Orestis (region)

Orestis (Greek Ὀρεστίς ) called in ancient times those mountainous landscape of Greece, which is located at the headwaters of the river Aliakmona. It comprised roughly the country between the cities of Kastoria Kastoria on lake in the north and in the south Siatista, located in the present-day regional districts Kastoria and Kozani, in the region of Western Macedonia.

In ancient Orestis bordered to the west by the settlement area of Epirus, with the Boiongebirge as a natural border lines in the north and east by the landscapes and Lynkestis Eordaia, and on the south by the Elimiotis. With these three, and including the landscape Pelagonia Orestis represented one of the so-called upper mountainous Macedonia dar. Known ancient settlements were Keletron ( probably identical with Kastoria ) and Argos Orestikon.

The tradition of Strabo claimed that the country had received its name from Orestes, who stayed here during his flight to the matricide some time lived and founded Argos Orestikon. Also its its residents emerged from the connection of various Illyrian tribes and epirotischer, although he counted himself among the obermakedonischen tribes.

According to Appian the ancient Macedonian royal house of Argeaden was originally from Argos Orestikon. Although this statement is controversial in the history of science, in it an indication of the origin of the Macedonians is detected. Because even Thucydides knew to report that the original homeland of the Macedonians could be found in the mountains of Elimiotis and Lynkestis, from where they expanded into the fertile areas along the Dutch Thermaic Gulf. Because Orestis bordered on both landscapes, it is considered likely that there were joined by sections of the population expansion. While in the new niedermakedonischen landscapes formed a kingdom, which was increasingly connected to the Hellenic civilization, the mountain people of Orestis as well as that of other obermakedonischen mountainous regions remained for some time on a less civilized culture stage. It had its own princes, among whom there against the Macedonian royal house has maintained a loose dependency or even independence to the 4th century BC into it. In particular, Antiochus is the only known ruler of this landscape, which was described by Thucydides as "king ".

When exactly reached the final Orestis under the direct rule of the Macedonian royal house is not occupied. Perhaps could already Perdiccas III. BC subdue the region in advance of his Illyrerfeldzuges 359, but no later than during the reign of his brother Philip II the landscape entirely in the Macedonian state was integrated. The descendants of the royal house were now sent for training and education at the royal court in Pella, where they had to bail as hostages for the loyalty of their families and to be tied to itself ideologically to the royal house. 196 BC the Orestis became independent again when the Romans because of their support of Rome in this war declared after their victory in the Second Macedonian- Roman war on Philip V the region's residents for free.

Famous people

  • Prince Antiochus (5th century BC)
  • Pausanias, bodyguard and assassin of Philip II
  • Perdiccas and his brother Alcetes, both companions of Alexander the Great.
  • Craterus and his brother Amphoteros, both companions of Alexander the Great
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