Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 7, 2026

Amyrus

Amyrus or Amyros was a town and polis (city-state) in Ancient Thessaly, in the western part of Magnesia, situated on a river of the same name falling into the lake Boebēis. It is mentioned by Hesiod as the "vine-bearing Amyrus." The surrounding country is called the Amyric plain by Polybius. Modern scholas identify the location of Amyrus at a place called Palaiokastro at the modern village of Gerakari. In Greek Mythology, Amyrus is either said to be one of the Argonauts or a son of sea god Poseidon and later gave his name to the city.

Last revised
Jul 7, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
268 w
Citations
7
Source
Map showing the principal cities of ancient Thessaly. Amyrus is shown to the east of centre, just inside the borders of Magnesia. source ↗

Amyrus or Amyros (Ancient Greek: Ἄμυρος)1 was a town and polis (city-state) in Ancient Thessaly,2 in the western part of Magnesia,3 situated on a river of the same name falling into the lake Boebēis. It is mentioned by Hesiod as the "vine-bearing Amyrus."4 The surrounding country is called the Amyric plain (τὸ Ἀμυρικὸν πέδιον) by Polybius.5 Modern scholas identify the location of Amyrus at a place called Palaiokastro (old fort) at the modern village of Gerakari.67 In Greek Mythology, Amyrus is either said to be one of the Argonauts or a son of sea god Poseidon and later gave his name to the city.

References

References

  1. Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v.
  2. Mogens Herman Hansen & Thomas Heine Nielsen (2004). "Thessaly and Adjacent Regions". An inventory of archaic and classical poleis. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 718. ISBN 0-19-814099-1.
  3. Gustav Hirschfeld: "Amyros 1" (in German). In: Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (RE). Vol. I,2, Stuttgart, 1894, col. 2011.
  4. Hesiod in Strabo. Geographica. Vol. IX, p. 442. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  5. Polybius. The Histories. Vol. 5.99.
  6. Talbert, Richard, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9, with accompanying Map-by-Map Directory.
  7. Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainSmith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Amyrus". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

39°39′37″N 22°41′36″E / 39.660329°N 22.693428°E / 39.660329; 22.693428