Magnesia
Encyclopedia
Magnesia deriving from the tribe name Magnetes
, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Thessaly
. Its capital is the city of Volos
. About 70% of the population of Magnesia live in the Greater Volos area, which is the second-largest city in Thessaly and the third busiest commercial port in Greece. According to the most recent census (2001), the population stands at 207,000. The prefecture hosts 2,000,000 tourists annually. Magnesia is represented in the Greek Parliament by five members. It main agricultural products are tomatoes, cotton, wheats, olives, olive oil and dried nuts, especially almonds and pistachios.
, a bay of the Aegean Sea
. The Pelion
mountain range closes off the Gulf on the east and south side, leaving only a narrow channel near Trikeri
. The highest peak of the wooded Pelion is Pourianos Stavros or Xeforti, (altitude 1624 metres or 5,328.1 ft). On the south edge of Magnesia peninsula
Tisaio mountain is found.
Mt. Maurovouni (1054 metres or 3,458 ft) is the northeasternmost mountain of the regional unit and extends to the neighboring regional unit of Larissa. The southwest border of Magnesia is formed by the Othrys
, with its highest peak Gerakovouni (1726 metres or 5,662.7 ft). The interior of Magnesia has two plains. The plains southwest of the Pagasetic Gulf arecalled Almyros
plains, while the plains northwest of the Gulf are called the Volos
-Velestino plain. The hydrological network of Magnesia is not particularly rich and is characterized by the absence of big rivers. The waters coming from Pelion
shape the rivers Anavros
, Platanorema, and Xirias.
In the North section of Magnesia, Lake Karla
was formerly found. Lake Karla was drained in 1962, but attempts have been made for its partial restoration. On the bight of Sourpi
, next to Amaliapolis
a coastal wetland
is located, with various species of migratory birds. This wetland together with the forest of Kouri - an infrequent lowland
of Oak
tree forest
close to Almyros
- is included in the list of the protected regions of the Europe
an Network Natura 2000
.
The average temperature
is 17 degrees Celsius and the average rainfall about 540 millimetres per year. Heat waves and intense cold periods are rare. During the summer the temperature rises up to about 37 to 38 °C (98.6 to 100.4 F) in August. The climate varies in different parts of the prefecture; close to the Pagasetic Gulf
conditions are humid, in Nea Ionia
it is quite dry and in Velestino and Almyros
is the climate is continental. In winter there is significant snowfall in the mountains and often freezing temperatures.
. In addition to the territory of the present regional unit of Magnesia, the Magnesia Prefecture
included the Northern Sporades
group of islands (Skiathos
, Skopelos
and Alonnisos). As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the prefecture was split into the Magnesia and Sporades
regional units. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece
.
's (probably) "Eoiae" or "Catalogue of Women
" on the origin of the Greeks
, Pandora (named after her grandmother Pandora
, sister of Hellen
and daughter of Deukalion and Pyrrha
) together with Zeus had one son Graecus
, while Zeus had two more with Thyia
, another of Deukalion's daughter: Magnes
and Macedon
. Magnes and Makednos together with Hellen
's three sons Dorus
, Xuthus
(with his sons Ion and Achaeus
) and Aeolos, comprised the set of progenitors of the ancient tribes that formed the Greek
/Hellenic nation. Magnes ruled the area and people under his name. Magnesia is also homeland of the mythical heroes Jason
, Peleus
and his son Achilles
.
The word magnet
comes from the Greek "magnítis líthos" (μαγνήτης λίθος), which means "magnesian stone". The names for the elements magnesium
and manganese
are also derived from this region, which in addition to the magnetic magnetite (an iron ore), produces certain ores of magnesium and manganese that were known to alchemists. The Magnetes contributed to the Greek colonization, with their main colonies being established before the 7th century BC, under the names of Magnesia beside Sipylus
in Lydia and Magnesia on the Maeander
in Ionia.
