Thesprotians

Thesprotia in antiquity. (=Tesprotia; map labeled in Spanish.)

TheThesprotians(Ancient Greek:Θεσπρωτοί,romanized:Thesprōtoí) were anancientGreektribe, akin to theMolossians,inhabiting the kingdom ofThesprotisinEpirus.Together with the Molossians and theChaonians,they formed the main tribes of the northwestern Greek group.On their northeastern frontier, they neighbored the Chaonians and on their northern frontier they neighbored the kingdom of the Molossians. The poetHomerfrequently mentions Thesprotia in theOdyssey,which had friendly relations withIthacaandDoulichi.The Thesprotians originally controlled theDodonaoracle, the oldest religious shrine in Greece. Later, they were part of the Epirus until they were annexed into theRoman Empire.

Geography

Straboputs the Thesprotians' territory,Thesprotis,on the coast of southwest Epirus. Thesprotis stretched between theAmbracian Gulfin the south to theRiver Thyamis(modern-day Kalamas) in the north, and between thePindusmountains and theIonian Sea.According tolegend,the nation got its name from thePelasgianleader and first governor Thesprotos, who builtCichyrus(Cichorus), which later was called Ephyra, the capital of Thesprotia. Other important cities of Thesprotia includePandosia,Titani,Cheimerium,Toryne,Phanote,Cassope,Photice,BouchetaandBatiai.There was a city calledThesprotiasharing the same name with the tribe itself.

Tribe

According to Strabo, the Thesprotians (along with theChaoniansand theMolossians) were the most famous among the fourteen tribes of Epirus, as they once ruled over the whole region. The Chaonians ruled Epirus first while the Thesprotians and Molossians ruled afterwards. Strabo also records that the Thesprotians, Molossians, andMacedoniansreferred to old men aspelioiand old women aspeliai(PIE:*pel-meansgrey;Ancient Greek:pelitnós– "grey",peleia– "dove",so-called because of its duskygreycolor,poliós–grey,andpollós– "dark" ). Their senators were calledPeligones(Πελιγόνες), similar toMacedonianPeliganes(Πελιγᾶνες).An inscription from Goumani, dated to the second half of the 4th century BC,indicates that the organisation of the Thesprotian state was similar to that of the otherEpirotes.Terms for office wereprostates(Greek: προστάτες) literally meaning "protectors" like most Greek tribal states at the time.Other terms for office weregrammateus(Greek: γραμματέυς) meaning "secretary",demiourgoi(Greek: δημιουργοί) literally meaning "creators",hieromnemones(Greek: ιερομνήμονες) literally meaning "of the sacred memory" andsynarchontes(Greek: συνάρχοντες) literally meaning "co-rulers".

Subtribes

The Thesprotians were divided into many subtribes that included the Elopes, Graeci, Kassopaeoi, Dryopes, Dodonians (Greek: Δωδωναίοι), Aegestaeoi, Eleaeoi, Elinoi, Ephyroi, Ikadotoi, Kartatoi, Kestrinoi, Klauthrioi, Kropioi, Larissaeoi, Onopernoi, Opatoi, Tiaeoi, Torydaeoi, Fanoteis, Farganaeoi,Parauaei,Fylates and the Chimerioi. Some of these tribes throughout antiquity migrated to and established colonies in Ithaca,Lefkada,Acarnania,parts of southernGreece,ThessalyandItaly.

Mythology

According to theTelegony(Epic Cycle),Odysseuscame upon the land of Thesprotia where he stayed for a number of years. He married Thesprotia's queen,Kallidike(Callidice, Kallidice), and had a son with her namedPolypoetes.Odysseus led the Thesprotians in the war against the Brygoi (Brygi), but lost the battle becauseAreswas on the side of the Brygoi.Athenawent to support Odysseus, by engaging the war god in another confrontation untilApolloseparated them. When Kallidike died, Odysseus returned home to Ithaca, leaving their son, Polypoetes, to rule Thesprotia.

