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| O:Maenad with wine-wreath | R:nymphHistiaea seated onstern ofgalley IΣTI / AIEΩN |
| Silvertetrobol. This coin is probably a Roman imitation of an Histiaean issue struck inMacedonia during the Roman'smilitary campaign circa 168 BC. | |
Oreus orOreos (Ancient Greek:Ὠρεός,romanized: Ōreos), prior to the 5th century BC calledHistiaea orHistiaia (Ἱστίαια), alsoHestiaea orHestiaia (Ἑστίαια), was a town near the north coast ofancient Euboea, situated upon the riverCallas, at the foot ofMount Telethrium, and oppositeAntron on theThessalian coast. From this town the whole northern extremity of Euboea was namedHistiaeotis (Ἱστιαιῶτις,Ionic Greek:Ἱστιαιῆτις[1]) According to some it was a colony from theAtticdeme ofHistiaea;[2] according to others it was founded by the ThessalianPerrhaebi.[3] Another foundation story had it that the name Histiaea is said to derive from the mythical figureHistiaea, the daughter ofHyrieus.[4][5] It was one of the most ancient of the Euboean cities. It occurs in theCatalogue of Ships in theIliad, whereHomer gives it the epithet of πολυστάφυλος (rich in grapes);[6] and thePeriplus of Pseudo-Scylax mentions it as one of the four cities of Euboea.[7] It was an important city inclassical antiquity due to its strategic location at the entrance of theNorth Euboean Gulf, in the middle of a large and fertile plain.[8]
After theBattle of Artemisium (480 BC), when the Grecian fleet sailed southwards, Histiaea was occupied by thePersians.[1] Upon the expulsion of the Persians from Greece, Histiaea, with the other Euboean towns, became subject to Attica. In the revolt of Euboea fromAthens in 446 BC, we may conclude that Histiaea took a prominent part, sincePericles, upon the reduction of the island, expelled the inhabitants from the city, and peopled it with 2000 Athenian colonists. The expelled Histiaeans were said byTheopompus to have withdrawn toMacedonia, or byStrabo to Thessaly thence they transferred the nameHistiaeotis.[9][10][11][12] From this time we find the name of the town changed to Oreus, which was originally a deme dependent upon Histiaea.[13] It is true thatThucydides upon one occasion subsequently calls the town by its ancient name;[14] but he speaks of it as Oreus, in relating the second revolt of Euboea in 411 BC, where he says that it was the only town in the island that remained faithful to Athens.[15] Its territory was calledOria (Ὡρία).[16]
At the end of thePeloponnesian War, Oreus became subject toSparta; the Athenian colonists were doubtless expelled, and a portion at least of its ancient inhabitants restored; and accordingly we read that this town remained faithful to Sparta and cherished a lasting hatred against Athens.[17] Neogenes, supported byJason of Pherae, made himselftyrant of Oreus for a time; but he was expelled by Therippidas, the Lacedaemonian commander; and the AthenianChabrias endeavoured in vain to obtain possession of the town.[17] But shortly afterwards, before theBattle of Leuctra, Oreus revolted from Sparta.[18]Demosthenes describes the conquest of Oreus byPhilip II of Macedon in his 341 BCThird Philippic: in the war between Philip and the Athenians, a party in Oreus was friendly to Philip; and by the aid of this monarch Philistides became tyrant of the city;[19] but the Athenians, at the instigation of Demosthenes, sent an expedition against Oreus, which expelled Philistides, and, according to Charax, put him to death.[20]
In consequence of its geographical position and its fortifications, Oreus became an important place in the subsequent wars. In the contest betweenAntigonus I Monophthalmus andCassander it was besieged by the latter, who was, however, obliged to retire upon the approach ofPtolemy, the general of Antigonus.[21] In theFirst Macedonian War between theRomans andPhilip V of Macedon, it was betrayed to the former by the commander of the Macedonian garrison in 207 BC.[22] In theSecond Macedonian War it was taken by the Romans by assault in 200 BC.[23] Soon afterwards, in 196 BC, it was declared free byTitus Quinctius Flamininus along with the other Grecian states.[24][25]Pliny the Elder mentions it among the cities of Euboea no longer existent in his timec. 77 CE,[26] but it still occurs in the lists ofPtolemy writing in the second century CE, under the corrupt form of Σωρεός -Soreus orSoreos.[27]
Strabo says that Oreus was situated upon a lofty hill namedDrymus.[28]Livy describes it as having two citadels, one overhanging the sea and the other in the middle of the city.[22]
The present townsOreoi andIstiaia in northern Euboea were named after this city. The city is the title of atitular see of theRoman Catholic Church.[29] Its site is located near the kastro of the modern village of Oreoi.[30][31]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Oreus".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
38°56′48″N23°05′26″E / 38.946604°N 23.090527°E /38.946604; 23.090527