45:
201:
214:
415:. At the head of the League, there was a strategus (Στρατηγός) or general; and the Council had a secretary (γραμματεύς), who appears to have been a person of importance, as in the Achaean and Aetolian Leagues. The chief priest (ἱεραπόλος) of the temple of Apollo at Actium seems to have been a person of high rank; and either his name or that of the strategus was employed for official dates, like that of the first Archon at Athens.
683:, which was one of the Acarnanian towns, extended east of this river. The interior of Acarnania was covered with forests and mountains of no great elevation. Between these mountains there are several lakes, and many fertile valleys. The chief river of the country is the Achelous, which in the lower part of its course flows through a vast plain of great natural fertility, called after itself the
1152:
687:. By the 19th century, the plain was covered with marshes, and the greater part of it appeared to have been formed by the alluvial depositions of the Achelous. Owing to this circumstance, and to the river having frequently altered its channel, the southern part of the coast of Acarnania has undergone numerous changes since antiquity. The chief affluent of the Achelous in Acarnania is the
60:
424:
1215:
734:
speaks of iron mines, and also of a pearl-fishery off Actium. The chief wealth of the inhabitants consisted in their herds and flocks, which pastured in the rich meadows in the lower part of the
Achelous. There were numerous islands off the western coast of Acarnania. Of these the most important were
404:
At an early period, when part of
Amphilochia belonged to the Acarnanians, they used to hold a public judicial congress at Olpae, a fortified hill about 3 miles (4.8 km) from Argos Amphilochicum. Of the constitution of their League, we have scarcely any particulars. We learn from an inscription
859:
In the year 239 BC, the
Acarnanians, in the embassy which they sent to Rome to solicit assistance, pleaded that they had taken no part in the expedition against Troy, the ancestor of Rome, being the first time probably, as Thirlwall remarks, that they had ever boasted of the omission of their name
363:, who were barbarian or non-Hellenic nations. Like other rude mountaineers, the Acarnanians are praised for their fidelity and courage. They formed good light-armed troops, and were excellent slingers. They lived, for the most part, dispersed in villages, retiring, when attacked, to the mountains.
530:
became the capital of the region, but conflict with the
Aetolians remained. The Acarnanians in consequence united themselves closely to the Macedonian kings, to whom they remained faithful in their various vicissitudes of fortune. They refused to desert the cause of
547:
king of Syria, invaded Greece, 191 BC, the
Acarnanians were persuaded by their countryman Mnasilochus to espouse his cause; but on the expulsion of Antiochus from Greece, they came again under the supremacy of Rome. In the settlement of the affairs of Greece by
491:. The latter ravaged the country, but his expedition was not attended with any lasting consequences, whilst the cities of Acarnania surrendered to the Lacedaemonians under Agesilaus, and continued to be Spartan allies for a time, they joined the
455:, who took Argos, expelled the Ambraciots, and restored the town to the Amphilochians and Acarnanians. An alliance was now formally concluded between the Acarnamians and Athenians. The only towns of Acarnania which did not join it were
253:. The Taphii, or Teleboae were chiefly found in the islands off the western coast of Acarnania, where they maintained themselves by piracy. The Leleges were more widely disseminated, and were also in possession at one period of
451:, about 432 BC. The Acarnanians espoused the cause of the expelled Amphilochians, and in order to obtain the restoration of the latter, they applied for assistance to Athens. The Athenians accordingly sent an expedition under
475:. At the conclusion of this campaign they concluded a peace with the Ambraciots, although they still continued allies of Athens. In 391 BC we find the Acarnanians engaged in war with the Achaeans, who had taken possession of
466:
The
Acarnanians were of great service in maintaining the supremacy of Athens in the western part of Greece, and they distinguished themselves particularly in 426 BC, when they gained a signal victory under the command of
522:
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
648:
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
730:(Μυρτούντιον). Although the soil of Acarnania was fertile, it was not much cultivated by the inhabitants. The products of the country are rarely mentioned by the ancient writers.
351:
The ancient
Acarnanians, however, were Greeks, and as such were allowed to contend in the great Pan-Hellenic games, although they were closely connected with their neighbors, the
743:, lying between Leucas and Acarnania, and Leucas itself, which originally formed part of the mainland of Acarnania, but was afterwards separated from the latter by a canal.
