Pherae

Pherae ( Ancient Greek Φεραί, also Phera, Pherae ) was an ancient city in Thessaly Pelasgiotis landscape, not far from the sea, in the mythology known as the seat of Admetus, whose son Eumelus was the leader of the Community Pheräer and Jolker before Troy.

The city Pherai controlled the only major port of Thessaly, Pagasae, and benefited from the export of grain and trade in other goods. With the growing prosperity of the city was formed in a middle class that made political claims. Towards the end of the Peloponnesian War Pherai location of an independent tyrannical rule, the longer time was on Greece had influence. This autocrat operated in the 4th century BC a highly expansionary policy and strove for hegemony over all of Thessaly. Based on the broad masses of traders and artisans - those non - aristocratic layer, which was meaningless political weight for so long - and established in the dependent Pherai port city Pagasae " Nautikos ochlos " it became the first Lycophron of Pherae, a quite popular to establish tyranny.

The social structure of the port city Pagasae differed from the other cities of Thessaly in so far as in you do not agrarian, but the mercantilist element and the sailors dominated. In addition, there was neither in Pherai still in Pagasae an old-established noble family, which facilitated the rise pursuit of new layer.

Among the tyrant of Pherae are out of Lycophron ( reign: to 406-390 BC), who in 404 BC won a battle against a noble army under the leadership of Aleuadae, Jason (around 375 BC), top commander of all Thessaly, whose son Lycophron and Alexander ( 359 killed ) should be mentioned.

Antiochus III. besieged and captured Pherai 191 of Syria, it had it left to the Romans but soon. The city had an acropolis and within its ramparts, the much-talked- source Hypereia which even now north of the city Velestino where the old Pherai few remains have received gushes. According to the ancient city of the municipality Velestino was renamed in Feres.