In the area of Pelion are the monastery of Saint Yerasimos in Makrinitsa, The Holy Archangels in Agios Georgios Nilias, Osios Lavredios in Agios Lavrendis, Saint John the Baptist in Siki and Saint Spiridon in Promiri. The most famous is the Monastery in Flamouri, built in the 16th century by Osios Simeon, the so-called "barefoot and loin-clothed", located above Veneto.
In the Almiros area and on the mountain of Othris two other monasteries were built, one inhabited by monks in Ano Pagania (Virgin Mary) Xenia and the other by nuns in Kato Panagia Xenia. This monastery holds historical monuments of the area from the 12th century, with of frescoes, treasuries and a library. In Kato Panagia Xenia monastery, an icon of the Virgin Mary, venerated by the people of the area, is kept. All the monasteries are of archeological, historical and artistic interest and are accessible (the one in Flamouri only by men).
is directly linked to the rest of Europe
through International Airport of Central Greece
, located in Nea Anchialos
, a short distance from Volos. The airport includes a terminal which can serve 1500 passengers per hour.
The prefecture's roads include:
Magnetes
The Magnetes were an ancient Greek tribe living in Thessalian Magnesia who took part in the Trojan War. They later also contributed to the Greek colonisation by founding two prosperous cities in Western Anatolia, Magnesia on the Maeander and Magnesia ad Sipylum.According to Hesiod's "Eoiae" or...
, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
. Its capital is the city of Volos
Volos
Volos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki...
. About 70% of the population of Magnesia live in the Greater Volos area, which is the second-largest city in Thessaly and the third busiest commercial port in Greece. According to the most recent census (2001), the population stands at 207,000. The prefecture hosts 2,000,000 tourists annually. Magnesia is represented in the Greek Parliament by five members. It main agricultural products are tomatoes, cotton, wheats, olives, olive oil and dried nuts, especially almonds and pistachios.
Geography
A prominent geographic feature of Magnesia is the Pagasetic GulfPagasetic Gulf
The Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea...
, a bay of the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
. The Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
mountain range closes off the Gulf on the east and south side, leaving only a narrow channel near Trikeri
Trikeri
Trikeri is a town and a former community in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Pelion, of which it is a municipal unit. It lies at the westernmost point of the hook-like Pelion Peninsula on the Pagasetic Gulf. It also includes...
. The highest peak of the wooded Pelion is Pourianos Stavros or Xeforti, (altitude 1624 metres or 5,328.1 ft). On the south edge of Magnesia peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
Tisaio mountain is found.
Mt. Maurovouni (1054 metres or 3,458 ft) is the northeasternmost mountain of the regional unit and extends to the neighboring regional unit of Larissa. The southwest border of Magnesia is formed by the Othrys
Mount Othrys
Mount Othrys is a mountain in Central Greece in the northeastern part of Fthiotis and southern part of Magnesia. The mountaintop is at the prefectural and the regional border at 1,728 m. Much of the area is unpopulated in the northern part and the southwestern part...
, with its highest peak Gerakovouni (1726 metres or 5,662.7 ft). The interior of Magnesia has two plains. The plains southwest of the Pagasetic Gulf arecalled Almyros
Almyros
Almyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and...
plains, while the plains northwest of the Gulf are called the Volos
Volos
Volos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki...
-Velestino plain. The hydrological network of Magnesia is not particularly rich and is characterized by the absence of big rivers. The waters coming from Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
shape the rivers Anavros
Anavros
The River Anavros is a torrent near the ancient city of Iolkos , flowing from Mount Pelion into the Pagasetic Gulf....
, Platanorema, and Xirias.
In the North section of Magnesia, Lake Karla
Lake Karla
Lake Karla is a former lake that sits at 60 to 80 m above sea level making it the only one in the plain of Thessaly. The lake is located at the northern end of the prefecture of Magnesia in the Pineios basin, adjacent to Pelion and Maurovouni mountains...
was formerly found. Lake Karla was drained in 1962, but attempts have been made for its partial restoration. On the bight of Sourpi
Sourpi
Sourpi is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Almyros, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 4,314 ....