304:. The original inhabitants of the country were driven more into the interior; they never made much progress in the arts of civilised life; and even at the time of the
261:, and other parts of Greece. The Curetes are said to have come from Aetolia, and to have settled in Acarnania, after they had been expelled from the former country by
44:
1165:
1136:
606:, and Acarnania fell under that city's rule; and in the time of Augustus emperor the country is described by Strabo as utterly worn out and exhausted.
393:, which the Acarnanians had fortified as a place of judicial meeting for the settlement of disputes. The meetings of the League were usually held at
1170:
308:, they were a rude and barbarous people, engaged in continual wars with their neighbours, and living by robbery and piracy. The settlements of
1239:
840:
1178:
583:
526:
in, c. 250 BC. After the fall of the king of Epirus, the
Acarnanian territory that had been given to Epirus regained its independence, and
829:
277:. If this tradition is of any value, it would intimate that an Argive colony settled on the coast of Acarnania at an early period.
698:
There are several promontories on the coast, but of these only two are especially named by writers in antiquity, the promontory of
431:
Because it is located strategically on the maritime route to Italy, Acarnania was involved in many wars. Their hatred against the
897:
586:. When Greece was reduced to the form of a Roman province, it is doubtful whether Acarnania was annexed to the province of
1161:
710:
stood. Of the inland lakes, the only one mentioned by name by the classical writers is that of Melite (Μελίτη; the modern
504:
835:
671:. It contained about 1,571 square miles (4,070 km). Under the Romans, or probably a little earlier, the river
238:, under the general name of "Epeirus" (῎ηπειρος), or the mainland, although he frequently mentions the Aetolians.
594:, but it is mentioned at a later time as part of Epirus. The inhabitants of several of its towns were removed by
266:
83:
163:
921:
1098:
1080:
782:
591:
587:
569:
544:
540:
397:, which was the chief town in Acarnania; but, in the time of the Romans, the meetings took place either at
808:
799:
523:
492:
59:
770:
468:
435:
settlers, who had deprived them of all their best ports, naturally led the
Acarnanians to side with the
126:
1219:
727:
500:
270:
194:
655:
Anciently, Acarnania was reckoned the most westerly province of Greece, bounded on the north by the
812:
803:
794:
788:
618:
532:
511:
444:
317:
200:
1234:
861:
688:
553:
390:
766:
409:, that there were a council and a general assembly of the people, by which decrees were passed:
401:, or at Leucas, the latter of which places became, at that time, the chief city in Acarnania.
213:
893:
824:
676:
638:
573:
368:
345:
305:
231:
167:
865:
610:
603:
439:; but the immediate cause of their alliance with the latter arose from the expulsion of the
1093:
1075:
740:
731:
711:
692:
549:
472:
432:
394:
337:
281:
250:
186:
175:
171:
159:
93:
50:
1130:
714:), 30 stadia long and 20 broad, north of the mouth of the Achelous, in the territory of
672:
656:
626:
622:
614:
360:
321:
274:
151:
115:
900:, page 538, "Acarnania on the northern side of the Corinthian gulf was part of Epirus"
706:(Κριθωτή), on the west coast, forming one side of the small bay, on which the town of
483:; and as the latter were hard-pressed by the Acarnanians, they applied for aid to the
1228:
1156:
1125:
684:
440:
356:
423:
488:
703:
660:
103:
1009:
994:
966:
944:
932:
909:
664:
382:
341:
285:
235:
143:
1193:
1180:
739:, extending from the mouth of the Achelous along the shore to the North; the
1026:
961:
776:
736:
599:
557:
515:
372:
297:
280:
In the 7th century BC, Greek influence in the region became prominent when
1214:
675:
formed the boundary between Acarnania and Aetolia; but in the time of the
226:
The name of Acarnania appears to have been unknown in the earliest times.
1021:
982:
956:
715:
680:
649:
595:
484:
456:
448:
352:
333:
329:
325:
1155: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
760:
756:
719:
707:
668:
536:
527:
519:
496:
480:
476:
460:
452:
398:
313:
309:
301:
293:
289:
262:
254:
246:
190:
155:
147:
755:, seer of Apollo who established the cult of Apollo Carneus among the
752:
723:
699:
579:
535:
in his war with the Romans, and it was not till after the capture of
436:
406:
364:
258:
242:
179:
139:
131:
73:
367:
relates that they were united, however, in a political League (the
578:
In the 1st century BC, Acarnania suffered greatly at the hands of
422:
386:
227:
212:
199:
1129:
1063:
1051:
1039:
978:
691:(Ἄναπος), which flowed into the main stream 80 stadia south of
556:(168 BC), Leucas was separated from Acarnania, and the city of
410:
376:
241:
The country is said to have been originally inhabited by the
119:
26:
892:
Adages III iv 1 to IV ii 100 by Desiderius Erasmus, 2005,
487:(Spartans), who sent an army into Acarnania, commanded by
265:
and his followers. The name of Acarnania is derived from
613:. When the empire was attacked by Western powers in the
539:, their principal town, and the defeat of Philip at the
499:
in their fight against Sparta, and with Athens against
170:. The capital and principal city in ancient times was
348:that was maintained until the late 1st century BC.
