Attica(Greek:Αττική,Ancient GreekAttikḗorAttikī́,Ancient Greek:[atːikɛ̌ː]orModern:[atiˈci]), or theAttic Peninsula,is ahistorical regionthat encompasses the entireAthens metropolitan area,which consists of the city ofAthens,thecapitalofGreeceand the core city of the metropolitan area, as well as its surrounding suburban cities and towns. It is apeninsulaprojecting into theAegean Sea,bordering onBoeotiato the north andMegaristo the west. The southern tip of the peninsula, known asLaurion,was an importantmining region.
Attica
Αττική | |
|---|---|
 View fromKaisarianiHill looking towards Athens agglomeration, with Salamis visible in the background | |
 Map of municipalities (demoi) in ancient Attica | |
| Location | Central Greece |
| Major cities | Athens |
| Dialects | Attic |
| Key periods | Athenian Empire(477–404 BC) Second Athenian League(378–338 BC) |
The history of Attica is tightly linked with that of Athens. In ancient times, Attica corresponded with the Athens city-state. It was the most prominent region in Ancient Greece, specifically during theGolden Age of Athensin theclassical period.Ancient Attica(the classicalAthens city-state) was divided intodemoi,or municipalities, from the reform ofCleisthenesin 508/7 BC, grouped into three zones: urban (astu) in the region ofAthensmain town, andPiraeus(the port), coastal (paralia) along the coastline, and inland (mesogeia) in the interior.
Themodernadministrative regionofAtticais more extensive than the historical region, and includes Megaris as part of the regional unit ofWest Attica,theSaronic IslandsandCythera,as well as the municipality ofTroiziniaon thePeloponnesianmainland.
Eponymous name
editAccording to the Roman geographerPausanias,the place was originally named Actaea, but was later renamed in the honour ofAtthis,daughter of kingCranausofAthens.[1]
Geography
edit
Attica is a triangularpeninsulajutting into theAegean Sea.It is naturally divided to the north fromBoeotiaby the 10 mi (16 km) longCithaeronandParnesmountain ranges.
To the west ofEleusis,the Greek mainland narrows intoMegaris,connecting to thePeloponneseat theIsthmus of Corinth.The southwestern coast of Attica, also known as theAthens Riviera,forms the eastern coastline of theSaronic Gulf.Mountains separate the peninsula into the plains of Pedias,Mesogeia,and theThriasian Plain.The mountains of Attica are theHymettus,the eastern portion of theGeraneia,Parnitha(the highest mountain of Attica),AigaleoandPenteli.Four mountains — Aigaleo, Parnitha, Penteli and Hymettus (clockwise from the southwest) — delineate the hilly plain on which the Athens urban area now spreads. The plain is pockmarked by a plethora of semi-continuous hills, the most notable ones being theTourkovounia,Lykavittos,theAcropolis of Athensitself andPhilopappou.Mesogeia lies to the east of Mount Hymettus and is bound to the north by the foothills of Mount Penteli, to the east by theEuboean Gulfand Mount Myrrhinous, and to the south by the mountains ofLavrio(modernLavreotiki), Paneio (Πάνειον Όρος), andLaureotic Olympus(Λαυρεωτικός Όλυμπος). The Lavrio region terminates inCape Sounion,forming the southeastern tip of the Attic peninsula.
Athens' water reservoir,Lake Marathon,is an artificial reservoir created by damming in 1920. Pine and fir forests cover the area around Parnitha. Hymettus, Penteli, Myrrhinous and Lavrio are forested with pine trees, whereas the rest are covered by shrubbery. Parts of the sprawling forests of mount Penteli and Parnitha have been lost to forest fires, while the Synngrou Estate on the foothills of the former (intersecting the border between the suburban towns ofKifisia,MelissiaandMarousiis home to the sole remaining natural forest in the Athenian plain.
TheKifisosis the longest river in Attica, which starts from the foothills of mount Parnitha near Varibobi, crosses the Athenian plain and empties into the delta ofFaliroeast of the port of Piraeus.
According toPlato,Attica's ancient boundaries were fixed by theIsthmus,and, toward the continent, they extended as far as theheightsofCithaeronandParnes.The boundary line came down toward the sea, bounded by the district ofOropuson the right and by the riverAsopuson the left.
