Thessaly: Map & History
Thessaly is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name.
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Thessaly is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears in Homer's Odyssey.
Modern Countries Once Part of Thessaly
At its mapped extent, Thessaly covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Thessaly's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Thessaly in Depth
History
Thessaly was home to extensive Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures around 6000–2500 BC (see Cardium pottery, Dimini and Sesklo). Mycenaean settlements have also been discovered, for example at the sites of Iolcos, Dimini and Sesklo (near Volos). In Archaic and Classical times, the lowlands of Thessaly became the home of baronial families, such as the Aleuadae of Larissa or the Scopads of Crannon.
In the summer of 480 BC, the Persians invaded Thessaly. The Greek army that guarded the Vale of Tempe was alerted by Alexander I of Macedon and evacuated the road before the enemy arrived. Not much later, Thessaly surrendered to the Persians. The Thessalian family of Aleuadae joined the Persians subsequently.
Economy
The alluvial soils of the Pineios Basin and its tributaries make Thessaly a vital agricultural area, particularly for the production of grain, cattle, and sheep. Modernization of agricultural practices in the mid-20th century has controlled the chronic flooding that had restricted agricultural expansion and diversification in the low-lying plains. Thessaly is the leading cattle-raising area of Greece, and Aromanian shepherds move large flocks of sheep and goats seasonally between higher and lower elevations.
In the last few decades, there has been a rise in the cultivation of dried nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and walnuts, especially in the region of Almyros. An increase in the number of olive oil trees has been also observed.
Popular culture
In the game, Hades II (the sequel to Hades), "The Rift of Thessaly" is a massive water rift made on Thessaly by the sea-god, Poseidon (Melinoë, the Protagonist's, paternal uncle), in an (unsuccessful) attempt to prevent the Titan of Time, Chronos's, forces from laying siege upon Mount Olympus. Here, the 'Helpful-Hand' character for Melinoë while on her quest is her fellow sorceress, Lady Circe, stationed up on her private isle of "Aiaia" prior by Lady Hecate to be her eyes and ears there.
Thessaly appears in Tom Clancy's EndWar as the European Union's southernmost missile defense uplinks.
Geography
Thessaly occupies the east side of the Pindus watershed, extending south from Macedonia to the Aegean Sea. The northern tier of Thessaly is defined by a generally southwest–northeast spur of the Pindus range that includes Mount Olympus, close to the Macedonian border. Within that broken spur of mountains are several basins and river valleys.
The easternmost extremity of the spur extends southeastward from Mount Olympus along the Aegean coast, terminating in the Magnesia Peninsula that envelops the Pagasetic Gulf (also called the Gulf of Volos), and forms an inlet of the Aegean Sea. Thessaly's major river, the Pineios, flows eastward from the central Pindus Range just south of the spur, emptying into the Thermaic Gulf.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Thessaly (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Thessaly Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Thessaly appears, with the other states of the time.
Thessaly Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 14,407 km² in 1298 CE.
Thessaly: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Thessaly exist?
Thessaly is dated to 1272 CE – 1332 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Thessaly?
The capital of Thessaly was Larissa.
How large was Thessaly at its peak?
At its peak in 1298 AD Thessaly covered about 14,407 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Cusco