Pydna is also a rocket station of the American Army in Germany, see Pydna (rocket station)

Localization of Pydna

Pydna (in Greek: ?????, older transliteration: Púdna), also Pidna was a Greek city in ancient Macedon, the most important in Pieria. Modern Pydna is a rural municipality and coastal town in the northeastern part of the Prefecture of Pieria. Pydna is situated in fertile land to the north of the Pierian plain. Hills and mountains dominate the west, while beaches and the Thermian Gulf dominate the east. Pydna is linked with GR-1/E75 through its interchange to its west and in Kitros. The old highway ran through Pydna. It is located N of Larissa, NE of Katerini, ESE of Veria and WSW of Thessaloniki.

Nearest places

• Methone, north
• Korinos, southwest
• Katerini, southwest (County Town)

Ancient Pydna

Pydna was founded by Euboeans in early 7th century BC. Alexander I took the city (Thucydides I.131.1), but later Pydna regained its independence. It was besieged by the Athenians in 432 BC. Pydna was brought back under Macedonian rule in 410 BC by Archelaus, who reestablished the city twenty stadia further inland (Diodorus of Sicily 13.14). The Athenians seized Pydna in 364 BC, only to have it retaken eight years later by Philip II of Macedon, in spite of a secret agreement that bound it to Athens. Pydna was raided by Alexander the Great on his march on Persia. All 5 treasuries were looted and burned. Cassander besieged and captured Pydna in 317 BC and had the queen mother, Olympias, who had taken refuge there, put to death.

The Battle of Pydna (June 22, 168 BC), in which the Roman general Aemilius Paulus defeated King Perseus, ended the reign of the Antigonid dynasty over Macedon.

The site of the city is disputed but may correspond, according to epigraphic evidence agreeing with Byzantine tradition, to the village of Kitros rather than to Alonia.

Pydna is the location of a Macedonian tomb discovered and explored by Léon Heuzey during his archaeological expedition in 1867.

Modern Pydna

Pydna today is a town that is located near the archaeological site.

Other

Pydna has Primary and Secondary schools, banks, a post office, sports facilities, beaches located to the east, and traditional Greek "Plateia" - town and village "squares". (plateies).

Historical population

References

• Léon Heuzey, H. Daumet, Mission archéologique de Macédoine (Archaeological Mission in Macedonia), Paris, 1876, 239-266.
• R. Danoff, RE s. v. "Pydna", Suppl. X (1965), 833-842.

External links

• Livius, Pydna by Jona Lendering (ancient history of Pydna)
• Ancient Pydna
• http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/history/A0840609.html
• Mapquest - Pydna, street map not yet available
• http://www.musesnet.gr/etimes/BATTLE%20OF%20PYDNA.htm The Battle of Pydna
• The Third Macedonian War and the Battle of Pydna (168 BC) by John Foss

See also

• Communities of Pieria

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