, next to Amaliapolis
Amaliapolis
Amaliapoli is a village at the western part of the Pagasetic Gulf, in the Magnesia Prefecture of Greece, also known as Nea Mitzela. It was the northernmost border village of the newly independent Greek state, and was named after Queen Amalia, the first queen of the modern Greek state, in the 1840s....
a coastal wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
is located, with various species of migratory birds. This wetland together with the forest of Kouri - an infrequent lowland
Lowland
In physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. The term is thus applied to the landward portion of the upward slope from oceanic depths to continental highlands, to a region of depression in the interior of a mountainous region, to a plain of denudation, or...
of Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
tree forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
close to Almyros
Almyros
Almyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and...
- is included in the list of the protected regions of the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Network Natura 2000
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
.
Climate
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
is 17 degrees Celsius and the average rainfall about 540 millimetres per year. Heat waves and intense cold periods are rare. During the summer the temperature rises up to about 37 to 38 °C (98.6 to 100.4 F) in August. The climate varies in different parts of the prefecture; close to the Pagasetic Gulf
Pagasetic Gulf
The Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea...
conditions are humid, in Nea Ionia
Nea Ionia
Nea Ionia is a northern suburb of Athens, Greece, and a municipality of the Attica region. It has a surface train station . The suburb was named after Ionia, the region in Anatolia from which many Greeks migrated in the 1920s following the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey. It is...
it is quite dry and in Velestino and Almyros
Almyros
Almyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and...
is the climate is continental. In winter there is significant snowfall in the mountains and often freezing temperatures.
Administration
The regional unit Magnesia is subdivided into 5 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):- AlmyrosAlmyrosAlmyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and...
(2) - Rigas FeraiosRigas Feraios (municipality)Rigas Feraios is a municipality in the Magnesia peripheral unit, Thessaly, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Velestino. The municipality was named after the Greek writer and revolutionary Rigas Feraios, whose hometown Velestino is....
(6) - South PelionSouth PelionSouth Pelion is a municipality in the Magnesia peripheral unit, Thessaly, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Argalasti. It comprises the southern part of Mount Pelion.-Municipality:...
(Notio Pilio, 5) - VolosVolosVolos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki...
(1) - Zagora-Mouresi (4)
Prefecture
Magnesia was created as a prefecturePrefectures of Greece
During the first administrative division of independent Greece in 1833–1836 and then again from 1845 until their abolition with the Kallikratis reform in 2010, the prefectures were the country's main administrative unit...
. In addition to the territory of the present regional unit of Magnesia, the Magnesia Prefecture
Magnesia Prefecture
Magnesia Prefecture was one of the prefectures of Greece. Its capital was Volos. It was established in 1899 from the Larissa Prefecture. The prefecture was disbanded on 1 January 2011 by the Kallikratis programme, and split into the peripheral units of Magnesia and the Sporades.The toponym is...
included the Northern Sporades
Sporades
The Sporades are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea, in the Aegean Sea. It consists of 24 islands, of which four are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.-Administration:...
group of islands (Skiathos
Skiathos
Skiathos is a small Greek island in the northwest Aegean Sea. Skiathos is the westernmost island in the Northern Sporades group, east of the Pelion peninsula in Magnesia on the mainland, and west of the island of Skopelos.-Geography:...
, Skopelos
Skopelos
Skopelos , ancient Peparethos or Peparethus , is a Greek island in the western Aegean Sea. Skopelos is one of several islands which comprise the Northern Sporades island group. The island is located east of mainland Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea and is part of the Thessaly Periphery....
and Alonnisos). As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the prefecture was split into the Magnesia and Sporades
Sporades
The Sporades are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea, in the Aegean Sea. It consists of 24 islands, of which four are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.-Administration:...
