Atrax (Thessaly)

39°34′12″N 22°11′30″E / 39.57005°N 22.19173°E / 39.57005; 22.19173

Atrax (Ancient Greek: Ἄτραξ, or Ἄτραγος^[1] or Ἄτρακοϛ^[2]) or Atracia (Ἀτρακία)^[3][4] was a Perrhaebian town in ancient Thessaly, described by Livy as situated above the river Peneius, at the distance of about 10 miles (16 km) from Larissa.^[5] Strabo says that the Peneius passed by the cities of Tricca, Pelinnaeum and Pharcadon, on its left, on its course to Atrax and Larissa.^[6] The town is attested as Ἆδρακος in the nominative in a catalog of theorodokoi of Epidaurus,^[7] dating from 363-359 BCE.^[8] It was also a polis (city-state) in antiquity.^[9]

History[edit]

The town was located in the district of Pelasgiotis and its territory was bordered on the north by Phalanna, the northeast by Argura, and to the south by Crannon.^[3]

In the 5th century BCE, the acropolis and the slope of the hill were enclosed in a polygonal enclosure. In the 4th century BCE the acropolis was rebuilt: a quadrangular tower was built and fortified with a new wall with five towers, one of them with a fortified gate. The eastern part of the wall of the hill was reinforced in the 4th century BCE, And bears similarity to the defensive constructions of Halos.^[10] The lower part was enclosed in the 4th century BCE by an opus isodomum wall with four quadrangular towers. It was 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long and surrounded an area of 64 hectares (160 acres). The main gate was in the northwest, and was accessed by a polygonal stone ramp.^[9]

During the food crisis of 330-326 BCE Atrax received 10,000 medimnoi of wheat from Cyrene, in Africa.^[11]

Atrax still minted silver and bronze coins at the beginning of the 4th century BCE, With the legends «ΑΤΡΑ», «ΑΤΡΑΓΙΟΝ», and «ΑΤΡΑΓΙΩΝ».^[12] The famous Atrakian marble that was widely used in antiquity, among others in the Hagia Sophia, did not come from Atrax itself, but in Mount Mopsion further east.^[13]

In Byzantine times, the city's fortifications were extended with a mortar wall to the Peneius, in order to improve water supply.^[13] The fortress served to control of the passage between the eastern and western halves of the Thessalian plain.^[13]

Location[edit]

Modern scholars locate Atrax at a site known as Kastro or Alifaka, near the modern village of Koutsochero (Greek: Κουτσόχερο), in the municipal unit of Koilada, in the municipality of Larissa.^[14][15] Most ancient and medieval structures have vanished in recent times, being removed by the locals to utilize the land for agriculture.^[13]

References[edit]