Maedi
Encyclopedia
The Maedi (Ancient Greek
Μαῖδοι) 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
(present-day south-western Bulgaria
). Their capital city was Iamphorynna which lay somewhere in the southwest corner of what is now Bulgaria. Some scientists posit it in the area between the cities of Petrich
and Sandanski
, but its exact location remains unknown. They were an independent tribe through much of their history, and the Thracian king Sitalkes
recognized their independence, along with several other warlike "border" tribes such as the Dardani
, Agrianes
, and Paeonians, whose lands formed a buffer zone between the powers of the Odrysians on the east and of Illyrian tribes in the west, while Macedon
was located to the south of Paeonia. The ancient historian and biographer Plutarch
describes Spartacus
as "a Thracian
of nomadic stock", referring to the Maedi. Plutarch also says Spartacus' wife, a prophetess of the same tribe, was enslaved with him.
In 89–84 bc (during the First Mithridatic War
), the Maedi overran Macedon, looted Dodona
, and sacked Delphi
as allies of Mithridates
. It is said that they made a habit of raiding Macedon when a king of Macedon was away on a campaign .Sulla after this ravaged the land of the Maedi. Aristotle
recorded that bolinthos was the Maedan word for a species of wild Aurochs
es or Wisent
s that lived in the region.
A number of Maedi emigrated to Asia minor
and were called MaedoBythini .
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
Μαῖδοι) were a Thracian
Thracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
or Illyrian
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
tribe, which in historic times, occupied the area between Paionia
Paionia
In ancient geography, Paeonia or Paionia was the land of the Paeonians . The exact original boundaries of Paeonia, like the early history of its inhabitants, are very obscure, but it is believed that they lay in the region of Thrace...
and Thrace
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...
, on the southwestern fringes of Thrace, along the middle course of the Strymon, between the Kresna Gorge
Kresna Gorge
The Kresna Gorge is a stunning steep valley in southwestern Bulgaria. The Struma River, which stems off of Vitosha mountains, is what formed this spectacular site. The gorge is rich in biodiversity, which may be in danger of the project to build the Struma Motorway, which is part of Trans European...
and the Rupel Pass
Rupel Pass
The Rupel Gorge or Rupel Pass is a steep river valley in the northern part of Central Macedonia, immediately after the Greek-Bulgarian border. It was formed by the Strymon River, which stems from the Vitosha mountains and flows into the Aegean Sea. The gorge is rich in biodiversity which may be...
(present-day south-western Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
). Their capital city was Iamphorynna which lay somewhere in the southwest corner of what is now Bulgaria. Some scientists posit it in the area between the cities of Petrich
Petrich
Petrich is a town in Blagoevgrad Province in southwestern Bulgaria, located at the foot of the Belasica Mountains in the Strumeshnitsa Valley. , the town has 29920 inhabitants.Petrich is located close to the borders with Greece and the Republic of Macedonia...
and Sandanski
Sandanski
-Municipality:Sandanski is the seat of Sandanski municipality , which includes the following 54 places:-Honour:Sandanski Point on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after the town of Sandanski....
, but its exact location remains unknown. They were an independent tribe through much of their history, and the Thracian king Sitalkes
Sitalkes
Sitalces was one of the great kings of the Thracian Odrysian state. He was the son of Teres I, and on the sudden death of his father in 431 BC succeeded to the throne...
recognized their independence, along with several other warlike "border" tribes such as the Dardani
Dardani
Dardania was the region of the Dardani .Located at the Thraco-Illyrian contact zone, their identification as either an Illyrian or Thracian tribe is uncertain. Their territory itself was not considered part of Illyria by Strabo. The term used for their territory was , while for other tribes had...
, Agrianes
Agrianes
The Agrianians a Paeonian-Thracian tribe, who chiefly inhabited the area of present-day Northeastern statistical region of Republic Of Macedonia and Pčinja District of southern Serbia, north of the Thracian Maedi tribe, who were situated in what is now the Greek region of Macedonia and Western...
, and Paeonians, whose lands formed a buffer zone between the powers of the Odrysians on the east and of Illyrian tribes in the west, while 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....
was located to the south of Paeonia. The ancient historian and biographer Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
describes Spartacus
Spartacus
Spartacus was a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory and may not always be reliable...
as "a Thracian
Thracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
of nomadic stock", referring to the Maedi. Plutarch also says Spartacus' wife, a prophetess of the same tribe, was enslaved with him.
In 89–84 bc (during the First Mithridatic War
First Mithridatic War
The First Mithridatic War was a war challenging Rome's expanding Empire and rule over the Greek world. In this conflict, the Kingdom of Pontus and many Greek cities rebelling against Rome were led by Mithridates VI of Pontus against the Roman Republic and the Kingdom of Bithynia...
), the Maedi overran Macedon, looted Dodona
Dodona
Dodona in Epirus in northwestern Greece, was an oracle devoted to a Mother Goddess identified at other sites with Rhea or Gaia, but here called Dione, who was joined and partly supplanted in historical times by the Greek god Zeus.The shrine of Dodona was regarded as the oldest Hellenic oracle,...
, and sacked Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
as allies of Mithridates
Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI or Mithradates VI Mithradates , from Old Persian Mithradatha, "gift of Mithra"; 134 BC – 63 BC, also known as Mithradates the Great and Eupator Dionysius, was king of Pontus and Armenia Minor in northern Anatolia from about 120 BC to 63 BC...
. It is said that they made a habit of raiding Macedon when a king of Macedon was away on a campaign .Sulla after this ravaged the land of the Maedi. Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
recorded that bolinthos was the Maedan word for a species of wild Aurochs
Aurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
es or Wisent
Wisent
The wisent , Bison bonasus, also known as the European bison or European wood bison, is a species of Eurasian bison. It is the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe; a typical wisent is about long, not counting a tail of long, and tall. Weight typically can range from , with an occasional big...
s that lived in the region.
A number of Maedi emigrated to Asia minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
and were called MaedoBythini .
See also
- List of Thracian tribes
- List of Illyrian tribes
- List of ancient Thracian kings
- List of ancient Thracian cities
- SpartacusSpartacusSpartacus was a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory and may not always be reliable...