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Achaea

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American Heritage Dictionary:

A·chae·a

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Achaea
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(ə-kē'ə) pronunciation also A·cha·ia (ə-kī'ə, -kā'-)

An ancient region of southern Greece occupying the northern part of the Peloponnesus on the Gulf of Corinth. The cities of the region banded together in the early third century B.C. to form the Achaean League, which defeated Sparta but was eventually beaten by the Romans, who annexed Achaea in 146 B.C. and later gave the name to a province that included all of Greece south of Thessaly.

Bible Dictionary and Concordance:

Achaia

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Region of Greece on the north coast of the Peloponnesus. Originally, the name referred to a small zone stretching across the Gulf of Corinth. Conquered by Rome in 146 B.C., it was administered as part of the Roman province of Macedonia. In 27 B.C. it became a separate province and the name "Achaia" was applied to all of the Peloponnesus and part of continental Greece. The province of Achaia came under senatorial administration and was ruled by a proconsul from its capital Corinth. Other towns in the province were Athens and Cenchrae. For some time Achaia and Macedonia were placed under imperial control and governed from the province of Moesia. In A.D. 44 Claudius restored it to the rank of a senatorial province. Achaia and macedonia are often mentioned together in the NT when referring to all of Greece.

Gallio was the proconsul at the time of Paul's stay in Achaia. Paul was brought before him by the Jews of Corinth to be judged because he preached "to worship God contrary to the law" (Acts 18:12-16). In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul mentions the generosity of the Christians of the province who had helped their needy brothers in Jerusalem (Rom 15:26). The apostle spent much time there and expressed his love for the churches of Achaia (II Cor 11:10-11). Paul mentions Epaenetus and Stephanas whom he had baptized and who were "the firstfruits of Achaia" (Rom 16:5; I Cor 16:15).

Concordance
Acts 18:12, 27; 19:21. Rom 15:26; 16:5. I Cor 16:15. II Cor 1:1; 9:2; 11:10. I Thes 1:7-8

Oxford Companion to Classical Literature:

Achaea

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Achaea, Achaeans (Achaioi). In historical times these denoted two regions and peoples, one in south-east Thessaly (Phthiotan Achaea), the other a narrow strip in the north of the Peloponnese between Elis and Sicyon, a territory comprising twelve small towns forming a loose confederacy. In Homer the names are used both in a restricted and in a general sense. They may denote the region and people in south Thessaly where Achilles lived, and also the people in the north-east Peloponnese (Argolis), the followers of Agamemnon who ruled Mycenae and the surrounding area. But they may also denote, by extension, Greece and the Greeks in general. Modern scholars sometimes use the name ‘Achaeans’ to refer to the Greeks of the Mycenaean period. Peloponnesian Achaea plays little part in Greek history until the third and second centuries BC when the Achaean Confederacy became the chief power in Greece. From 146 BC this area was attached to the Roman province of Macedonia, but in 27 BC the name Achaea was given to the senatorial province which included a large part of Greece.

Columbia Encyclopedia:

Achaea

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Achaea (əkē'ə), region of ancient Greece, in the northern part of the Peloponnesus on the Gulf of Corinth. It lay between Sicyon and Elis. There the Achaeans supposedly remained when driven from other parts of Greece by the Dorian invasion. The small Achaean cities eventually banded together in the First Achaean League, but exerted little influence. Later, however, the Second Achaean League became an important factor. After the downfall of the league, the name Achaea, or Achaia, was given to a Roman province in the Peloponnesus.

Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Achaea

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For the ancient region, see Achaea (ancient region). For other uses, see Achaea (disambiguation).
Achaea
Περιφερειακή ενότητα
Αχαΐας
—  Regional unit  —
Municipalities of Achaea
Achaea within Greece
Coordinates: 38°05′N 21°50′E / 38.083°N 21.833°E / 38.083; 21.833Coordinates: 38°05′N 21°50′E / 38.083°N 21.833°E / 38.083; 21.833
Country Greece
Region West Greece
Capital Patras
Area
 • Total 3,272 km2 (1,263 sq mi)
Population (2005)
 • Total 331,316
 • Density 100/km2 (260/sq mi)
Postal codes 25x xx, 26x xx
Area codes 261, 269x
ISO 3166 code GR-13
Car plates ΑΖ, AX
Website www.achaia.gr

Achaea (Greek: Αχαΐα Achaïa, [axaˈia]) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The capital is Patras. The population exceeds 300,000 since 2001.