regional units. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
| New municipality | Old municipalities | Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Almyros Almyros Almyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and... |
Almyros Almyros Almyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and... |
Almyros |
| Anavra Anavra Anavra is a village and a former community in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Almyros, of which it is a municipal unit. According to the census of 2001 the population of Anavra was 987 citizens... |
||
| Pteleos Pteleos Pteleos is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Almyros, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,881 . It contains several beaches, as well as a plethora of beach-bars, taverns, restaurants,... |
||
| Sourpi Sourpi Sourpi is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Almyros, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 4,314 .... |
||
| Rigas Feraios Rigas Feraios (municipality) Rigas Feraios is a municipality in the Magnesia peripheral unit, Thessaly, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Velestino. The municipality was named after the Greek writer and revolutionary Rigas Feraios, whose hometown Velestino is.... |
Feres Feres, Magnesia Feres is a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rigas Feraios, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 6,116 . The seat of the municipality was in Velestino .- Notable people :* Rigas Feraios , Greek... |
Velestino |
| Karla Karla, Greece Karla is a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rigas Feraios, of which it is a municipal unit. It is an agricultural area producing cereals, cotton and vegetables . The capital of the municipality was... |
||
| Keramidi Keramidi Keramidi is a village and a former community in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rigas Feraios, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 782 . Keramidi combines mountain and sea. It is situated at 300 meters above sea level and... |
||
| South Pelion South Pelion South Pelion is a municipality in the Magnesia peripheral unit, Thessaly, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Argalasti. It comprises the southern part of Mount Pelion.-Municipality:... (Notio Pilio) |
Argalasti Argalasti Argalasti is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Pelion, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is built on a fertile plateau, 40 km southeast of Volos. It is an important... |
Argalasti |
| Afetes Afetes Afetes is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Pelion, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 1,838 . The seat of the municipality was in Neochori... |
||
| Milies Milies Milies is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Pelion, of which it is a municipal unit. It is a traditional Greek mountain village, at a height of 400 m on Mount Pelion. It is 28 km from... |
||
| Sipiada Sipiada Sipiada is a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Pelion, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,358 . The seat of the municipality was in Lafkos.... |
||
| Trikeri Trikeri Trikeri is a town and a former community in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Pelion, of which it is a municipal unit. It lies at the westernmost point of the hook-like Pelion Peninsula on the Pagasetic Gulf. It also includes... |
||
| Volos Volos Volos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki... |
Volos Volos Volos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki... |
Volos |
| Agria Agria Agria is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It lies on the Pelion peninsula about 7 km from Volos.- Name :... |
||
| Aisonia Aisonia Aisonia is a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,031... |
||
| Artemida Artemida, Magnesia Artemida is a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 4,583 . The seat of the municipality was in Ano Lechonia.... |
||
| Iolkos Iolcos Iolcos is an ancient city, a modern village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located in central Magnesia, north of the Pagasitic Gulf. Its land area is only... |
||
| Makrinitsa Makrinitsa Makrinitsa , nicknamed "balcony of Mt. Pelion," is a village and a former community in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 5 km NE of Volos... |
||
| Nea Anchialos Nea Anchialos Nea Anchialos is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is situated southwest of Volos and north of Almyros. It is placed on the national highway... |
||
| Nea Ionia Nea Ionia, Magnesia Nea Ionia is a city and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It borders the city of Volos. The population at the 2001 census was 31,929 inhabitants. Its land area is... |
||
| Portaria Portaria Portaria is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located on Mt. Pelion, facing the Pagasetic Gulf, north of Volos and its suburbs... |
||
| Zagora-Mouresi | Zagora Zagora, Greece Zagora is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagora-Mouresi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The biggest village of Mt... |
Zagora |
| Mouresi Mouresi Mouresi is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagora-Mouresi, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population is 3,107 . The seat of the municipality was in Tsagkarada... |
Provinces
- Province of VolosVolosVolos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki...
- Volos - Province of AlmyrosAlmyrosAlmyros is a town and a municipality of the peripheral unit of Magnesia, periphery of Thessaly, Greece. It lies in the center of prosperous fertile plain known as 'Krokio Pedio', which is crossed by torrents, and produces wheat, tobacco, and other crops. Almyros is an important agricultural and...
