Acarnania 63880 220895441 2008-06-22T03:09:09Z Rjwilmsi 203434 gen fixes + convert *date= in [[Template:cite news|cite news/web/paper templates]] to required [[ISO 8601]] format using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] [[Image:Aetolia map.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The ancient Region of Acarnania, [[Greece]]]] '''Acarnania''' is a region of west-central [[Greece]] that lies along the [[Ionian Sea]], west of [[Aetolia]], with the [[Achelous|Achelous River]] for a boundary, and north of the gulf of [[Calydon]], which is the entrance to the [[Gulf of Corinth]]. Today it forms the western part of the [[prefectures of Greece|prefecture]] of [[Aetolia-Acarnania]]. The capital and principal city in ancient times was [[Stratos, Greece|Stratos]]. Acarnania's foundation was traditionally ascribed to [[Acarnan]], son of [[Alcmaeon (mythology)|Alcmaeon]]. ==History== ===Classical=== There is some evidence the region was used by [[Phoenicia]]n sailors for shelter on their journeys west, but there is otherwise little to indicate any large scale prehistorical settlement. In [[7th century BC]], Greek influence in the region becomes prominent when [[Corinth]] settled Anactorium, Sollium and [[Lefkada|Leucas]], and [[Kefalonia]] settled Astacus. Settlements in Alyzeia, Coronta, Limnaea, Medion, [[Oeniadae]], Palaerus, Phytia and [[Stratos, Greece|Stratus]] are also mentioned by [[Thucydides]], this latter city being the seat of a loose confederation of Acarnanian powers that was maintained until the late [[1st century BC]]. Because it is located strategically on the maritime route to Italy, Acarnania was enmired in many wars. In [[5th century BC]], the [[Corinth]]ians were forced out of their Acarnanian settlements by [[Athens]]. In [[4th century BC]], c. [[390 BC]], the cities of Acarnania surrendered to the [[Sparta]]ns under [[Agesilaus II|King Agesilaus]], and continued to be Spartan allies until joining the [[Second Athenian Empire]] in [[375 BC]]. The Acarnanians later sided with [[Boeotia]] in their fight against Sparta, and with Athens against [[Philip II of Macedon]] at [[Chaeronea]]. Acarnania thereafter came under Macedonian rule. In [[314 BC]], at the behest of Macedonian king [[Cassander]], the settlements of Acarnania lying near the [[Aetolia]]n border were conglomerated into fewer, larger settlements. Still, border conflicts with the Aetolians were frequent, and led to Acarnania's territory being partitioned between Aetolia and [[Epirus (region)|Epirus]], c. [[250 BC]]. After the fall of the king of Epirus, the Acarnanian territory that had been given to Epirus regained its independence, and gained [[Lefkada|Leucas]] from Epirus, which became the capital of the region. Acarnania allied itself with [[Philip V of Macedon]] against Rome in [[200 BC]], although it lost [[Lefkada|Leucas]] because of this, and the city of Thyrreion was anointed the new capital. In the [[1st century BC]], Acarnania suffered greatly at the hands of [[piracy|pirates]], and in [[Roman civil wars|Rome's civil wars]]. Afterwards, the towns and settlements of Acarnania fell under the rule of [[Nicopolis]]. ===Modern=== When the [[Byzantine Empire]] broke up ([[1204]]), Acarnania passed to the [[Despotate of Epirus]] and in [[1480]] to the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Since [[1832]] it has been part of Greece. ==Geography== Acarnania is composed of three main regions: 1) a rocky coastline, 2) a rugged strip of mountain range that follows the coastline, and 3) plains lying between these mountains and the [[Achelous|Achelous River]]. ==List of Acarnanians== *[[Carnus]], seer of Apollo.He established the cult of Apollo Carneus among the [[Dorians]]. See [[Carnea]] spartan festival *[[Amphilytus]], seer of [[Peisistratos (Athens)]] *[[Megistias]], seer at the battle of Thermopylae *[[Lysimachus of Acarnania]] one of the tutors of Alexander the Great [http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/1978.html], (as distinct from the Macedonian general [[Lysimachus]]) *[[Philip of Acarnania]], one of the physicians of Alexander the Great [http://www.ancientlibrary.com/wcd/Philip,_physician_to_Alexander_the_Great] *[[Machatas]],sculptor (possible Acarnanian,inscriptions with his names have been found in [[Anaktorio]]) *[[Aristomenes of Acarnania]], guardian and regent of [[Ptolemy III Euergetes]] *[[Alexander of Acarnania]], general of [[Antiochus the Great]] ==Sources== *{{cite encyclopedia | last = Hornblower | first = Simon | authorlink = | title = Acarnania | encyclopedia = The Oxford Classical Dictionary | volume = | pages = 2-3 | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = Oxford | date = 1996 | url = | accessdate = }} ==See also== [[List of traditional Greek place names]]. [[Category:Acarnania| ]] [[ca:Acarnània]] [[de:Akarnanien]] [[el:Ακαρνανία]] [[es:Acarnania]] [[fr:Acarnanie]] [[it:Acarnania]] [[la:Acarnania]] [[no:Akarnania]] [[pl:Akarnania]] [[ro:Acarnania]] [[ru:Акарнания]]