History

Coin of the Epirote League, depicting Zeus (left) and a lighting with the word "ΑΠΕΙΡΩΤΑΝ" – Epirotes (right)

• Allied withCorinthin the 5th century BC.
• Allied withAthensand Molossis, 415–404 BC.
• Occupation of Kassopaea,Dodona,east Thesprotia by Molossians 400 BC.
• The Thesprotian League, middle 4th century BC.
• Allied with Macedonia, 343–300 BC.
• Part of the League of Molossis, 300 BC.
• Part of theEpirote League,included Chaonians and Molossians, 220–167 BC.
• Assigned as a district ofMacedoniawithinRome,148–27 BC.
• Assigned as a district ofAchaeawithin the Roman Empire from 27 BC.

List of Thesprotians

• QueenKallidike,wife ofOdysseus.
• KingAidoneusofEphyra,husband ofPersephone.
• Poionos: Admatos; Thesprotoi: Petoas, Simakos; Skepas, Aristodamos from Cassopea; Dioszotos fromPandosia;TheorodokoiinEpidauros,365 BC.
• Alexandros prostates, mid-4th century BC.
• Xenarchos son of Xenon from Cassopea (tomb stele), c. 310 BC.
• Gallithos son of Xenon from Cassopea (tomb stele), c. 275 BC.
• Sokratis daughter of Sotion from Boucheta (tomb stele), c. 250 BC.
• Xenias of Cassopeaproxenosin ThyrrheionAcarnania,3rd century BC.
• Alkimos (son of Nikandros)proxenosinDelphi,c. 215 BC.
• Eucharon, EunostidasproxenoiinThermos (Aetolia),late 3rd century – early 2nd century BC.
• Milon (son of Sosandros) honoured by Koinon of Epirotes, late 3rd century BC.
• Opatos dedicated toZeus Naos,Dione,andZeus Bouleusin Dodona, c. 215–210 BC.
• Simakos (son of Phalakrion) 2nd century BCPancratiast,Epidauria (fined 1000staters,along with other two athletes).
• Demetrios (son of Machatas) dedicated to Apollon atKourion,Cyprus,200–193 BC,Ptolemaiccity commander of Kourion.
• Alkemachos (son of Charops) Diaulos (~400-metre race)Panathenaics,190/189 BC, nephew of Demetrios.
• Echenika daughter of Menedamos and Aristokrateia from Kassopa, wife of Lysixenos (tomb stele), 2nd century BC.

See also

• Chaonia
• Necromanteion
• Ancient Thesprotia

References

Sources

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• Errington, Robert Malcolm (1990).A History of Macedonia.Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.ISBN0-520-06319-8.
• Habicht, Christian; Stevenson, Peregrine (2006).The Hellenistic Monarchies: Selected Papers.Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.ISBN0-472-11109-4.
• Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1994). "CHAPTER 9d. ILLYRIANS AND NORTH-WEST GREEKS". In Lewis, David Malcolm; Boardman, John; Hornblower, Simon; Ostwald, M. (eds.).The Cambridge Ancient History: The Fourth Century B.C.Vol. VI. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 422–443.ISBN0-521-23348-8.
• Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1982). "CHAPTER 40 ILLYRIS, EPIRUS AND MACEDONIA". In Boardman, John; Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (eds.).The Cambridge Ancient History: The Expansion of the Greek World, Eighth to Sixth Centuries B.C.Vol. III, Part 3 (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 261–285.ISBN0-521-23447-6.
• Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1986).A History of Greece to 322 B.C.Oxford: Clarendon Press.ISBN0-19-873096-9.
• Hansen, Mogens Herman; Nielsen, Thomas Heine (2004).An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis.Oxford: Oxford University Press.ISBN0-19-814099-1.
• Hornblower, Simon (2002).The Greek World, 479–323 BC.New York and London: Routledge.ISBN0-415-16326-9.
• Horsley, G. H. R. (1987).New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity: A Review of the Greek Inscriptions and Papyri Published in 1979.Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.ISBN0-85837-599-0.

• Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1889).An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon.Oxford: Clarendon Press.
• Miller, Stephen Gaylord (2004).Arete: Greek Sports from Ancient Sources.Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press.ISBN0-520-24154-1.
• Wilkes, John (1995) [1992].The Illyrians.Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Limited.ISBN0-631-19807-5.

External links

• Thesprotia: A Pleiades Place Resource