terrain was plain (Pedion)by the Saronic Gulf against the island Salamina:there were cities Athensand Eleusisof which one was surrounded by places with horticultural(grapes, olives, figs, etc.), and the other lay in the center of that part of the plain where the best bread fields.(Here the cult of Demeter developed). North and Northeast Attica (Diacria)it was filled with mountain spurs and was characterized by dryness and sterility, as well as the southern coastal part (Paralia).But the mountains of Attica abounded in mineral wealth. Penteliconin the north delivered beautiful white marble, Gimet(famous for its beekeeping) contained a bluish marble, Lavrionin the south it was famous for its silver mines, from which the Athenians subsequently built their first fleet. Athens plain irrigated by the river Kefiss,one of its tributaries, which was drying up in the summer, was the main city of Attica. Athens was built in a hilly area, and on one of its hills was the Athenian Kremlin, Acropolis,containing the temple of the goddess Athena Pallas and the royal palace. The city was seven miles from the seashore and had three harbors. The oldest of them was Faleronbut this harbor was open and therefore not as convenient as Munichiaand especially Piraeusrepresenting a closed bay on both sides of the isthmus of a small peninsula (Piraeus).

108. The population of Attica

Attica was a tribe ionianand was proud to have never been conquered. Initially, there were several states (according to legend 12), but they merged into one state, making it the focus of Athens and even settling part of its inhabitants in this common center (sinoykism).In memory of this event in Attica, a special holiday was established, called Panathenaeans.Back in historical time, the inhabitants of Attica were divided into four tribal phylawith three phratriesin each, and these phyla and phratries had their gods and their superiors. In addition to the citizens of the state, there were aliens from other places in Attica who were engaged in fishing and trade, who paid taxes and even were obliged to participate in the army, but were not considered citizens; their name was metecs.Compared with citizens, there were, of course, much less. Citizens themselves were divided into three classes: landowning nobility, small landownersand artisans.The Athenian nobility constituted the noble estate, or eupatrides(i.e., having good fathers), whose clans occupied a leading position in the life of individual phratries, phils, and the entire state. Free peasants who lived in their small plots were called geomorphsartisans - demiurges:geomorphs and demiurges combined put together the demos.

109. The oldest government system of Athens.

Athens led originally king,who ruled with adviceconsisting of elders of the most important attic clansand bore the name areopagus.Tsarist power, however, gradually passed to elected dignitariesmoreover, the title of king, however, has never been canceled. First of all, they began to elect a special commander as assistants to the king in the war, polemarchthen part of the government and court cases began to entrust a special dignitary, archon(to the ruler), who were appointed by the Areopagus, and even later created the position of six judges, fesmofetov.The position of the king after this was limited only to the performance of priestly duties, and basileusit was no longer called the ruler of the state, but the high priest of Athens. Thus, royal power was divided between the nine dignitaries, who all became known as archons.(In their college, the first place did not belong to the Basileus and not to the polemarch, but to the archon-eponym, by whose name the Athenian year was designated). In the middle of the eighth century, when there were only the first three archons, they began to be elected for ten years, and not for life, as before, at the beginning of the seventh century. - only for one year. At first, the choice of the king was made only within the limits of one clan, but little by little this title (and generally archontism) made available to all noble families.As tsarist power was split between individual dignitaries, the former tsarist council, areopagus,on the contrary, I got everything greater and greater importance.He began to replenish the archons, well performing their duties and becoming already lifetime members of this institution. Athens became a real oligarchyin which the areopagus was nothing more than the focus of interests, aspirations and traditions of the Eupatrides estate.In the hands of the landowning nobility were all religious and state posts; they belonged to the interpretation of all divine and human laws; they conducted the trial, guided exclusively by old customs and their understanding of them. It is clear that oligarchic rule could only be an oppression of the demos.

encyclopedic Dictionary

Attica

in antiquity the region in the southeast of Wed. Greece. In modern Greece, Attica is one of the nomes (the center is Athens).

The ancient world. Reference dictionary

Attica

(from greek   - coast country)

peninsula, one of the largest areas in the southeast of Sredn. Greece. Its mountains are the branches of Kiferon, a steep rocky ridge that formed A.'s natural border with Boeotia and Megaras. Among the mountain ranges are the plains: Eleusinian, Kekropsky, Mesogey and Marathon. The small rivers A. Kefis and Asop were shallow, the land was barren. But the industriousness of the farmers compensated for the scarcity of land: in A. they cultivated olives, grapes, figs, millet, spelled, barley. In the mountains there were a lot of limestone and marble, suitable for construction. In Lavrion, silver, iron ore and clay were mined, which contributed to the early development of crafts, and thanks to large reserves of table salt, the population began to conserve food products, laying the foundation for the development of an entire industry.