Contents

Geography

Achaea borders on Elis to the southwest, Arcadia to the south and Corinthia to the southeast. The Gulf of Corinth lies to its northeast, and the Gulf of Patras to its northwest. The mountain Panachaiko (1926m), though not the highest of Achaea, dominates the coastal area near Patras. Higher mountains are found in the south, notably Aroania (2341m) and Erymanthos (2224m). Other mountain ranges in Achaea are Omplos and Movri. Its main rivers ordered from west to east are the Larissos, Tytheus, Peiros, Charadros, Selinountas and Vouraikos. Most of the forests are in the mountain ranges, though several are in the plains including the extreme west. There are grasslands around the mid-elevation areas and barren lands in the highest areas.

Achaea has hot summers and mild winters. Sunny days dominate during the summer months in areas near the coast, while the summer can be cloudy and rainy in the mountains. Snow is very common during the winter in the mountains of Erymanthos, Panachaiko and Aroania. Winter high temperatures are around the 10°C mark throughout the low lying areas.

Administration

The regional unit Achaea is subdivided into 5 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):[1]

Prefecture

As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Achaea was created out of the former prefecture Achaea (Greek: Νομός Αχαΐας). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.[1]

New municipality Old municipalities Seat
Aigialeia Aigeira Aigio
Aigio
Akrata
Diakopto
Erineos
Sympoliteia
Erymanthos Farres Chalandritsa
Kalentzi
Leontio
Tritaia
Kalavryta Kalavryta Kalavryta
Aroania
Lefkasi
Paion
Patras (Patra) Patras Patras
Vrachnaiika
Messatida
Paralia
Rio
West Achaea
(Dytiki Achaia)		 Dymi Kato Achaia
Larissos
Movri
Olenia

Provinces

Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.

History

Ancient Achaea

Main article: Achaea (ancient region)

Medieval and modern history

Achaea remained a province of the Byzantine Empire after the fall of the western Roman Empire. In the 6th and 7th centuries, Slavs invaded the Peloponnese, and settled in parts of Achaea as well. By the 9th century, the whole peninsula was under Byzantine control again. However, after the Fourth Crusade several new crusader states were founded in Greece. One of these was the Principality of Achaea, founded in 1205, which like the Roman province covered a much larger area than traditional Achaea. Achaea was recaptured by the Byzantine Empire by 1430, and became part of the Despotate of the Morea.

The Despotate of the Morea fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1460. As a part of the Morean War, the Republic of Venice captured Achaea in 1687, and held it until 1715, when the Ottoman recaptured it as a part of the Ottoman–Venetian War (1714–1718). Under Ottoman rule, it was part of the Morea Eyalet.

In the Greek War of Independence, Aigio was one of the first cities to be liberated by the Greeks and all of Achaea was liberated by the end of 1821. Achaea produced several heroes including Kanaris, Zaimis and Roufos and prime ministers of Greece including Andreas Michalakopoulos as well as some head of states.

In the first administrative subdivision of independent Greece, Achaea was part of the large Achaea and Elis Prefecture. This was divided into the prefectures of Achaea and Elis in 1899. Achaea and Elis were reunited in 1909, and split again in 1930.

Achaea saw an influx of refugees that arrived from Asia Minor during the Greco Turkish War of 1919-1922. Tens of thousands were relocated to their camps in the suburbs of Patras and a few villages mainly within the coastline. One of the camps was named Prosfygika.

Population

Karst field near Kato Loutsi north of Kastria in Achaea, Greece

Achaea today has about one-third of the population of the Peloponnese. Patras, the capital of Achaea, is the third largest city in Greece, behind Athens-Piraeus and Thessaloniki. Two-thirds of the Achaean population live near Patras, and more than half within the city limits. The main industrial areas are around Patras.