Climate
editAttica, for the most part, enjoys a typicalMediterranean climate(Csa). It has a distinct, long, dry period in the summer and a short, cool and wet period in the winter. The highest precipitation occurs during the winter months. Parts of the southern and western part of the peninsula have a hotsemi-arid climate(BSh).
| Climate data forElliniko,10 m asl (1955–1997) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.6 (56.5) |
14.1 (57.4) |
15.7 (60.3) |
19.4 (66.9) |
24.1 (75.4) |
28.7 (83.7) |
32.0 (89.6) |
31.7 (89.1) |
28.2 (82.8) |
23.2 (73.8) |
18.8 (65.8) |
15.2 (59.4) |
22.1 (71.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
7.1 (44.8) |
8.4 (47.1) |
11.4 (52.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.8 (73.0) |
19.6 (67.3) |
15.6 (60.1) |
12.0 (53.6) |
8.8 (47.8) |
14.3 (57.7) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 48.3 (1.90) |
40.9 (1.61) |
39.7 (1.56) |
26.0 (1.02) |
15.2 (0.60) |
5.6 (0.22) |
5.2 (0.20) |
7.0 (0.28) |
9.6 (0.38) |
47.8 (1.88) |
55.4 (2.18) |
64.1 (2.52) |
364.8 (14.35) |
| Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[2] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data forElefsina,30 m asl (1958–1997) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.0 (55.4) |
13.6 (56.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
25.7 (78.3) |
30.6 (87.1) |
32.9 (91.2) |
32.7 (90.9) |
28.9 (84.0) |
23.2 (73.8) |
18.5 (65.3) |
14.7 (58.5) |
22.5 (72.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.4 (41.7) |
5.6 (42.1) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
14.9 (58.8) |
19.5 (67.1) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.2 (72.0) |
18.8 (65.8) |
14.6 (58.3) |
10.4 (50.7) |
7.2 (45.0) |
13.2 (55.7) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 48.4 (1.91) |
40.1 (1.58) |
39.3 (1.55) |
26.7 (1.05) |
19.5 (0.77) |
8.4 (0.33) |
5.5 (0.22) |
5.4 (0.21) |
11.3 (0.44) |
41.6 (1.64) |
58.8 (2.31) |
67.9 (2.67) |
372.9 (14.68) |
| Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[3] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for National Observatory ofAthens(Thissio), 107 m asl (1971–2000), (1961–1990) rain | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.0 (55.4) |
13.7 (56.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
25.8 (78.4) |
30.6 (87.1) |
33.1 (91.6) |
32.8 (91.0) |
29.2 (84.6) |
23.5 (74.3) |
18.1 (64.6) |
14.4 (57.9) |
22.6 (72.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
6.8 (44.2) |
8.2 (46.8) |
11.6 (52.9) |
16.0 (60.8) |
20.4 (68.7) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.5 (72.5) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.1 (59.2) |
11.2 (52.2) |
8.2 (46.8) |
14.1 (57.3) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 44.6 (1.76) |
48.3 (1.90) |
42.6 (1.68) |
28.2 (1.11) |
17.2 (0.68) |
9.7 (0.38) |
4.2 (0.17) |
4.6 (0.18) |
11.9 (0.47) |
47.7 (1.88) |
50.6 (1.99) |
66.6 (2.62) |
376.2 (14.82) |
| Source: National Observatory of Athens[4] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data forNea Filadelfeia,136 m asl (1955–1997) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 12.5 (54.5) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.7 (60.3) |
20.2 (68.4) |
26.0 (78.8) |
31.1 (88.0) |
33.5 (92.3) |
33.2 (91.8) |
29.2 (84.6) |
23.3 (73.9) |
18.1 (64.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
22.5 (72.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.2 (41.4) |
5.4 (41.7) |
6.7 (44.1) |
9.6 (49.3) |
13.9 (57.0) |
18.2 (64.8) |
20.8 (69.4) |
20.7 (69.3) |
17.3 (63.1) |
13.4 (56.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
6.8 (44.2) |
12.3 (54.2) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 56.9 (2.24) |
46.7 (1.84) |
40.7 (1.60) |
30.8 (1.21) |
22.7 (0.89) |
10.6 (0.42) |
5.8 (0.23) |
6.0 (0.24) |
13.9 (0.55) |
52.6 (2.07) |
58.3 (2.30) |
69.1 (2.72) |
414.1 (16.31) |
| Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[5] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data forTatoi,235 m asl (1958–1997) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1) |
12.5 (54.5) |
14.7 (58.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
24.9 (76.8) |
29.9 (85.8) |
32.1 (89.8) |
31.8 (89.2) |
28.0 (82.4) |
22.5 (72.5) |
17.4 (63.3) |
13.2 (55.8) |
21.5 (70.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.2 (37.8) |
3.5 (38.3) |
4.9 (40.8) |
7.7 (45.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
16.2 (61.2) |
19.2 (66.6) |
19.3 (66.7) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
7.9 (46.2) |
4.9 (40.8) |
10.5 (50.9) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 69.2 (2.72) |
48.6 (1.91) |
51.1 (2.01) |
26.2 (1.03) |
20.4 (0.80) |
9.8 (0.39) |
10.0 (0.39) |
6.0 (0.24) |
17.6 (0.69) |
47.6 (1.87) |
60.2 (2.37) |
83.9 (3.30) |
450.6 (17.72) |
| Source: Hellenic National Meteorological Service[6] | |||||||||||||
European temperature record
editAccording to theWorld Meteorological Organization,the areas ofElefsinaandTatoiheld the official European record for highest temperature, 48.0 °C (118.4 °F) for 44 years.[7][8]
History
editAncient history
edit
During antiquity, the Athenians boasted about being 'autochthonic', which is to say that they were the original inhabitants of the area and had not moved to Attica from another place. The traditions current in the classical period recounted that, during theGreek Dark Ages,Attica had become the refuge of theIonians,who belonged to a tribe from the northern Peloponnese. Supposedly, the Ionians had been forced out of their homeland by theAchaeans,who in turn had been forced out of their homeland by theDorian invasion.[9]Supposedly, the Ionians integrated with the ancient Atticans, who, afterward, considered themselves part of the Ionian tribe and spoke the Ionian dialect of Ancient Greek. Many Ionians later left Attica to colonize the Aegean coast ofAsia Minorand to create the twelve cities ofIonia.[according to whom?]