99:
89:
79:
69:
21:
514:, in 314 BC, at the behest of the Macedonian king
273:, who is said to have settled at the mouth of the
230:(8th century BC) only calls the country opposite
1120:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 2–3.
552:and the Roman commissioners after the defeat of
495:in 375 BC. The Acarnanians later sided with the
791:, one of the physicians of Alexander the Great
518:, the settlements of Acarnania lying near the
471:over the Peloponnesians and Ambraciots at the
8:
1140:(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
718:. There was a lagoon, or salt lake, between
18:
629:. Since 1832 it has been part of Greece.
412:Ἔδοξε τᾷ βουλᾷ καὶ τῷ κοινῷ τῶν Ἁκαρνάνων
162:. Today it forms the western part of the
154:for a boundary, and north of the gulf of
785:one of the tutors of Alexander the Great
427:Ancient coin of Acarnania, c. 300–167 BC
346:loose confederation of Acarnanian powers
1171:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography
1116:Hornblower, Simon (1996). "Acarnania".
885:
852:
344:, this latter city being the seat of a
78:
68:
56:
41:
841:List of traditional Greek place names
375:wrote an account in a work now lost (
178:was considered part of the region of
174:. The north side of Acarnania of the
98:
88:
7:
779:, seer at the battle of Thermopylae.
405:found at Punta, the site of ancient
830:List of cities in ancient Acarnania
663:, on the west and southwest by the
543:that they submitted to Rome. When
14:
722:and the Ambracian gulf, to which
1213:
1150:
621:and in 1348 it was conquered by
617:(1204), Acarnania passed to the
560:was appointed the new capital.
447:by the Corinthian settlers from
419:Classical and Hellenistic period
58:
43:
1118:The Oxford Classical Dictionary
158:, which is the entrance to the
922:Encyclopedia of ancient Greece
625:. Then in 1480 it fell to the
609:In 395, it became part of the
204:Ancient Greek Northern regions
189:was traditionally ascribed to
138:) is a region of west-central
1:
602:, which he founded after the
1240:Historical regions in Greece
132:
872:, vol. viii. pp. 119 - 120.
836:List of cities in Acarnania
1256:
860:from the Homeric catalog.
636:
567:
564:Roman and Byzantine period
411:
377:
185:Acarnania's foundation in
120:
27:
802:, guardian and regent of
217:Map of ancient Acarnania.
57:
42:
35:
800:Aristomenes of Acarnania
64:Map of ancient Acarnania
1137:Encyclopædia Britannica
783:Lysimachus of Acarnania
570:Epirus (Roman province)
541:Battle of Cynoscephalae
385:mentions a hill, named
1174:. London: John Murray.