A.'s population considered themselves autochthonous. OK. X century BC, under the legendary king Theseus, it began to unite under the rule of Athens, but this process was lengthy and stretched for centuries. By the 6th century BC. Athens became the center of economic and political transformations in A. The major centers of A. were Eleusis, Piraeus, Forikos, Rammount, and others.

(I.A. Lisovy, K.A. Revyako. The Ancient World in Terms, Names and Titles: Dictionary Dictionary of the History and Culture of Ancient Greece and Rome / Scientific Ed. A.I. Nemirovsky. - 3rd ed. - Mn: Belarus, 2001)

Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Attica

(Greek ή Αττική, which means "coastal country") is the southeastern region of Central Greece, a connecting link between the Balkan Peninsula and the Archipelago, approximately 2200 square meters. km of space; it borders on the north with Viotia, on the west with Megara, with the south and east it is washed by the sea. Most of A. is covered by hills, consisting of limestone and marble, and currently represents some naked, devoid of vegetation spaces. Only the higher parts of Kiferon and Parnassus are equal to the north-west. Pentelikon slopes are covered with pine and spruce forests. The foundation of the entire mountain system is Kiferon (now Elatea, the so-called spruce hill, the highest point of which rises 1411 m above sea level). Chiferon with its main range separates A. from Viotia; A. is separated from Megara by its branch, going to the south and bearing the name Kerata (horns); with the southeastern spurs of Kiferon, Parnas (now Ocea) reaching 1413 m merges, whose northeastern branches, now bearing separate names (Beletzi, Armeni, Mavrovuno, Tsastany, Stavrokoraki, Kotroni), extend to the east. the edges of the region form in this part of A. a real mountainous country (Diakria or Epakria of the ancients). The southern continuation of Parnassus is rising significantly lower above the sea of \u200b\u200bAigaleos, which in the south. the part where it goes into the sea against the island of Salamis is called Koridallos (now Scaramanta), and in the middle, where it is cut through by a gorge connecting the plains of Athens and Eleusis, it is called Pekilion. On S.V. the Athenian plain is bordered by Brilettos, or, as it was usually called by the terrain lying on its southern slope, Pentelikon (now Menteli). This is a pyramidal hill reaching 1110 m high with extensive, still successfully operated marble quarries, which deliver excellent white marble of the finest grain, which goes to buildings and statues. A 4 km wide valley separates the Pentelikon’s foot in the south from the southern belt, which is almost exclusively composed of bluish-gray marble, which was used in ancient times for architectural purposes. This range - Gimet (now Trelovuno) - rises 1027 m, is almost devoid of forest vegetation, but is covered with odorous herbs and is therefore inhabited by wild bees that give excellent honey. The eastern edge of the region (near the ancient Paralia) is cut by the lower chains of hills, which south of Gimet, where the peninsula narrows, merge into one ridge - the Lavrion Highlands, which consists of a cape steeply descending to the sea - Sunium, on which the ruins of the temple still rise Athens, on whose columns the cape is now called the sailors of Cap Colonnes. The Lavrion Mountains, in their richness in silver, were of great importance to A. in antiquity; but these mines, at first very profitable, were intensively exploited before that, immediately after R. Kh., mining had to be stopped. Only in later times did they try, and not unsuccessfully, to extract benefits from the slag remaining from previous work.

The mountains stretch partly directly to the sea, partly to their soles accumulated alluvial land, forming more or less wide coastal plains, of which many were known in antiquity. The most remarkable of them is the Marathon Plain to the north. shore. It represents a lowland of 9 km long and from 2-4 km wide., With an extensive swamp to S.V. Here in 490 BC, the Persian army was defeated. There are only three more significant plains, which either start off the coast and extend far inland or are completely separated from the sea: 1) the Athenian plain, often called simply “plain” (pedion); 2) the smaller, separated from the Athenian Aegelean mountains, Triassic plain (the so-called ancient area of \u200b\u200bTria) and 3) the plain between Gimet and the lower mountain ranges of the eastern coast, which connects with Athens. the plain through the valley separating Pentelikon from Gimet. The country's irrigation is extremely poor. The most significant streams flow through Athens. plain, namely: 1) Kefis, starting at the south-west. the foothills of Pentelikon in the forest-rich area of \u200b\u200bKefizia, fed by various tributaries from Parnassus. It flows through a plain to the southwest. direction and in the west from the city is diverted into numerous channels for irrigation of gardens and plantations; the second stream - Ilissus begins at sowing. foot of Gymeth, proceeds at east. and south. side of the city and to the southwest from him is lost in the sand. In addition to them, it is necessary to mention the other Kefisa of the Elevzinsky plain, the Enoey stream penetrating the Marathon plain (the so-called ancient area lying north of the Marathon) and Fr. Erasinosa, flowing further south from the east coast, near the ancient area of \u200b\u200bArafen (now Rafina).

