Aetolia

Aetolia (also Aetolia, Greek Αιτωλία ) is a landscape in Greece, bounded on the west Acarnania, from which it is separated by the river Achelous, on the north by Epirus and Thessaly, to the east by the counties Evritania and Phocis ( in the antiquity Ozolian Locrians ), and on the south by the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth.

Ancient Aetolia

The region consists of two parts: called Altätolien from Achelous to Evenos and Calydon, also Kuretis, and Neuätolien (or the acquired Aetolia ), ranging from Evinos and of Calydon to the Locrians. On the coast, however, the land is flat and fertile, in the interior mountainous and barren. In the hills there were wild animals, which were celebrated in Greek mythology with the hunt for the Calydonian Boar.

The land was originally inhabited by Curetes and Leleges, but was colonized in the early days of the Greeks from Elis, led by the mythical Ätolus. Also mythical is the participation of the Aetolians under their king Thoas in the Trojan War.

They seem to have been united by an early type league, but only in the middle of the 3rd century BC, gained political importance and became an extraordinary rivals for the Macedonian kings and the Achaean Confederation. The Aetolians were fighting the Roman Republic on the part of Antiochus III. , And were after his defeat in 189 BC practically Roman subjects. After the subjugation of the Achaeans in 146 BC Aetolia was incorporated into the province of Achaea.

Today's Aetolia

In today's Greece Aetolia belongs to the region of Western Greece and is in the prefecture (administrative district ) Aitolo - Acarnania involved. The most important cities are Messolonghi ( administrative capital ), Nafpaktos ( Lepanto ), Aitoliko, Agrinio, Astacus, Amfilohia. In the southwest of the prefecture of the river Achelous flows into the Ionian Sea and forms the Mesolonghi Delta. A part of this delta is the Messolonghi Lagoon, one of the largest lagoons of the Mediterranean.

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