During theMycenaean period,the inhabitants of Attica lived in autonomousagricultural societies.The main places whereprehistoricremains were found areMarathon,Rafina,Nea Makri,Brauron,Thorikos,Agios Kosmas,Elefsina,Menidi,Markopoulo,Spata,AphidnaeandAthensmain city. All of these settlements flourished during the Mycenaean period.[10]
According to tradition, Attica comprised twelve small communities during the reign ofCecrops,the legendary Ionian king of Athens.Straboassigns these the names ofCecropia,Tetrapolis,Epacria,Decelea,Eleusis,Aphidna,Thoricus,Brauron,Cytherus,Sphettus,Cephisia,and possibly Phaleron. These were said to have been later incorporated in an Athenian state during the reign ofTheseus,the mythical king of Athens.[11]Modern historians consider it more likely that the communities were progressively incorporated into an Athenian state during the 8th and the 7th centuries BC.[12][unreliable source?]
Until the 6th century BC,aristocraticfamilies lived independent lives in the suburbs of Athens, such asHippios Kolonos.Only afterPeisistratos'styrannyand the reforms implemented byCleisthenesdid the local communities lose their independence and succumb to the central government inAthens.As a result of these reforms, Attica was divided into approximately a hundred municipalities, thedemes(dēmoi,δῆμοι), and also into three large sectors: the city (ἄστυ), which comprised the areas of central Athens,Ymittos,Aegaleoand the foot of MountParnes,the coast (παράλια), that included the area betweenEleusisand CapeSounionand the area around the city (ἐσωτερικό-μεσογαία), inhabited by people living on the north of MountParnitha,Pentelikoand the area east of the mountain ofHymettuson the plain ofMesogeia.Principally, each civic unit would include equal parts of townspeople, seamen, and farmers. A "trittýs" ( "third" ) of each sector constituted a tribe. Consequently, Attica comprised ten tribes.
During the Peloponnesian war, Attica was invaded and raided several times by theLacedaemonians,while in the war's third phase the fortress of Decelea was captured and fortified by Lacedaemon.
Fortresses
edit
During theclassicalperiod, Athens was fortified to the north by the fortress ofEleutherae,which is preserved well. Other fortresses are those ofOenoe,Decelea,PhyleandAphidnae.To protect the mines atLaurium,on the coast, Athens was protected by the walls atRhamnus,Thoricus,Sounion,Anavyssos,Piraeus,andElefsina.[10]Although these forts and walls had been constructed, Attica did not establish a fortification system until later, in the 4th century BC.[13]Attica's warfare is displayed by piles of rubble from fortresses from the Chremonidean war.[14]
Places of worship
edit
Even thougharchaeologicalruins of religious importance are found in nearly the whole area of Attica, the most important are those found inEleusis.The worship of the goddessesDemeterandCora,beginning in theMycenaeanperiod, continued until the late years of antiquity.
Many other types of worship can be traced to theprehistory.For example, the worship ofPanand theNymphswas common in many areas of Attica such asMarathon,ParnesandYmittos.The god of wine,Dionysus,was worshipped mainly in the area ofIcaria,now the suburb ofDionysus.IphigeneiaandArtemiswere worshipped inBrauron,ArtemisinRafina,AthenaonSounion,Aphroditeon Iera Odos, andApolloinDaphne.[10]
The festival ofChalceiawas celebrated every autumn in Attica. The festival honored the godsHephaestusandAthena Ergane.In the deme ofAthmonon,in modern-dayMarousi,the Athmoneia games were also celebrated.