- Almyros - Province of SkopelosSkopelosSkopelos , ancient Peparethos or Peparethus , is a Greek island in the western Aegean Sea. Skopelos is one of several islands which comprise the Northern Sporades island group. The island is located east of mainland Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea and is part of the Thessaly Periphery....
& SporadesSporadesThe Sporades are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea, in the Aegean Sea. It consists of 24 islands, of which four are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.-Administration:...
- Skopelos
Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Antiquity
According to HesiodHesiod
Hesiod was a Greek oral poet generally thought by scholars to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. His is the first European poetry in which the poet regards himself as a topic, an individual with a distinctive role to play. Ancient authors credited him and...
's (probably) "Eoiae" or "Catalogue of Women
Catalogue of Women
thumb|275px|[[Guido Reni]]'s first Atalanta e Ippomene , depicting the race of [[Atalanta]], a myth which was known to Reni from [[Ovid]]'s [[Metamorphoses]], but is now also represented by several fragments of the Catalogue of Women.The Catalogue of Women —also known as...
" on the origin of the Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Pandora (named after her grandmother Pandora
Pandora
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. As Hesiod related it, each god helped create her by giving her unique gifts...
, sister of Hellen
Hellen
Hellen , the son of Deucalion and Pyrrha, brother of Amphictyon and father of Aeolus, Xuthus, and Dorus. His name is also another name for Greek, meaning a person of Greek descent or pertaining to Greek culture, and the source of the adjective "Hellenic".Each of his sons founded a primary tribe of...
and daughter of Deukalion and Pyrrha
Pyrrha
In Greek mythology, Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora and wife of Deucalion.When Zeus decided to end the Bronze Age with the great deluge, Deucalion and his wife, Pyrrha, were the only survivors...
) together with Zeus had one son Graecus
Graecus
Graecus or Græcus was, according to Hesiod's "Eoiae" or Catalogue of Women on the origin of the Greeks, the son of Pandora II and Zeus...
, while Zeus had two more with Thyia
Thyia
According to a quotation from Hesiod's lost work Eoiae or Catalogue of Women, preserved in the De Thematibus of Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Thyia was the daughter of Deucalion and Pyrrha and mother of Magnes and Makednos by Zeus.In the Delphic tradition, Thyia was also the naiad of a spring on...
, another of Deukalion's daughter: Magnes
Magnes (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Magnes was a name attributed to two men.*Magnes, son of Zeus and Thyia, daughter of Deucalion, or of Aeolus and Enarete, or of Argus and Perimele, eponym and first king of Magnesia, and brother of Makednos...
and Macedon
Makednos
Makedon, also Macedon or Makednos , was the eponymous mythological ancestor of the ancient Macedonians according to various ancient Greek fragmentary narratives...
. Magnes and Makednos together with Hellen
Hellen
Hellen , the son of Deucalion and Pyrrha, brother of Amphictyon and father of Aeolus, Xuthus, and Dorus. His name is also another name for Greek, meaning a person of Greek descent or pertaining to Greek culture, and the source of the adjective "Hellenic".Each of his sons founded a primary tribe of...
's three sons Dorus
Dorus
-People:*Dorus de Vries, Dutch footballer*Dorus Rijkers, Dutch lifeboat captain*Stage name of Dutch comedian Tom Manders-Greek mythology:*Dorus, son of Hellen and founder of the Dorian nation*Dorus, son of Apollo and Phthia, and the father of Xanthippe...
, Xuthus
Xuthus
In Greek mythology, Xuthus was a son of Hellen and Orseis and founder of the Achaean and Ionian nations. He had two sons by Creusa: Ion and Achaeus and a daughter named Diomede.- Hesiod :...
(with his sons Ion and Achaeus
Achaeus, son of Xuthus
Achaeus was, according to nearly all traditions, a son of Xuthus and Creusa, and consequently a brother of Ion and grandson of Hellen. The Achaeans regarded him as the author of their race, and derived from him their own name as well as that of Achaia, which was formerly called Aegialus...
