Sperchiae

38°55′22″N 22°01′58″E / 38.922808°N 22.03278°E / 38.922808; 22.03278 Sperchiae or Sperchiai (Ancient Greek: Σπέρχεια) or Spercheiae or Spercheiai (Σπερχείαι)[1] was a fortress in Ainis in ancient Thessaly, which, according to the description of Livy, would seem to have been situated at no great distance from the sources of the Spercheius.[2] Ptolemy mentions a place Spercheia between Echinus and Thebes in Phthiotis;[3] and Pliny the Elder places Sperchios in Doris.[4] William Smith concludes it probable that these three names indicate the same place.[5] Livy relates that the place was destroyed by the Aetolians in 198 BCE.[2]

Sperchiae's site is at a place called Kastrorakhi.[6][7]

  1. ^ Mogens Herman Hansen & Thomas Heine Nielsen (2004). "Thessaly and Adjacent Regions". An inventory of archaic and classical poleis. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 684. ISBN 0-19-814099-1.
  2. ^ a b Livy. Ab urbe condita Libri [History of Rome]. Vol. 32.13.
  3. ^ Ptolemy. The Geography. Vol. 3.13.17.
  4. ^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia. Vol. 4.7.13.
  5. ^ Public Domain Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Sperchiae". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
  6. ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 55, and directory notes accompanying. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9.
  7. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.