Medieval period
edit
After the period of antiquity, Attica came underRoman,Byzantine,Venetian,andOttomanrule. In the Roman period, the ScandinavianHerulitribe raided Athens and Attica in 267 AD, destroying most of the city and laying waste to the countryside. During theByzantineperiod Athens was an important middle size city. In 396 Attica was invaded by theGothsunder the command ofAlaric.Attica's population diminished in comparison to the neighboring area ofBoeotia.
The sites of historical interest date to the 11th and 12th centuries, when Attica was under the rule of theFranks.The great monastery of Dafni, that was built underJustinian I's rule, is an isolated case that does not signify a widespread development of Attica during the Byzantine period. On the other hand, the buildings built during the 11th and 12th centuries show a greater development that continued during the rule of the Franks, who did not impose strict rule.[citation needed]
From the 14th century onwards, theArvanitescame to Attica from what is todaysouthern Albania.They were mostly invited as mercenaries by the local Greek lords.
During the Ottoman rule, Athens enjoyed some rights. However, that was not the case for the villages of Attica. Great areas were possessed by theTurks,who terrorized the population with the help ofsipahis.The monasteries of Attica played a crucial role in preserving the Greek element of the villages.
In spite of its conquerors, Attica managed to maintain its traditions. This fact is proved by the preservation of ancienttoponymssuch asOropos,Dionysus,Eleusis,andMarathon. During theGreek War of Independencein the 1820s, the peasants of Attica were the first to revolt (April 1821), occupyingAthensand seizing theAcropolisthat was handed over to the Greek revolutionaries in June, 1822.[10]
Attica after 1829
edit
Attica belonged to the newly-founded Greek state from its founding. From 1834,Athenswas made the new Greek capital (moved fromNafplioinArgolis), which caused the gradual repopulation of Attica by other people around Greece. The most dramatic surge came with Greek refugees fromAnatoliafollowing theGreek genocideand later the population exchanges between Greece andTurkeyunder theTreaty of Lausanne.Today, much of Attica is occupied by urban Athens, encompassing the entirety of the Athenian plain.[15]The modern Greek region of Attica includes classical Attica as well as theSaronic Islands,a small part of thePeloponnesearoundTroezen,and theIonian IslandofKythira.
Notable people
edit- Socrate Sidiropoulos(born 1947), Greek painter and sculptor
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Pausanias,Description of Greece,1.2.7.
- ^"Climatological Information for Athens Hellinikon, Greece", HNMS climatological table, web: [1]Archived2016-06-11 at theWayback Machine.
- ^"Climatological Information for Elefsina, Greece", HNMS climatological table, web: [2]Archived2011-07-16 at theWayback Machine.
- ^"Monthly bulletins", N.O.A, web: [3]Archived2007-03-05 at theWayback Machine.
- ^ "Climatological Information for Nea Filadelfia, Greece", HNMS climatological table, web: [4].
- ^ "Climatological Information for Tatoi, Greece", HNMS climatological table, web: [5].
- ^WMO Region VI (Europe, Continent only): Highest Temperature.Arizona State University–World Meteorological Organization's World Weather & Climate Extremes Archive.
- ^"WMO is monitoring potential new temperature records".public.wmo.int.2023-07-17.Retrieved2023-07-19.
- ^Pausanias VIII, 1
- ^abcd"History"(PDF).Prefecture of Attica.Democritus University of Thrace. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 3 March 2012.Retrieved13 January2013.
- ^Strabo 9.1.20
- ^Ancient History until 30 BC(Ιστορία των αρχαίων χρόνων ως το 30 πΧ), L. Tsaktsiras, M. Tiverios, schoolbook for A' Gymnasiou, 13th edition, Athens, 1994, p. 115
- ^Osborne, Robin (December 2015)."Oxford Classical Dictionary".Attica.Retrieved2017-09-29.
- ^Osborne, Robin (2015-12-22)."Attica".Oxford Classical Dictionary.doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.952.ISBN9780199381135.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^National Statistical Service of Greece(2002).Στατιστική Επετηρίδα της Ελλάδος 2002(PDF)(in Greek).National Statistical Service of Greece.p. 54.
The table includes the urban areas of Greece, officially defined by theNational Statistical Service of Greece,powered by the Ministry of Finance of Greece. The municipality of Piraeus and its greater area belong to the Athens urban area or Greater Athens (Πολεοδομικό Συγκρότημα Αθηνών).
Mela, A.; Tousi, E.; Melas, E.; Varelidis, G. Spatial Distribution and Quality of Urban Public Spaces in the Attica Region (Greece) during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey-Based Analysis. Urban Sci. 2024, 8, 2.https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010002
External links
edit- Tozer, Henry F. (1878)..Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. III (9th ed.). p. 57.
- Official tourism website of Attica