Jump to content

Mount Athos

Coordinates:40°09′30″N24°19′38″E/ 40.15833°N 24.32722°E/40.15833; 24.32722
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the mountain in Greece. For the Eastern Orthodox monastic community and the autonomous region of Greece, seeMonastic community of Mount Athos.For other uses, seeAthos.

Mount Athos
Highest point
Elevation2,033[1]m (6,670 ft)
Prominence2,012 m (6,601 ft)
ListingUltra
Coordinates40°09′30″N24°19′38″E/ 40.15833°N 24.32722°E/40.15833; 24.32722
Geography
Mount Athos is located in Greece
Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Location of Mount Athos in Greece.
LocationEurope
CountryGreece
RegionAgio Oros
TypeMixed
Criteriai, ii, iv, v, vi, vii
Designated1988(12thsession)
Reference no.454
RegionEurope

Mount Athos(/ˈæθɒs/;Greek:Ἄθως[ˈa.θos]) is a mountain on theAthos peninsulain northeasternGreece.It is an important center ofEastern Orthodoxmonasticism.The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed as anautonomous regionin Greece by themonastic community of Mount Athos,which is ecclesiastically under the direct jurisdiction of theEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.The remainder of the peninsula forms part of theAristotelismunicipality. Women are prohibited from entering the area governed by the monastic community by Greek law and by religious tradition.[2]

Mount Athos has been inhabited since ancient times and is known for its long Christian presence and historical monastic traditions, which date back to at least 800 AD during theByzantine era.Because of its long history of religious importance, the well-preserved agrarian architecture within the monasteries, and the preservation of the flora and fauna around the mountain, themonastic community of Mount Athoswas added to theUNESCOWorld Heritage Listin 1988.[3]

Names

[edit]

In theclassical era,Mount Athos was calledAthosand the peninsulaActéorAkté(Koinē Greek:Ἀκτή). In modern Greek, the mountain isOros Athos(Greek:Όρος Άθως) and the peninsulaHersonisos tou Atho(Greek:Χερσόνησος του Άθω), while the designationAgio Oros(Greek:Άγιο Όρος) translating to 'Holy Mountain' is also used.[4]

Some languages of Orthodox tradition use names that translate to 'Holy Mountain', includingBulgarian,MacedonianandSerbian(Света Гора,Sveta Gora), andGeorgian(მთაწმინდა,mtats’minda). However, not all languages spoken in the Eastern Orthodox world use this name: in theEast Slavic languages(Russian,Ukrainian,andBelarusian) it is simply calledАфон(Afon,meaning "Athos" ), while inRomanianit is called "Mount Athos" (Muntele AthosorMuntele Atos).[citation needed]

Geography

[edit]
Mount Athos - view from northwest

The peninsula, the easternmost "leg" of the largerChalkidikipeninsula in centralMacedonia,protrudes 50 km (31 mi)[5]into theAegean Seaat a width of between 7 and 12 km (4.3 and 7.5 mi) and covers an area of 335.6 km2(130 sq mi). The actual Mount Athos has steep, densely forested slopes reaching up to 2,033 m (6,670 ft). The Athos peninsula, unlikeSithoniaandKassandra,is a geological continuation of theRhodope Mountainsof northern Greece and Bulgaria.[6]

The surrounding seas, especially at the end of the peninsula, can be dangerous. In ancient Greek history, two fleet disasters in the area are recorded: Herodotus claimed that in 492 BC,Darius,the king ofPersia,lost 300 ships under generalMardonius.[7]In 411 BC theSpartanslost a fleet of 50 ships under the admiral Epicleas.[8]

Mount Athos has an extensivenetwork of footpaths,many of which date back to theByzantine period.Many are typically not accessible to motor vehicle traffic.[9]

Flora

[edit]

Much of Mount Athos is covered withmixed broadleaf deciduousand evergreen forests. Black pine (Pinus nigra) forests are found at higher elevations.Sclerophyllous scrub vegetationis also found throughout Mount Athos. Typical forest trees are sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), holm oak (Quercus ilex), kermes oak (Quercus coccifera), Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto), oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), black pine (Pinus nigra), and cedar (Calocedrus decurrens). Other common plant species include the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedoandArbutus andrachne), cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), laurel (Laurus nobilis), lentisk (Pistacia lentiscus), phillyrea (Phillyrea latifolia), wild olive (Olea europea), and heather (Ericaspp.).[10]Deciduous trees that are primarily found alongside streams includewhite willow,laurel,Oriental plane,andaldertrees.[11]

Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) is more commonly found in the northern part of the peninsula. Broadleafmaquisis found further south. Deciduous broadleaf forest dominated bysweet chestnutlies above the broadleaf maquis zone. There are also mixed forests consisting of deciduous oak trees, as well aslimes,aspen,hop hornbeam,andmaple.Black pineandstinking junipercan be found at higher elevations. Some herbaceous plants with tubers and bulbs includecrocus,anemone,cyclamen,andfritillaryspecies.[12]