809:Alexander of Acarnania
659:, on the northeast by
493:Second Athenian League
428:
340:are also mentioned by
218:
205:
49:Ruins of the theatre,
1222:at Wikimedia Commons
771:Peisistratos (Athens)
667:, and on the east by
426:
222:Pre-Peloponnesian War
216:
203:
1164:, ed. (1854–1857). "
611:Eastern Roman Empire
501:Philip II of Macedon
142:that lies along the
1190: /
813:Antiochus the Great
804:Ptolemy V Epiphanes
795:Machatas (sculptor)
789:Philip of Acarnania
747:List of Acarnanians
679:, the territory of
619:Despotate of Epirus
512:Alexander the Great
445:Argos Amphilochicum
245:(or Teleboae), the
726:gives the name of
510:After the time of
429:
391:Amphilochian Argos
378:Ἀκαρνάνων Πολιτεία
219:
206:
1218:Media related to
1194:38.750°N 21.083°E
1131:"Acarnania"
825:Acarnanian League
677:Peloponnesian War
639:Aetolia-Acarnania
574:Nicopolis (theme)
443:from the town of
369:Acarnanian League
306:Peloponnesian War
168:Aetolia-Acarnania
129:
109:
108:
1247:
1217:
1205:
1204:
1202:
1201:
1200:
1195:
1191:
1188:
1187:
1186:
1183:
1175:
1154:
1153:
1141:
1133:
1121:
1103:
1091:
1085:
1073:
1067:
1061:
1055:
1049:
1043:
1037:
1031:
1019:
1013:
1007:
1001:
992:
986:
976:
970:
954:
948:
942:
936:
930:
924:
919:
913:
907:
901:
890:
873:
866:Connop Thirlwall
857:
604:Battle of Actium
584:Roman civil wars
414:
413:
380:
379:
137:
125:
123:
122:
62:
47:
30:
29:
19:
16:Region in Greece
1255:
1254:
1250:
1249:
1248:
1246:
1245:
1244:
1225:
1224:
1211:
1198:
1196:
1192:
1189:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1177:
1176:
1160:
1151:
1148:
1124:
1115:
1112:
1107:
1106:
1094:Pliny the Elder
1092:
1088:
1076:Pliny the Elder
1074:
1070:
1062:
1058:
1050:
1046:
1038:
1034:
1020:
1016:
1008:
1004:
993:
989:
977:
973:
955:
951:
943:
939:
931:
927:
920:
916:
908:
904:
891:
887:
882:
877:
876:
870:Hist. of Greece
858:
854:
849:
821:
749:
741:Taphiae Insulae
712:Lake Trichonida
646:
641:
635:
576:
568:Main articles:
566:
550:Aemilius Paulus
473:Battle of Olpae
421:
224:
211:
187:Greek mythology
176:Corinthian Gulf
160:Gulf of Corinth
65:
53:
38:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1253:
1251:
1243:
1242:
1237:
1227:
1226:
1210:
1209:External links
1207:
1199:38.750; 21.083
1162:Smith, William
1147:
1144:
1143:
1142:
1128:, ed. (1911).
1126:Chisholm, Hugh
1122:
1111:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1086:
1068:
1056:
1044:
1032:
1014:
1002:
987:
971:
949:
937:
925:
914:
902:
884:
883:
881:
878:
875:
874:
851:
850:
848:
845:
844:
843:
838:
833:
827:
820:
817:
816:
815:
806:
797:
792:
786:
780:
774:
764:
748:
745:
657:Ambracian Gulf
650:Achelous River
645:
642:
637:Main article:
634:
631:
627:Ottoman Empire
615:Fourth Crusade
565:
562:
489:King Agesilaus
485:Lacedaemonians
420:
417:
361:Ambracian Gulf
223:
220:
210:
207:
152:Achelous River
107:
106:
101:
97:
96:
91:
87:
86:
84:Western Greece
81:
77:
76:
71:
67:
66:
63:
55:
54:
48:
40:
39:
36:
33:
32:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1252:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1223:
1221:
1216:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1173:
1172:
1167:
1163:
1158:
1157:public domain
1145:
1139:
1138:
1132:
1127:
1123:
1119:
1114:
1113:
1109:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1087:
1083:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1069:
1065:
1060:
1057:
1053:
1048:
1045:
1041:
1036:
1033:
1029:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1015:
1011:
1006:
1003:
1000:
996:
991:
988:
984:
980:
975:
972:
968:
964:
963:
958:
953:
950:
946:
941:
938:
934:
929:
926:
923:
918:
915:
911:
906:
903:
899:
895:
889:
886:
879:
871:
867:
863:
856:
853:
846:
842:
839:
837:
834:
831:
828:
826:
823:
822:
818:
814:
811:, general of
810:
807:
805:
801:
798:
796:
793:
790:
787:
784:
781:
778:
775:
772:
768:
765:
762:
758:
754:
751:
750:
746:
744:
742:
738:
733:
729:
725:
721:
717:
713:
709:
705:
701:
696:
694:
690:
686:
685:Paracheloitis
682:
678:
674:
670:
666:
662:
658:
653:
651:
643:
640:
632:
630:
628:
624:
620:
616:
612:
607:
605:
601:
597:
593:
589:
585:
581:
575:
571:
563:
561:
559:
555:
551:
546:
545:Antiochus III
542:
538:
534:
529:
525:
521:
517:
513:
508:
506:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
482:
478:
474:
470:
464:
462:
458:
454:
450:
446:
442:
441:Amphilochians
438:
434:
425:
418:
416:
408:
402:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
374:
370:
366:
362:
358:
357:Amphilochians
354:
349:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
278:
276:
272:
269:, the son of
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
239:
237:
233:
229:
221:
215:
208:
202:
198:
196:
192:
188:
183:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
164:regional unit
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
136:
135:
128:
117:
113:
105:
102:
95:
92:
85:
82:
75:
72:
61:
52:
46:
34:
20:
1212:
1169:
1149:
1135:
1117:
1097:
1089:
1079:
1071:
1059:
1047:
1035:
1025:
1017:
1005:
998:
990:
974:
960:
952:
940:
928:
917:
905:
888:
869:
855:
702:and that of
697:
654:
647:
608:
577:
509:
465:
430:
403:
371:), of which
350:
279:
240:
225:
184:
133:
111:
110:
90:Major cities
1197: /
1146:Attribution
1054:, 36.11-12.
