Lower Macedonia

Lower Macedonia (Greek κάτω Μακεδονία, Kato Makedonía even lower Macedonia ) is a geographical term that summarizes the low-lying coastal landscapes of ancient Macedonia are described. Used this term was already in the 5th century BC by Thucydides, for his description of the dominions of the King Perdiccas II The room in question was roughly coincident with the present-day Greek region Central Macedonia, with the exception of the Chalkidiki peninsula.

Is bounded geographically Lower Macedonia to the west of the ridge of Vermio ( Bermion ), behind which rises Upper Macedonia, and in the southwest of the Olympos, which is the border with Thessaly. In the north, the mountain ranges of the Balkans, which were inhabited in antiquity by the Paioniern raise. In the east the valley of the Strymon marked ( goiter) the border to Thrace. In the south, situated on the Thermaic Gulf country has access to the Aegean Sea, with a straight coastline is interrupted by the Chalkidiki Peninsula, which is not counted for historical reasons to Lower Macedonia, although it was conquered in the late classical period.

Could be low Macedonia differed from the mountainous and characterized by a sparse vegetation Upper Macedonia by its abundance of water, which from the rivers Aliakmona, Lydia ( Loudias ) with its lake, Axios ( Vardar ) and Strymon ( Struma ) scooped and the conditions for an intensive agricultural use of its soil guaranteed. The country was inhabited in archaic times of various small tribes, which are occasionally added to the ethnic group of the Phrygians. From about the 12th century BC migrated from the mountains of Upper Macedonia coming the Macedonians in the coastal region and started down the country between Olympos and the Axios to occupied. The long-established tribes of Pierianer and Bottiaianer were displaced on the Chalkidiki and to Thrace, only their names remain connected with their former residences. Pieria, Bottiaia ( the Homeric Imathia ) and Amphaxitis with the Axios as border river were thus the first populated by the Macedonians Dutch areas that might result from an increasing population due to an urban civilization there, which resulted from the operating in high level agriculture. Major cities were among other Beroia, Aegae, Mieza, Edessa, Pydna, Dion, Pella and Europos. Among the first Argeaden Pieria and Bottiaia formed very early on a closed rule territory that became the basis of their future, the whole of Macedonia comprehensive kingship.

Under Perdiccas II and his immediate ancestors had been made in the 5th century BC, an expansion of royal power, by the end of the consolidation of Lower Macedonia was completed. To the north Almopia and the Axios were up the festivals Idomenai as a border to the Paioniern won. To the east was moved by the annexation of Mygdonia, Krestonia and Bisaltia the border to the Thracians from the Axios to the Strymon. Under Archelaus I. Aegae was abandoned as a royal palace, which was moved to the now more centrally located Pella.

The eastern border of Macedonia was only pushed back by Philip II in the middle of the 4th century BC on the Strymon addition to the Nestos. , By the conquest of Odomantika, Edonia and Pieris to Pangaion with its large gold deposits Major cities here were Amphipolis, Heraclea Sintike and Philippi. The neuannektierte land between Strymos and Nestos is however no longer counted in the historical region of Lower Macedonia. It comprised the western portion of the present territory of East Macedonia and Thrace.