At least 35 plant species are endemic to Mount Athos, most of which are found in the area of the main summit in the south.[13]Isatis tinctoriassp.athoa,awoadsubspecies, andViola athoisare named after Mount Athos.[12]

Mount Athos is also home to 350 species of mushrooms.[14][15][16][17][18]

Fauna

[edit]

Mammals include thegrey wolf(Canis lupus),wild boar(Sus scrofa), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), jackal (Canis aureus), European badger (Meles meles), beech marten (Martes foina), stoat (Mustela erminea), weasel (Mustela nivalisvulgaris), European hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), shrews (Crociduraspp.), and Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus).[10]Other mammal species includeroe deer,hares,andred squirrels.[19]

Birds include the black stork (Ciconia nigra), short-toed snake-eagle (Circaetus gallicus), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), eagle owl (Bubo bubo), yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan), and Audouin's gull (Larus audouinii).[20][21]Other bird species includeswifts,swallows,martins,nightingales,andhoopoes.[19]

History

[edit]
A 3D model of Athos

Antiquity

[edit]
Imaginary view of the Alexander monument, proposed byDinocrates.Engraving byJohann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach,1725

InGreek mythology,Athosis the name of one of theGigantesthat challenged theGreek godsduring theGigantomachia.Athos threw a massive rock atPoseidonwhich fell in theAegean Seaand became Mount Athos.[22]According to another version of the story, Poseidon used the mountain to bury the defeated giant.[citation needed]

Homermentions the mountain Athos in theIliad.[23]Herodotuswrites that during the Persian invasion ofThracein 492 BC, the fleet of the Persian commanderMardoniuswas wrecked with losses of 300 ships and 20,000 men, by a strong North wind while attempting to round the coast near Mount Athos.[24]Herodotus also states thatPelasgiansfrom the island ofLemnospopulated the peninsula, then calledAkte,and names five cities thereon,Sane,Kleonai(Cleonae),Thyssos(Thyssus),Olophyxos(Olophyxus), andAkrothoon(Acrothoum).[25]Straboalso mentions the cities of Dion (Dium) and Akrothoon.[26]Eretriaalso established colonies on Akte. At least one other city was established in the Classical period:Akanthos(Acanthus). Some of these cities minted their own coins.[citation needed]

The peninsula was on the invasion route ofXerxes I,who spent three years[27]excavating theXerxes Canalacross the isthmus to allow the passage of his invasion fleet in 483 BC. After the death ofAlexander the Great,the architectDinocrates(Deinokrates) proposed carving the entire mountain into a statue of Alexander.

Pliny the Elderstated in 77 AD that the inhabitants of Mount Athos could "live to their four hundredth year" due to the fact that they eat the skin of vipers.[28]

The lack of historical accounts shrouds the history of the peninsula during the later ages. Archaeologists have not been able to determine the exact location of the cities reported by Strabo. It is believed that they must have been deserted when Athos' new inhabitants, the monks, started arriving sometime before the ninth century AD.[29]

Early Christianity

[edit]
The peninsula as seen from the summit of Mount Athos

According to the Athonite tradition, theBlessed Virgin Marywas sailing accompanied by StJohn the EvangelistfromJoppatoCyprusto visitLazarus.When the ship was blown off course to then-pagan Athos, it was forced to anchor near the port of Klement, close to the present monastery of Iviron. The Virgin walked ashore and, overwhelmed by the mountain's wonderful and wild natural beauty, she blessed it and asked her Son for it to be her garden. A voice was heard saying,"Ἔστω ὁ τόπος οὗτος κλῆρος σὸς καὶ περιβόλαιον σὸν καὶ παράδεισος, ἔτι δὲ καὶ λιμὴν σωτήριος τῶν θελόντων σωθῆναι "(Translation: "Let this place be your inheritance and your garden, a paradise and a haven of salvation for those seeking to be saved" ). From that moment the mountain was consecrated as the garden of the Mother of God and was out of bounds to all other women.[note 1]

Historical documents on ancient Mount Athos history are very few. Monks have certainly been there since the fourth century, and possibly since the third. DuringConstantine I's reign (324–337) both Christians and followers of traditional Greek religion were living there. During the reign ofJulian(361–363), the churches of Mount Athos were destroyed, and Christians hid in the woods and inaccessible places.[30]

Later, duringTheodosius I's reign (379–395), the temples of the traditional Greek religion were destroyed. The lexicographerHesychius of Alexandriastates that in the fifth century, there was still a temple and a statue of "ZeusAthonite ". After theIslamic conquest of Egyptin the seventh century, many Orthodox monks from the Egyptian desert tried to find another calm place; some of them came to the Athos peninsula. An ancient document states that monks "built huts of wood with roofs of straw... and by collecting fruit from the wild trees were providing themselves improvised meals."[31]

Byzantine era and onwards

[edit]
Further information:Monastic community of Mount Athos § History

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toMount Athos.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forMount Athos.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^St Gregory Palamas included this tradition in his bookLife of Petros the Athonite,p. 150, 1005 AD.