1042:, 33.16-17.
981:33.16, 17;
759:; see also
661:Amphilochia
469:Demosthenes
389:, near the
150:, with the
1229:Categories
1166:Acarna'nia
898:0802036430
880:References
769:, seer of
767:Amphilytus
728:Myrtuntium
665:Ionian Sea
433:Corinthian
383:Thucydides
342:Thucydides
286:Anactorium
249:, and the
236:Cephalonia
146:, west of
144:Ionian Sea
1235:Acarnania
1220:Acarnania
1027:Hellenica
962:Hellenica
777:Megistias
737:Echinades
644:Geography
600:Nicopolis
582:, and in
558:Thyrreion
516:Cassander
505:Chaeronea
497:Boeotians
437:Athenians
373:Aristotle
298:Kefalonia
193:, son of
134:Akarnanía
127:translit.
121:Ἀκαρνανία
112:Acarnania
28:Ἀκαρνανία
23:Acarnania
1084:, 36.19.
1066:, 45.31.
983:Polybius
864:, 28.1;
819:See also
716:Oeniadae
704:Crithote
681:Oeniadae
673:Achelous
596:Augustus
520:Aetolian
457:Oeniadae
449:Ambracia
353:Agraeans
334:Phoitiai
330:Palaerus
326:Oeniadae
300:settled
284:settled
275:Achelous
271:Alcmaeon
195:Alcmaeon
100:Dialects
80:Location
1185:21°05′E
1182:38°45′N
1159::
1110:Sources
1102:, 9.56.
999:et seq.
985:, 28.5.
761:Carneia
757:Dorians
708:Astacus
693:Stratus
669:Aetolia
580:pirates
554:Perseus
481:Aetolia
477:Calydon
461:Astacus
453:Phormio
399:Thyrium
395:Stratus
359:on the
338:Stratus
318:Limnaea
314:Coronta
310:Alyzeia
302:Astacus
290:Sollium
282:Corinth
267:Acarnan
263:Aetolus
255:Aetolia
251:Curetes
247:Leleges
209:History
191:Acarnan
172:Stratos
156:Calydon
148:Aetolia
94:Stratos
70:Country
51:Stratos
1012:3.114.
997:3.105
947:3.105.
912:2.102.
896:
862:Justin
753:Carnus
724:Strabo
720:Leucas
700:Actium
689:Anapus
633:Modern
623:Serbia
592:Epirus
590:or of
588:Achaea
537:Leucas
533:Philip
528:Leucas
524:Epirus
407:Actium
365:Strabo
322:Medion
296:, and
294:Leucas
259:Locris
243:Taphii
232:Ithaca
180:Epirus
140:Greece
130:
74:Greece
37:Region
1010:Thuc.
995:Thuc.
967:Thuc.
965:4.6;
945:Thuc.
933:Thuc.
910:Thuc.
847:Notes
732:Pliny
387:Olpae
228:Homer
116:Greek
104:Doric
1099:N. H
1081:N. H
1064:Livy
1052:Livy
1040:Livy
1030:4.6.
1022:Xen.
979:Liv.
969:2.80
957:Xen.
935:1.5.
894:ISBN
735:the
572:and
459:and
355:and
336:and
292:and
234:and
1168:".
695:.
598:to
503:at
479:in
463:.
381:).
166:of
1231::
1134:.
1096:,
1078:,
1024:,
959:,
868:,
652:.
507:.
332:,
328:,
324:,
320:,
316:,
312:,
288:,
257:,
197:.
182:.
124:,
118::
832:.
773:.
763:.
114:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