Main towns and cities

See also: List of settlements in Achaea

The main cities and towns of Achaea are (ranked by 2001 census population):

Culture

The monastery Agia Lavra is situated a few kilometres west of Kalavryta on the top of a hill. 12 to 20 km east, is Cave Lakes where lakes are inside this brilliant cave. It is open to tourists, and the length is around 300 to 500 m. The mountain hosts the most modern Greek telescope, named Aristarchus (after the ancient Greek astronomer - Aristarchus of Samos) and operated by the National Observatory of Athens A narrow gauge railway track runs for 30 km, mainly as a tourist attraction. The track begins near Kalavryta and ends off Diakopto.

Economy

Patras is one of the main industrial and commerce centers in Greece. Temeni is a place where the famous spring water Avra (Άυρα) is manufactured. It is owned by Tria Epsilon, a division of Coca-Cola Company and a parent. There is a small oil refinery near Rio.

Transport

Roads

Intercity bus transport is provided by KTEL Achaias. The main bus terminal is in the city of Patras.

The main highways are:

Railways

Achaea is connected to Corinthia, Elis and Attica by the Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways line Athens - Corinth - Aigio - Patras - Pyrgos - Kyparissia. Passenger service on the section Patras - Kyparissia has been suspended since 2011. The Diakofto–Kalavryta Railway is a rack railway, offering passenger service as well.

Communications

Newspapers, fanzines and others

Current newspapers

Ceased and defunct newspapers

Radio

  • ERA Patras - Rio
  • Super B - Patras
  • Top FM - 93 FM
  • Ionion FM - 95.8 FM
  • Radio Gamma - 96 FM
  • MFM
  • Radio Aigio - 99.2 FM
  • You FM - 100.1 FM (launched in 2006/2007)
  • Mojo FM - 107.9 FM

Television

Companies

  • Achaiki
  • Kronos Supermarkets - Patras

Persons

Sports

There are two skiing resorts, one on the Panachaicus west of the mountain top (elevation around 1700 m) east of Patras, it will be Nafpaktos's closest because of the new bridge (mid-2004) and the other on Aroania, sometimes still called Chelmos, near Kalavrita. It is Kalavrita's closest resort.

Sporting teams

Division rankings were as of the 2005-06 season for most teams, for football (soccer), they are run by the Achaea Football Clubs Association:

Teams with multiple sporting clubs
  • Achaios Saravali Patras - Saravali - fourth division
  • Anagennisi/Aias Sympoliteia - Rododafni
  • Apollon Patras
  • Atromitos Lappa
  • Atromitos Patras - Patras, fourth division
  • Diakopto AC - Diakopto - fourth division
  • Fostiras Ovrias FC - Ovrya, fourth division
  • Iraklis Patras - Patras, fourth division
  • A.O. Krini 97
  • NO Patras - Patras, fourth division
  • Olympiakos Aigio - Aigio, fourth division
  • Olympiakos Kamares - Kamares - fourth division
  • Olympiakos Patras - Patras - fourth division
  • Ormi Patras - Patras - fourth division
  • Panachaiki - Patras, second division
  • EA Patras - Patras, fourth division
  • Spartakos Ovrya - Ovrya - third division (as of 2007)
  • A.O. Thea - Thea
  • Thyella Aigio - Aigio
  • Thyella Patras F.C. - Patras, third division
  • A.P.S. Zavlani - fourth division
Basketball only
  • A.O. Skagiopouleio
Defunct and historic teams

Notes

  1. ^ a b Kallikratis reform law textPDF

References

  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
  • Bunson, Matthew (1994). Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. New York: Facts on File Inc.

External links
Area: 11,350 km² • Population : 740,506 (2001) • Capital: Patras
Regional unit of Achaea
Periferia Dytikis Elladas.png
Regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania
Regional unit of Elis
Regional governor: Apostolos Katsifaras (el) • Website: www.pde.gov.gr
From 1971, Attica Prefecture consisted of four prefecture-level units: Athens, East Attica, Piraeus, West Attica
From 1994, the prefectures of Athens and Piraeus; Drama, Kavala and Xanthi; Rhodope and Evros; were grouped intro super-prefectures
dates of first establishment in parentheses
today outside Greece: § in Northern Epirus ‡ in Eastern Thrace

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American Heritage Dictionary The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
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Bible Dictionary and Concordance Illustrated Dictionary & Concordance of the Bible. Copyright © 1986 by G.G. The Jerusalem Publishing House, Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more
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Oxford Companion to Classical Literature The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. Copyright © 1993, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more
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Columbia Encyclopedia The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more
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