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Mount Athos Home".Archived fromthe originalon 1 October 2015.Retrieved11 June2016.
  2. ^Why, Who, What (27 May 2016)."Why are women banned from Mount Athos?".BBC.Archivedfrom the original on 14 February 2023.Retrieved11 June2023.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^"Mount Athos".UNESCO World Heritage Convention.United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2021.Retrieved30 October2022.
  4. ^Davie, Grace; Leustean, Lucian N. (8 December 2021).The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Europe.Oxford University Press. p. 487.ISBN978-0-19-257106-9.Archivedfrom the original on 21 June 2023.Retrieved21 June2023.
  5. ^Robert Draper,"Mount Athos"Archived11 August 2011 at theWayback Machine,National Geographicmagazine, December 2009
  6. ^Speake, Graham (2014).Mount Athos: renewal in paradise(2nd ed.). Limni, Evia, Greece. p. 32.ISBN978-960-7120-34-2.OCLC903320491.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^Herodotus,Histories,book VI ( "Erato" );Aeschylus,The Persians.
  8. ^Diodorus Siculus,Bibliotheca historicaXIII 41, 1–3.
  9. ^"Footpaths of the Holy Mountain – FOMA".FOMA.6 January 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 16 June 2022.Retrieved16 June2022.
  10. ^abUN EnvironmentWorld Conservation Monitoring Centre(22 May 2017)."Mount Athos".World Heritage Datasheet.Archivedfrom the original on 7 August 2022.Retrieved10 June2022.
  11. ^Speake, Graham (2014).Mount Athos: renewal in paradise(2nd ed.). Limni, Evia, Greece. p. 33.ISBN978-960-7120-34-2.OCLC903320491.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^abSpeake, Graham (2014).Mount Athos: renewal in paradise(2nd ed.). Limni, Evia, Greece. p. 34.ISBN978-960-7120-34-2.OCLC903320491.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. ^Ganiatsas, K. (2003).I vlastesis kai i chloris tis chersonesou tou Agiou Orous.
  14. ^Cosgrove, Denis E.; Della Dora, Veronica (2009).High places: cultural geographies of mountains, ice and science.London: I.B. Tauris & Co.ISBN978-1-4416-2965-4.OCLC503441715.
  15. ^S. Dafis, ‘Anthrōpines drastēriotētes kai fysiko perivallon’, in S. Dafis et al. (eds.),Fysekai Perivallon sto Agion Oros,Thessalonica, 1998.
  16. ^G. Sideropoulos,Agion Oros: anafores stēn anthropogeōgrafia,Athens, 2000, p. 28.
  17. ^O. Rackham, ‘Our Lady’s Garden: the historical ecology of the Holy Mountain’,Friends of Mount Athos, Annual Report(2000), p. 50.
  18. ^D. Babalonas, ‘Chlōrida kai endemismos tou Agiou Orous’, in M. Parcharidou and M. Fountoulēs (eds.),Agion Oros: fysē, latreia, technē,Vol. I, Thessalonica, 1999, p. 119.
  19. ^abSpeake, Graham (2014).Mount Athos: renewal in paradise(2nd ed.). Limni, Evia, Greece. p. 37.ISBN978-960-7120-34-2.OCLC903320491.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  20. ^Grimmett, R. & Jones, T. (eds) (1989).Important Bird Areas in Europe.Technical Publication #9, ICBP, Cambridge, U.K.
  21. ^Heath, M. & Evans, M. (eds) (2000).Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sites for ConservationVol.2. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.
  22. ^"Mythology and History of Chalkidiki (Halkidiki)".chalkidiki.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2023.Retrieved8 November2023.
  23. ^Homer,Iliad14,229.
  24. ^Herodotus,Histories6,44.
  25. ^Herodotus,Histories7,22.
  26. ^Strabo,Geography7,33,1.
  27. ^Warry, J. (1998),Warfare in the Classical World,Salamander Book Ltd., London, p. 35
  28. ^Pliny the Elder.[1]Archived29 October 2021 at theWayback Machine,Retrieved on 30 October 2021.
  29. ^Kadas, Sotiris (1981).The Holy Mountain(in Greek). Athens: Ekdotike Athenon. p. 9.ISBN978-960-213-199-2.
  30. ^Speake, Graham (2002).Mount Athos: Renewal in Paradise.Yale University Press. p. 27.ISBN0-300-093535.
  31. ^Biography of Saint Athanasius the Athonite
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mount_Athos&oldid=1217045642"