Atalanta (Bottiaea)

Atalanta (Ancient Greek: Ἀταλάντη, romanized: Atalante) or Allante (Ἀλλάντη) or Allantium was an ancient city of Bottiaea, ancient Macedon, between Gortynia and Europos, in the upper part of the valley of the Axius river, which may have been built by the Bottiaeans before their expulsion by Macedonians to Bottike. Axioupoli of today's Kilkis regional unit claims to be the ancient location. N. G. L. Hammond places it between Athyra, Pella regional unit and Koufalia, Thessaloniki regional unit^[1]

Atalanta

Ἀταλάντη

Map of Macedonia showing Bottiaea. The author of the map has estimated the position of Atalante even though the true location remains unknown.

Thucydides mentions Atalante, south of Gortynia.^[2] Stephanus of Byzantium, Allante (Ἀλλάντη), a city of Arcadia and Macedonia.^[3] Allantenses are reported among the list of peoples by Plinius (HN 4.53). In the lists of Delphian theorodokoi (230–220 BC),^[4] after Ichnae and before Thessalonica, the inscription reads: ἐν Ἀλλ[α]ντείωι Ἀνδρόνικος Δίκαιος Χιωνίδου, In Allanteion, Andronikos and Dikaios sons of Chionides. In a Roman-era inscription^[5] found east of Pella, ἡ πόλις Ἀλλανταίων ("the city of Allanteans"), honours deified Roman emperors.

[Ἀταλα]νταῖοι, Atalantaioi, are also mentioned near to Edessaioi and Europaioi in a dedicatory inscription from Argos.^[6]

Notes

1. A History of Macedonia: Historical geography and prehistory By Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière Hammond, Guy Thompson Griffith Page 171 ISBN 0-19-814294-3 (1972)
2. Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Vol. 2.100.3.
3. Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v. Ἀλλάντη.
4. BCH 1921:1 col III.1 64
5. SEG 35:753 col I.12
6. IG IV 617 line 18

Source

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Atalanta". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

Bibliography

• The Classical Gazetteer

40°44′05″N 22°34′06″E