Pelagonia

Pelagonia (Greek Pelagonia Πελαγονíα; macedonian Pelagonija Пелагонија; Albanian Pellgania / Pellgazia; Bulgarian Пелагония ) is a region on the Balkan Peninsula. It is now in the south of Macedonia and northern Greece and is traversed by the upper reaches of the Crna Reka, a western tributary of the Vardar. At the landscape include the Macedonian Bitola and Prilep cities and the Greek town of Florina. In Pelagonia is located between the towns of Medzitlija and Niki also the second most important border crossing between Macedonia and Greece.

History

Pelagonia is named after the Illyrian tribe of the Pelagonier, which were among the first inhabitants of the region. The name Pelagonia might be etymologically pellg / u, Valley ' due to the Albanian word.

The ancient landscape ranged from Illyria to the north and west, the east and the peonies Lynkestis in the south. Strabo referred Pelagonia as Tripolitis, according to three main cities of the region, one of which allegedly also Pelagonia said. The Macedonian king Philip II verleibte a Pelagonia the territory of Macedonia, whose history it shares since then.

To 680 drew the Bulgarians enveloping Prince of Pannonia from the south, together with parts of Sermesianoi and abducted by the Avars settled in Pannonia 626 Roman prisoners, after a failed revolt against the Avars. After an unsuccessful siege of Thessaloniki ( 682-684 ), he concluded a treaty with the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IV Pogonatos and settled in the uninhabited area of Bitola (today Pelagonia ) down, which belonged to the Byzantine theme of Thessaloniki. There built enveloping 680 Khaganate, which was also named Bulgaria. The name of this Empire as Western Bulgarian kingdom is controversial.

Pelagonia was the site of the Battle of Pelagonia, Byzantines and Franks fought for supremacy in Greece in the in September 1259.

Use of the name

Pelagonia is now the name of one of eight statistical regions of Macedonia. It includes the municipalities of Bitola, Demir Hisar, Dolneni, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Mogila Novaci, Prilep and Resen. One of the seven dioceses of the Macedonian Orthodox Church corresponds to the statistical region and is called Prespa and Pelagonia.

After Pelagonia the so-called Pelagonian zone is designated a geological area that runs through the Balkan peninsula in south-southeast direction Pelagonia to Euboea, Boeotia and Argolis.