) and Aeolos, comprised the set of progenitors of the ancient tribes that formed the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
/Hellenic nation. Magnes ruled the area and people under his name. Magnesia is also homeland of the mythical heroes Jason
Jason
Jason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
, Peleus
Peleus
In Greek mythology, Pēleus was a hero whose myth was already known to the hearers of Homer in the late 8th century BCE. Peleus was the son of Aeacus, king of the island of Aegina, and Endeïs, the oread of Mount Pelion in Thessaly; he was the father of Achilles...
and his son Achilles
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Plato named Achilles the handsomest of the heroes assembled against Troy....
.
The word magnet
Magnet
A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.A permanent magnet is an object...
comes from the Greek "magnítis líthos" (μαγνήτης λίθος), which means "magnesian stone". The names for the elements magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
and manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
are also derived from this region, which in addition to the magnetic magnetite (an iron ore), produces certain ores of magnesium and manganese that were known to alchemists. The Magnetes contributed to the Greek colonization, with their main colonies being established before the 7th century BC, under the names of Magnesia beside Sipylus
Magnesia ad Sipylum
Magnesia ad Sipylum , was a city of Lydia, situated about 65 km northeast of Smyrna on the river Hermus at the foot of Mount Sipylus...
in Lydia and Magnesia on the Maeander
Magnesia on the Maeander
Magnesia or Magnesia on the Maeander was an ancient Greek city in Anatolia, considerable in size, at an important location commercially and strategically in the triangle of Priene, Ephesus and Tralles. The city was named Magnesia, after the Magnetes from Thessaly who settled the area along with...
in Ionia.
Christian era
Written accounts and remains from the 5th century AD document the appearance of Christianity in Magnesia. The minutes of the 3rd Ecumenical Conference are co-signed by the Bishop of Dimitriada Cleonikos. Five basilicas have been revealed in Nea Anhialos, showing that the area was undergoing a spiritual growth in that era. Magnesias has churches, monasteries and chapels, many of which are architectural masterpieces in the style that is called "Pelioritica".In the area of Pelion are the monastery of Saint Yerasimos in Makrinitsa, The Holy Archangels in Agios Georgios Nilias, Osios Lavredios in Agios Lavrendis, Saint John the Baptist in Siki and Saint Spiridon in Promiri. The most famous is the Monastery in Flamouri, built in the 16th century by Osios Simeon, the so-called "barefoot and loin-clothed", located above Veneto.
In the Almiros area and on the mountain of Othris two other monasteries were built, one inhabited by monks in Ano Pagania (Virgin Mary) Xenia and the other by nuns in Kato Panagia Xenia. This monastery holds historical monuments of the area from the 12th century, with of frescoes, treasuries and a library. In Kato Panagia Xenia monastery, an icon of the Virgin Mary, venerated by the people of the area, is kept. All the monasteries are of archeological, historical and artistic interest and are accessible (the one in Flamouri only by men).
Transport
The prefecture was linked to the National railway (ΟΣΕ) in the late-19th century. In 1964, the GR-1 North-South superhighway was opened to traffic. The prefecturePrefecture
A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
is directly linked to the rest of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
through International Airport of Central Greece
International Airport of Central Greece
Nea Anchialos National Airport is an airport located near the town of Nea Anchialos in Greece. It serves the city of Volos and is also known as Volos Central Greece Airport or Volos Nea Anchialos Airport of Central Greece....
, located in Nea Anchialos
Nea Anchialos
Nea Anchialos is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is situated southwest of Volos and north of Almyros. It is placed on the national highway...
, a short distance from Volos. The airport includes a terminal which can serve 1500 passengers per hour.
The prefecture's roads include:
- Greek National Road 1Greek National Road 1The Greek Motorway 1 is a motorway, partly under construction, and the 2nd longest in Greece. It is the principal north-south road connection in Greece, connecting the country's capital Athens with the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia, as well as the country's second largest city,...
/E75European route E75European route E 75 is part of the International E-road network, which is a series of main roads in Europe.The E 75 starts from Vardø, Norway in the Barents Sea and runs south through Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Republic of Macedonia to Sitia, Greece on...
