Clitae (Macedonia)

Macedonia and the Chalcidice

Clitae or Klitai (Ancient Greek: Κλῖται) was a town of ancient Macedonia, the site of the Roman breakthrough of the Macedonian line during the Roman conquest of Macedonia.[1] Some have identified the town as the Chaetae (Χαῖται) – "Κλ" being mistaken for "Χα" – in Ptolemy.[2]

In the Delphic Theorodochoi inscription (230 BC), published by André Plassart, there is a mention of a man who was named Phaneas Solonos (Ancient Greek: Φανέας Σόλωνος) from Clitae.[3]

Clitae is mentioned by Pliny the Elder as a centre of natron production from the ancient lake Chalastra (Ancient Greek: Χαλάστρα), which is identified as the salt lake now known as Pikrolimni.[4][5][6] The chalestraion nitron (Ancient Greek: χαλεστραῖον [νίτρον]) produced in Clitae and used in Graeco-Roman glassmaking is mentioned by Plato in the Republic (430a) and praised for its high quality by Pliny.[4]

Combined with the identification of lake Chalastra with Pikrolimni and glassware found in the vicinity, the ruins of Clitae are considered to lie in a site near the modern village Xylokeratia of Kilkis prefecture, Greece.[4][5][6]

References

  1. ^ Livy. Ab urbe condita Libri [History of Rome]. Vol. 44.11.
  2. ^ [1] section 3.12.34.
  3. ^ Delphic Theorodochoi Inscription, 85
  4. ^ a b c Dotsika, E.; Poutoukis, D.; Tzavidopoulos, I.; Maniatis, Y.; Ignatiadou, D.; Raco, B. (2009). "A natron source at Pikrolimni Lake in Greece? Geochemical evidence". Journal of Geochemical Exploration. 103 (2–3): 133–143. doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2009.08.003.
  5. ^ a b Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 50, and directory notes accompanying. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9.
  6. ^ a b Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.

40°51′38″N 22°48′50″E / 40.8605622°N 22.8138491°E / 40.8605622; 22.8138491


Stub icon

This article about a location in ancient Macedonia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.