The soil of the country is almost entirely light, rather skinny, stony limestone, not very suitable for wheat cultivation, more so for barley and grapes, but especially for olive and fig, and therefore the latter, both in antiquity and now are the main products of the country and its objects export. Cattle breeding is now still significant, but in antiquity attic. wool enjoyed great fame. In the mountains, not to mention the already exhausted silver. the mines of Lavrion, they produce excellent marble; soil in many places, especially on the coastal strips going to the southwest from the harbor of Piraeus and the Falernaya Bay and ending at the foothills of Kolias (now Gagios Cosmas), it gives excellent clay for dishes, and therefore pottery represented a flourishing branch of industry in ancient Athens and its products were very common.

The country's population, not to mention some of the Pelasgian elements of the prehistoric era and the huge number of foreigners who subsequently permanently resided in Athens, belonged in ancient times to the Ionian tribe. Residents called themselves autochthons, that is, indigenous, since their ancestors came directly from the soil of the country and since time immemorial, the land has been in their continuous possession. Like everything is ionic. The peoples and inhabitants of Africa were divided into four tribes or classes (phyla): Geleonts (noble), Hoplites (warriors), Egikorei (shepherds in general and goats in particular) and Ergadeys (farmers). According to legend, in the country since time immemorial, there were 12 independent cities or community unions. These were part of separate, even later existing settlements, such as Kekropiya (later Athens), Eleusis, Dekelei and Afidna (the last two in the north of the country), Brauron (among the east coast), Torikos (in the southernmost part of the east coast), Kiteros ( location unknown), Sfetos and Kefissia, part of the same unions of several settlements as Epakria (northern mountainous country), Tetrapolis (union of four cities) on the Marathon Plain and Tetracomia (union of four villages) in the very south of the Athenian plain. According to legend, these 12 communities are connected by Theseus into one political whole, whose capital Athens became. The division of the people into 4 phyla remained under both the kings and the archons. Even the legislator Solon did not abolish this division, and in parallel with it, partly wishing to reduce the influence of the ancient aristocratic clans, partly to lead to a more equitable distribution of the tax burden among citizens, created a new division of citizens into 4 classes according to their property. Only Klisfen canceled the ancient Ionian tribal division and put in its place the division of the people into 10 phyla, each of which bore the name of the ancient Atatt. hero (eponym). Each of these fil embraced a certain number of communities (demos) lying in different parts of the country. Ordinarily, each not very significant locality constituted a special “demu,” while large ones, like the cities of Athens and Brauron, split into several dem. The number of dems was not the same at different times: - at the beginning of the Christian era there were 371. Thanks to writers and inscriptions, we got the names of about 180 dems, but the location of many is now impossible to establish. Their list is given by Leek, "Die Demen von A." (translation of Westerman, Braunschweig, 1840); Ross, "Die Demen von A. und ihre Vertheilung unter die Phylen", Halle, 1846); G. Geltzer in the appendix to Westermann's book "Lehrbuch der Griech ischen Staatsalterthü mer" (5th ed. Heidelb., 1875). The total number of citizens fluctuated, judging by the censuses, during the heyday of the state, by the Peloponnesian War, between 80-100 thousand. The number of people protected under the patronage reached 40,000, the number of slaves reached 400,000, so the total number of free and not free people exceeded 500,000. Increase the number of phils (10) with two new ones took place in 307 BC. Out of a desire to flatter Demetrius Poliorketu, the latter were named by his name and the name of his father Antigonus - Antigonoid and Demetriad. But the first was renamed in 265 BC in honor of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus to Ptolomaida, the second in 200 in honor of the Pergamon king Attalus I in Attalida. Finally, under the emperor Hadrian, the 13th fila was annexed and named Adrianid by the name of this benefactor of the city of Athens.

Politically, A. was in antiquity the most centralized region of Greece. The main city was not only the seat of the administration, but also the court, as well as the people's assemblies, in whose hands, since the democratic reforms initiated by Klisfen and concluded by Pericles, the sovereign solution of all state affairs has been concentrated. The value that A., thanks to its main city of Athens, had in the political and cultural life of Ancient Greece, can only be correctly evaluated in connection with the presentation of the general history of Greece (see this word). Cf. Bursian, "Geographie von Griechenland" (vol. I, Leipz., 1862); Curtius, "Erl ä uternder Text der 7 Karten zur Topographie von Athen" (Gotha, 1868); Curtius and Kaupert, "Karten von Attika" (2 volumes, Berlin, 1881). Currently, A. together with Megara, Viotieu and the Salamis Islands (now Kuluri) forms the nomarchy of Attica and Viotia, which falls into 5 dioceses (A., Aegina, Thebes, Livadia and Megara) and has 6426 sq. M. km 185364 inhabitants (1879). In the diocese (district) of A. (including Salamis Island) 116,263, the rural population is engaged in agriculture, winemaking and cattle breeding, partly also in sericulture and tobacco growing. The Athenian Plain is still rich in extensive olive plantations.