Abdera, The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Ancient City
Abdera, an ancient city located on the coast of Thrace, Greece, near the mouth of the Nesto River (modern-day Mesta) and Lake Bistonis, holds a significant yet often overlooked place in ancient history. Today, its scarce ruins are on Cape Bulustra, near the small village of the same name in the Karagats Bay, around 15 km from Porto Lago, close to the Aegean Sea.
Abdera’s rich history, from its mythical foundation by Heracles to its intellectual prominence as the birthplace of renowned philosophers, makes it a fascinating study in the rise and fall of ancient cities, although it never regained its early prosperity after the Macedonian and Roman invasions.
Abdera location in Thrace and location of its metropolis Clazomenai and Teos.
Mythological Origins and Historical Foundations
Abdera’s origins are steeped in Greek mythology. According to legend, the city was founded by the hero Heracles at the site where his companion, Abderus, was torn apart by the wild horses of Diomedes, one of his Twelve Labors. However, the historian Herodotus attributes its foundation to a leader named Timesius and colonists from the Ionian city of Clazomenae (modern-day Klazomenai), an ancient city in Asia Minor (around 654 BCE). After its initial destruction by Thracian tribes, Abdera was refounded nearly a century later, around 540 BCE, by the people of Teos, among whom was the famous poet Anacreon. These settlers were fleeing Persian domination, though they eventually came under Persian control from 515/514 to 478 BCE, before gaining its independence again in 478 BCE. Despite these tumultuous beginnings, Abdera thrived, especially during the Persian Wars when Xerxes I used it as a military base for his campaign against Greece.
Flourishing Philosophy and Intellectual Life
Abdera’s most remarkable contribution to the ancient world was its intellectual output. The city became renowned for its philosophical school, producing some of the greatest minds of the era. Leucippus, the founder of atomism, and his student Democritus, are perhaps the most famous figures from Abdera. Democritus, in particular, expanded the atomic theory, proposing that all matter was composed of tiny, indivisible particles (atoms) in constant motion.
Another significant figure from Abdera was Protagoras, a pre-Socratic philosopher considered one of the first sophists. His famous dictum, "Man is the measure of all things," reflects the relativism that became a hallmark of his philosophical approach. Other notable thinkers include Anaxarchus, a philosopher of the Hellenistic period, and the poet Nicenetus.
Despite these prominent figures, a saying in Athens suggested that the air of Abdera caused stupidity. This reputation may have stemmed from the prevalence of malaria, which allegedly clouded the minds of its inhabitants. Thus, the term abderite, derived from the city’s name, came to mean "foolish" or "stupid." Centuries later, Vitruvius, the Roman architect, mentioned the people of Abdera in his critique of the implausibilities in ornamental painting, comparing them to the residents of Alabanda.
Political and Economic Prosperity
Abdera was not just a center of philosophical thought but also a prosperous city economically and politically from its earliest times. It became a member of the Delian League, contributing a substantial sum of 15 talents, indicating its wealth and influence. The city minted magnificent coins from around 500 BCE until the mid-4th century BCE. After falling under Macedonian rule, Abdera's fortunes began to decline. A series of military setbacks, including its invasion and destruction by the Thracian Triballi tribe in 376 BCE, significantly reduced the city's importance. Most of its defenders perished during this attack.
Macedonian and Roman Rule
From 352 BCE onward, the city largely remained under Macedonian control.
Abdera's wealth was also supported by its strategic location near key trade routes, which allowed it to flourish during the classical period.
The 3rd century BCE saw further decline for Abdera, as it was conquered by Lysimachus of Thrace, followed by the Seleucids, Ptolemies, and eventually the Macedonians again.
After the Battle of Cynoscephalae in 196 BCE, Abdera enjoyed nominal independence, which was reaffirmed in 184 BCE during a renewed rebellion led by Philip V of Macedon. However, despite its independence, it was sacked by Roman legions in 170 BCE during the Roman war against Perseus. In 148 BCE, Abdera was declared a "free city" by the Roman Senate, although it gradually lost its significance during the Imperial era.
In response to the citizens' appeal, the Roman Senate ruled in favor of Abdera, freeing those who had been enslaved. As a result, Abdera was one of three cities not annexed into the Roman province of Macedonia in 167 BCE, remaining free. The city later won a legal case in Rome against King Kotys of Thrace, maintaining its territorial rights. Although it continued to enjoy nominal freedom during the Roman Empire, its importance gradually diminished. The Roman road Via Egnatia bypassed the city, and the trade routes shifted to the nearby Hebrus (Maritsa) River.
The decline of Abdera was also accelerated by environmental factors. The city's declining political and economic significance, led to its eventual abandonment.
Church on the acropolis of Abdera/Polystylon, Greece
Abdera in Later Periods
Abdera’s story does not end with its classical decline. The discovery of a few coins and the remains of a probable early Christian church with a baptistery suggest that Abdera was not entirely abandoned. In the 9th century, the city was renamed Polystylon before falling under Ottoman rule. Defensive walls were built on the ancient acropolis, and within these walls, the remains of a Byzantine church have been uncovered. Other notable structures from the Byzantine period include a cemetery basilica and a necropolis dating from the 9th to 11th centuries CE.
Archaeological Discoveries
Despite its decline, Abdera has yielded significant archaeological finds, offering a glimpse into its ancient past. Excavations have uncovered a necropolis from the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, with many infant burials, as well as a sanctuary dedicated to a female deity, likely Demeter or a nymph. This sanctuary was originally constructed in the late 6th century and rebuilt between the late 4th and early 3rd centuries BCE. Pottery, terracotta figures, architectural remains, and coins found at the site confirm continuous occupation from the 7th century until the late 4th century BCE. Excavations also show that the ancient city was located to the north, but after the mid-4th century BCE, the urban center moved south, giving rise to the Hellenistic and Roman Abdera.
The reasons for these urban shifts are unknown, but geomorphological evidence suggests that the first colony, established during the Archaic period, was located at the bottom of a bay, now obliterated by the alluvial deposits of the Nestos River. Artifacts from the ancient city and its necropolis indicate that Abdera was under the cultural influence of Ionia during the Archaic period, as evidenced by Ionian-style stele, painted sarcophagi, and terracotta figurines.
A mosaic from House of the Dolphins, Abdera
During the Late Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods, Abdera had two ports and was surrounded by fortified walls, with an acropolis overlooking the western port. Among the private buildings unearthed are houses with mosaic floors, such as the House of the Dolphins, and workshops, including one belonging to a coroplast (a maker of terracotta figurines).
A stele depicting a horseman carrying a shield, followed by a young man with two spears, dating to the 3rd century BCE
Tombs from the Hellenistic period have been found within the northern area, which was no longer used for habitation at that time. The influence of Attic art in Abdera during the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE is evident through both imported works and local imitations.
One notable find is a stele depicting a horseman carrying a shield, followed by a young man with two spears, dating to the 3rd century BCE. This stele, now housed in the Sofia Museum, exemplifies the artistic skill and cultural exchange present in Abdera during its height.
Last update: October 23, 2024
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