, SW, W, NW - Greek National Road 6Greek National Road 6Greek National Road 6 is a highway in north-central Greece. It begins at the port of Igoumenitsa and ends at Larissa. Part of the new road is run under the name Egnatia Odos from Igoumenitsa to east of the tunnel at Metsovo. It has junctions of GR-19GR-5/20/E55, GR-15, GR-30 and finally at...
, Cen., NW - Greek National Road 30Greek National Road 30The Greek National Road 30 is a highway or route that links the cities of Volos, Karditsa, Trikala and Arta.-Information:...
, W, Cen.
Persons
- JasonJasonJason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
, ancient hero - PeleusPeleusIn Greek mythology, Pēleus was a hero whose myth was already known to the hearers of Homer in the late 8th century BCE. Peleus was the son of Aeacus, king of the island of Aegina, and Endeïs, the oread of Mount Pelion in Thessaly; he was the father of Achilles...
, ancient hero - Saint Charalampe, (89-202) Eastern Orthodox ChurchEastern Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
Saint - Rigas FeraiosRigas FeraiosRigas Feraios or Rigas Velestinlis was a Greek writer and revolutionary of Aromanian origin, active in the Modern Greek Enlightenment, remembered as a Greek national hero, a victim of Balkan uprising against the Ottoman Empire and a forerunner of the Greek War of Independence.-Early...
, the first GreekGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
revolutionary and poet, national hero - Giorgio de ChiricoGiorgio de ChiricoGiorgio de Chirico was a pre-Surrealist and then Surrealist Italian painter born in Volos, Greece, to a Genovese mother and a Sicilian father. He founded the scuola metafisica art movement...
, (1888–1978) - Anthimos GazisAnthimos GazisAnthimos Gazis was a scholar, a philosopher during the Greek Enlightenment, a cartographer and one of the heroes of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. He was born in Milies in Ottoman Greece in 1758 and died in 1828...
, (died 1828) - Alexandros PapadiamantisAlexandros PapadiamantisAlexandros Papadiamantis was an influential Greek novelist and short-story writer.-His life:Papadiamantis was born in Greece, on the island of Skiathos, in the western part of the Aegean Sea. The island would figure prominently in his work. His father was a priest...
, (1851)-(1911) - TheophilosTheophilos HatzimihailTheophilos Hatzimihail , known simply as Theophilos, was a major folk painter of Neo-Hellenic art...
, artist, (1871)-(1934) - Sofia VemboSofia VemboSofia Vembo was a leading Greek singer and actress active from the interwar period to the early postwar years and the 50s. She became best known for her performance of patriotic songs during the Greco-Italian War, when she was dubbed the "Songstress of Victory".Her real name was Efi Bebo...
, (1910–1978), musician, artist - Tzimis Armaos, (Volos--AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
1999), world champion wrestler - Vangelis, composer, born 1943
- Phaidon Gizikis (June 13, 1917 - July 17, 1999 in Athens), Greek politician
- Lavrentis Machairitsas, composer, musician
- Paraskevi TsiamitaParaskevi TsiamitaParaskevi Tsiamita is a former track and field athlete from Greece who competed in long jump and triple jump. In 1998 she improved her personal best in triple jump by approximately one metre, and became world champion in 1999 with a personal best jump of 15.07 metres...
, 1st World Champion 1999, Seville, Spain, triple jumpTriple jumpThe triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a... - Olga Vasdeki, 3rd World Champion 1999, Seville, Spain, triple jumpTriple jumpThe triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
- Vasilis Polimeros, 3rd Olympic Champion 2004, Athens Greece, scullingRowing (sport)Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
- Nikos Skiathitis, 3rd Olympic Champion 2004, Athens Greece, scullingScullingSculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
- Lavrentis DianellosLavrentis DianellosLavrentis Dianellos was a Greek actor. From 1948 to 1975, he appeared in 200 films, leading one reviewer to call him "ubiquitous."-External links:**...
, a Greek actor