Alexandropolis Maedica
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Alexandropolis the modern Greek city of Thrace
Alexandropolis in the Thracian region of Maedi
ans, was the first town founded in 340 BC
by Alexander the Great, after defeating the local tribe, as a regent (epitropos) of Macedon
. (Alexandropolis on the analogy of Philippopolis
, the town of Thrace founded by Philip II the father of Alexander). He expelled the locals and settled a mixed population. The fact that we don't know where exactly Alexandropolis was founded, suggests that a Thracian raid may have caused its disappearance from history (See Zopyrion
). Tarn
claims Alexandropolis was a military colony rather than a polis
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
Alexandropolis in the Thracian region of Maedi
Maedi
The Maedi , were a Thracian or Illyrian tribe, which in historic times, occupied the area between Paionia and Thrace, on the southwestern fringes of Thrace, along the middle course of the Strymon, between the Kresna Gorge and the Rupel Pass...
ans, was the first town founded in 340 BC
340 BC
Year 340 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Torquatus and Mus...
by Alexander the Great, after defeating the local tribe, as a regent (epitropos) of Macedon
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
. (Alexandropolis on the analogy of Philippopolis
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, the town of Thrace founded by Philip II the father of Alexander). He expelled the locals and settled a mixed population. The fact that we don't know where exactly Alexandropolis was founded, suggests that a Thracian raid may have caused its disappearance from history (See Zopyrion
Zopyrion
Zopyrion was a Macedonian general.-Zopyrion's campaign:Zopyrion was made a governor either of Thrace or of Pontus by Alexander the Great. In 331 BC he led an invasion of Scythian lands, "thinking that, if he did not attempt something, he should be stigmatized as indolent" .For this purpose he...
). Tarn
William Woodthorpe Tarn
Sir William Woodthorpe Tarn was a British classical scholar and a writer. He wrote extensively on the Hellenistic world, particularly on Alexander the Great...
claims Alexandropolis was a military colony rather than a polis
Polis
Polis , plural poleis , literally means city in Greek. It could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. In modern historiography "polis" is normally used to indicate the ancient Greek city-states, like Classical Athens and its contemporaries, so polis is often translated as "city-state."The...
External links
- Alexander the Great: his towns livius.org