Oetaea orOitaia (Ancient Greek:Οἰταία) was a historic region ofancient Thessaly,Greece inhabited by theOetaeans (Οἰταῖοι). It was the mountainous district aroundMount Oeta in the upper valley of theSpercheius, and to the east ofDolopia. The Oetaeans appear to have been the collective name of the various predatory tribes, dwelling upon the northern declivities of Mt Oeta, who are mentioned as plundering both theMalians on the east, and theDorians on the south.[1] The most important of these tribes were theAenianes (Αἰνιᾶνες - Aeniānes), called Eniēnes (Ἐνιῆνες) byHomer[2] andHerodotus,[3] an ancient HellenicAmphictyonic race.[4][5] They are said to have first occupied the Dotian plain inPelasgiotis; afterwards to have wandered to the borders ofEpirus, and finally to have settled in the upper valley of the Spercheius, whereHypata was their chief town.[6] Besides Hypata, which was the only place of importance in Oetaea, we find mention ofSperchiae andMacra Come byLivy,[7] and ofSosthenis (Σωσθενίς),Homilae (Ὅμιλαι),Cypaera (Κύπαιρα) andPhalachthia (Φαλαχθία) byPtolemy.[8]
Oetaea formed a political unit in antiquity. It minted silver and bronze coins with the following legends: «ΟΙΤ», «ΟΙΤΑ», «ΟΙΤΑΩΝ», and «ΟΙΤΑΙΩΝ».[9]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857)."Thessalia".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
Media related toOetaea at Wikimedia Commons | This article about a location inancient Thessaly is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |