Achaea

This article is about the modern Greek prefecture Achaea. For other uses see Achaea (disambiguation).

Achaea (Greek :Αχαΐα Achaïa, IPA: [axaˈia]; Ἀχαΐα in polytonic orthography) is an ancient province and a present prefecture of Greece, on the northern coast of the Peloponnese, stretching from the mountain ranges of Erymanthus and Cyllene on the south to a narrow strip of fertile land on the north, bordering the Gulf of Corinth, into which the mountain Panachaicus (1,902 m, the northernmost mountain range in the Peloponnese) projects.

Achaea is bounded on the west by the territory of Elis, on the east by that of Sicyon, which, however, was sometimes included in it. The population in 2001 had reached over 300,000.

Geography

Its geography features the Omblos and Marathia mountains to the east, Erymanthos to the centre, Chelmos or Aroania in the southeast, Skollis in the southwest, Movri and Mavros Oros to the west. Rivers ordered from west to east include the Larissos, Tytheos, Parapeiros and Charadros to the northwest and Selinountas, Vouraikos and several others to the east. 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.

Climate

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 Erymanthus, Panachaicus and Aroania. Winter high temperatures are around the 10°C mark throughout the low lying areas.

Provinces

Province of Aigialeia - Aigio
Province of Kalavryta - Kalavryta
Province of Patras - Patras
Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.

Municipalities and communities

Former municipalities

Erymanthia - existed until 1913, it covered the western and the central portions of the Erymanthos mountain range except in the Elis side.
Panachaia - existed until the late-1940s, it covered the western portion of the Panachaiko mountains hence its name which is the current eastern portion of the city of Patras.

Main towns and cities

Here are the cities ranked by the largest, as of 2003.

Patra (Patras) 150,000 (est.), (met. about 200,000)
Aigion 30,000 (est.)
Rhion
Ovrya
Kato Achaia
Aigeira
Akrata
Kalavryta
Vrachnaiika
Mintilogi
Paralia
Alissos
Ptéri
Chalandritsa
Diakopton/Diacopton
Psathopyrgos

History

The origin of the name has given rise to much speculation; Achaean is a common term for the Greek troops in Homer. Possibly corresponding are the Ahhiyawa of 13th century BC Hittite texts. The Achaeans proper in the Catalogue of Ships are from Argos and Tiryns. However, one theory is that the Achaeans were driven to this region by the Dorian invaders of the Peloponnese. Another Achaea, in the south of Thessaly, called sometimes Achaea Phthiotis, has been suggested to be the cradle of the original tribe.

In Ancient Roman times the name of the province of Achaea was given to the whole of Greece, except Thessaly, most of Epirus, and Acarnania. It is in this latter enlarged meaning that the name is always used in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 18:12, 27; 19:21; Romans 15: 26; 16:5). It was conquered and incorporated into the Roman Empire in the year 146 BC. Emperor Augustus established Achaea as a senatorial province; generally speaking, the region benefited from the enlightened attitude of Roman emperors such as Augustus. This was because Achaea was geographically closer to Rome than other provinces, and so it was given political advantages and greater status in order for the Roman court to maintain a political equilibrium within the empire.

The rule of Achaea in Roman times was placed under the Senate while a preconsul of Praetorian rank was appointed as its governor with the administrative seat in Corinth. However, Rome exercised fairly light control over Achaea: no Roman garrisons were posted there, native religious and social groups were widely tolerated by the Romans, and a general sense of free determination amongst the Greeks was commonplace.

After the reign of Augustus the province of Achaea was combined with Macedonia from the years 15 until 44, coinciding with the frontier troubles. This combined imperial province was overseen by a governor placed at Moesia along the Danube River.

In the year 67, Emperor Nero declared Greece to be politically free from the Roman Empire, and the Greeks began their own autonomous rule. However, Roman authority over Greece was reestablished soon after with Emperor Vespasian, who placed the province once again in the hands of the Roman Senate.

Roman control over Achaea was firm until the reign of Diocletian in the late 3rd century, yet it remained a Roman province and later a Byzantine one.

In the 13th century the Principality of Achaea was founded in Greece after the Fourth Crusade.

The Principality of Achaea fell to the Ottoman Empire in the mid-15th century. The area was later invaded by the Venetians in the late-16th and the 17th centuries and later invaded by the Ottomans again.

In 1821, it became part of Greece. During the Greek War of Independence, Aigio was the first city to be liberated by the Greeks and several villages days after as well as the city of Patras. Achaea or Achaia later 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 years of the country, the prefecture amalgamated to form the prefecture of Achaea-Elis of Achaea and Elis until 1899 and covered an area of around 6,000 km², the older enlarged again in 1909 and did not finally split again until 1936. The area of Mataragka remained historically Ilia until the 1990s along with the area of Vouprasi.

Georgios Mavrommatis (ran in 1828) was the first prefectural head in modern Achaea and Georgios Glarakis was the first leader that ran in the 1830s.

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

After World War II and the Greek Civil War, many of its buildings were rebuilt and this work took several years.

In the 20th century, the area which excluded Metochi reverted from Ilia as the municipality of Kalotychia became Vouprasias. That part had been a part of Ilia, then Elis during the ancient times. Another reorganization reverted Mataranga and Spata into the prefecture of Achaia and the municipality of Larissos.

A mid-1994 late-night (around 3 AM local time) earthquake rumbled the area with a magnitude around 5 on the Richter scale. This was a minor one. It was after another earthquake. A forest fire consumed the northern part of the Panachaicus in the mid-1990s. Many municipalities were recreated between 1994, several more and 1997 and several others in 1998 which revived Tritaia, Movri, Erymanthos, Kalavryta and many more. Every administrative community became municipal and communal districts.

Population

Achaea today has about one-third of its peninsula's inhabitants and two-thirds of Achaia living in the Patra area which is the capital of Achaea and the Peloponnese, and more than half of the population live in the city (municipality). It is also the third largest city in Greece excluding Piraeus. The main industrial area is 20 km south of the city near Fares, and Tsoukoulaiíka and Vrachnaiíka.

Aigion is a seaside city with a city hall and a city square is in its heart. The population is around 30,000.

Culture

Kalavrita is a town situated more than 70 km to the east via the road from Achaea's capital. A few kilometres to its west is a monastery situated on the peak of the hill. Its name is Aghía Lávra. 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 [http://www.astro.noa.gr/ASC_2.3m/ngt_main.htm National Observatory of Athens] A narrow gauge railway track runs for 30 km, mainly as a tourist attraction. The track begins near Kalavrita and ends off Diakopton.

Economy

Patras is one of the main industrial and commerce centers in Greece.

Temeni is a place where the famous spring water Avra (Άυρα) or Aúra is manufactured. It is owned by Tria Epsilon, a division of Coca-Cola Company and a parent.

There are no oil refineries except for a small refinery near Rio.

Transport

There are two main bus terminals in the cities of Patras and Aigio.

The main highways are:

E55, NW, N-Cen., N
E65, N, NE
GR-5, N-Cen., N
GR-8 (longest), old national road, N, NE
GR-8A, superhighway/new national road, N, NE
GR-9, old and new, N-Cen., NW, W
GR-31 (Aigio - Pteri), NE, E-Cen.
GR-33, N-Cen., SW, S, SE
GR-48, N-Cen., N
GR-62 (Kato Achaia - Araxos), NW (length: 13 km)
Aigeira-Akrata Road
Kalavryta-Diakopto Road
Kalavryta-Kato Kleitoria Road
Patras By-Pass
Patras-Kalavryta Road

Pavement began in the 1960s, the 1970s and the 1980s

A bypass which bypasses Patras begun construction in 1990, and extended construction to GR-33 in 1992, Savalia in 1993, East Patra or Patras in 1995, and in 1998 into GR-8. Lights were installed in the early 2000s on the beltway, and opened to traffic on late 2003. It starts from near Roitika and ends just south of Rhion.

GR-8 was the first superhighway, along with GR-5 in the prefecture. The beltway is the second, and the bridge will be the third. Its length now has almost 100 km of superhighway. Its length was only 70 to 75 km until 2003.

The Rio-Antirrio bridge, which started construction in 2000 (though plans had been made throughout the 1990s, and was supposed to begin in those years), opened in mid-2004, connecting the mainland and the Peloponnese. This eliminated much of the ferry service which has been used for about half a century for automobiles. Since then, there is only the rare ferry service in the city of Aigio(n), which is the ferry route to Aghios Nikolaos in Phocis.

A future superhighway between Patras and Pyrgos was announced in the winter of 2003 and will be in plan, but no date has been set.

Communications

Newspapers, fanzines and others

Current newspapers

''Achagiotika Nea'' - Kato Achaia
''Allagi'' - Patras
''Elliniki Dimokratia'' - Patras
''Epi ta proso'' - Patras
''Evdomada'' - Patras
''Filodimos'' - Aigio
''Frouros tis Anatolikis Aigialeias'' - Akrata and eastern Aigaleia
''Ta Gegonota tis Achaias'' - Achaea
''I Gnomi'' - Patras
''Imera'' - Patras [http://www.imeranews.gr]
''Imerisios Kyrix'' - Patras
''Kosmos tis Patras'' - Patras
''Paraliaki'' - Patras
''Pelopas - uncertain
''Patraiki Evdomada'' - Patras
''Politis ton Patron'' - Patras - political
''Proodos'' - Patras
''Proti tis Aigaleias'' - Aigio and Aigaleia
''Simerini'' - Patras
''Splats'' - a fanzine based in Patras
''Sport Week'' - Patras - sports
''Sportivo west'' - Patras - sports
''Styx'' - Akrata
''Symvoulos Epocheiriseon'' - Patras
''Toxotis'' - uncertain

Ceased and defunct newspapers

Achaikos Kyrix - an older newspaper of Patras
Tachydromos tis Anatolis - Patras, one of the few newspapers that were only published in French

Radio

ERA Patras - located in Rio next to the Rio Junction with the new GR-9/E55 and the GR-5/E55 and the GR-48/E65
Super B - Patras
Top FM - 93 FM
Ionion FM - 95.8 FM
Radio Gamma - 96 FM
Step FM - 97 FM (former)
MFM
Radio Aigio - 99.2 FM
You FM - 100.1 FM (launched in 2006/2007)
Fasma FM (from Etoloakarnania?)
ANT1 Radio Patras - somewhere 106 FM
Mojo FM - 107.9 FM

Television

Achaia Channel - Patrast
Patra TV - Patras
Super B - Patras
Tele Con - extinct
Tele Time - regional
AXION - Aigio

Companies

Achaiki
Kronos Supermarkets - Patras

Persons

Actor, mythological legend
Georgios Agouris, journalist and writer
Alexon, ancient figure
Timoleon Ambelas, a writer
Anchialus, mythological legend
Dimitrios Andrikopoulos-Boukaouris, Mayor of Patras
Antheia, mythological legend
Antonis Antonopoulos, Mayor of Patras
Argyra, mythological legend
Autonous, ancient figure
Bolina, ancient figure
Bryson of Achaea, ancient figure
Ioannis Boukaouris, Mayor of Patras
Anastasios Charalambis General and Prime Minister for one day in 1922.
Vasileios Chatzis, an artist
Vasileios Christopoulos, an artist
Giannis Chontrogiannis, a revoltionary leader
Danielis, ancient figure
Kostas Davourlis Footballer of Panachaiki
Theodoros Deligiannis a Prime Minister of Greece
Ioannis Diakidis
Stavros Dilios
Rena Dor, actress
Karolos Drakopoulos
Dymas, ancient figure
Eperatus, ancient figure
Eurypylus
Spyros Fokas, an actor
Fotilas family:
Asimakis Fotilas, a revolutionary leader
Panagiotakis Fotilas, a revolutionary leader
Amvrosios Frantzis, a revoltionary leader
Giorgos Giannias, a revolutionary leader
Komaitho, a mythical legend
Konstantinos Gkoufas, a revolutionary leader
Konstantinos Goudas, writer and politician
Dimitrios Gounaris a Prime Minister of Greece
Helike, ancient queen
Ion, mythological legend
Antonios Kalamogdartis, a revolutionary leader
Periklis Kalamogdartis, mayor of Patras
Athanasios Kanakaris-Roufos, a revolutionary leader
Ioannis Karamdanis
Panagiotis Karatzas, a revolutionary leader
Andreas Kassis
Kostas Katsouranis Footballer - European Champion (Euro 2004)
Taso Kavadia
Konstantinos Konstantopoulos a Mayor of Patras and Prime Minister of Greece
Andreas Kontogouris, a revolutionary leader
Nikolaos Kontopoulos
Christos Korillos
Christos Laskaris
Afroditi Laoutari, anactress
Kostas Logaras
Lontos family:
Anastasios Lontos
Andreas Lontos, a Mayor of Patras
Andreas Ch. Lontos
Loukas Lontos
Nikolaos Lontos
Sotirakis Lontos
With other Family Members:
Giorgos Strait?
Dimitrios Maximos
Vassilis Makris, an artist
Memos Makris, an artist
Dimitrios Maximos a Prime Minister of Greece
Melanippus, ancient fiture
Andreas Michalakopoulos a Prime Minister of Greece
Andreas Mikroutsikos
Mnisimache
Betty Moschona, an actress
Molurus, ancient figure
Thanos Mikroutsikos, an artist
Myscellus
Eleni Oikonomopoulou, an artist
Kostis Palamas national Greek poet
Ioannis Papadiamantopoulos (older)
George Papandreou (senior) a Prime Minister of Greece
Georgios Papadopoulos Leader of the military junta
Georgios Papandreou (historian), an unrelated historian and linguist
Panos Paparigopoulos, an artist
Theodoros Papasimiakopoulos, a revolutionary leader
Dionysis Papayannopoulos, an actor
Patreas
Timos Perlegkas
Petimeza/Petmeza family:
Anagnostis Petimezas, a revolutionary leader
Konstantinos Petimezas, a revolutionay leader
Konstantis Petimezas, a revoltuionary leader
Nikolaos Petimezas (elder)
Ioannis Petralias, a revolutionary leader
Roufos Family:
Angelos Roufos
Benizelos Rouphos a Prime Minister of Greece
Ioannis Roufos
Vasilis Roufos
Selemnus, mythological legend
Dimitris Sotiriadis
Panagiotis Skagiopoulos
Sokratis Skartsis, poet
Gerasimos Skiadaretis, actor
Konstantinos Skourletis, mayor of Patras
Markos Sklivaniotis
Socrates of Achaea, ancient figure
Sostratus of Dyme, an ancient figure
Sostratus of Pellene, an ancient Greek Olympian
Konstantinos Stefanopoulos President of Greece
Anagnostis Striftobolas, a revolutionary leader
Epameinondas Thomopoulos, an artist
Sotirios Theocharopoulos, a revolutionary leader
Georgios Tofalis
Dimitrios Tofalos Olympic Champion
Georgios Triantis, Mayor of Patras
Spyridon Vassiliadis, poet
Xenofon Verykios
Gerasimos Volos, an artist
Dimitrios Votsis, mayor of Patras
Spyros Vrettos, poet
Alexandros Zaimis a Prime Minister and President of Greece

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 Achaia Football Clubs Association:

Teams with multiple sporting clubs
Achaiki - Kato Achaia, third division
Achaikos Kato Achaias
Achaios Saravali Patras - Saravali - fourth division
Achilleas Ovrias FC - Ovrya, fourth division
Achilleas Patras AC - Patras, fourth division
Achilleas Kamaron
AEK Patras FC - Patras, fourth division
Aetos Patras - Patras, fourth division
Agiou Dimitriou FC
Aias Anthoupoli
Aias Avythiou
Anagennisi/Aias Sympoliteias - Rododafni
Apollon Eglykada
Apollon Patras
Apolloniada Patras
Aris Patras
Aris Valimitika
Aris Logos
Arla A.C.
A.O. Ampelokipi Patras
A.O. Anagenisi Patras
Agyia FC - Patras (Agyia), fourth division
Albatross Glyfadas Patras - Patras, fourth division
AS Apollo Eglikadas, fourth division
Aris - fourth division
Asteras Temenis
Astrapi Psarofai - Patras (Psarofai), fourth division
Atlantida Girokomeiou - Patras - third division (as of 2007)
Atromitos Lappa
Atromitos Patras - Patras, fourth division
Atromitos Zarouchleika Patras - Patras (Zarouchleika) - fourth division
Dafni FC
Dafni Kalavrita
Diagoras Vrachneika - Vrachneika
Diakopto AC - Diakopto - fourth division
Doxa Chalandritsas FC - Chalandritsa, fourth division
Doxa Elaionas - Elaionas
Doxa Paralias - Paralia, fourth division
Dimi A.O.
Doxa Niforeika
Egieas Egion
Elpida Egklykadas - Egklykada, fourth division
Esperos Patras
Ethnikos Aigio
Ethnikos Patras - Patras, fourth division
Ethnikos Sageika - Sageika, fourth division
Faraikos - Farres
Filia Patras - Patras, fourth division
Floga Kalamaki
Floga Rodia - Rodia
Fostiras Ovrias FC - Ovrya, fourth division
Galini Patras
Galaxidi - Demenika
Ikaros Petrotou
Ikaros Lakopetras
Iraklis Patras - Patras, fourth division
Iraklis Leykas
Iraklis Zachloritika - Zachloritika
A.O. Kagkadi
A.O. Kallithea
A.O. Kaminia
A.O. Kalavrita
A.O. Krini
A.O. Krini 97
P.A.O. Kritikon Patras
Kypros Patron AC - Patras, fourth division
Posidvn Elikis
A.E. Limnochori - Limnochori
Megas Dikefalon
Metochi F. C. - Metochi
Milon Ovrias
NE Patras - Patras, fourth division
Niforeika F.C. - Niforeika
Niki Nikoleika - Nikoleika or Nikolaiika
Niki Proasteio
NO Patras - Patras, fourth division
APS Olympiakos - fourth division
Olympiakos Aigio - Aigio, fourth division
Olympiakos Kamares - Kamares - fourth division
Olympiakos Patras - Patras - fourth division
Olympiacos Soudeneika
Olympiada
A.O. Omonia Patras
Ormi Patras - Patras - fourth division
Pampatraikos - Patras - third division (as of 2007)
Panachaiki - Patras, second division
Panachaikos Souli
Panaigialeios - fourth division
Panathinaikos Skagiopouleiou - fourth division
Panionios Achilleas Agyias AU - Patras (Agyia), fourth division
P.A.O. Kosmos
Pelopas Patras
Perivola A.O.
APS Patrai - Patras, fourth division
Patraikos AC - Patras, fourth division
PAS Patraikos - Patras, fourth division
EA Patras - Patras, fourth division
Patreos - Patras, fourth division
Perivoila F.C.
Peteinoi F.C.
Pigasos Begkoulariou FC, fourth division
Pirsos Patras
A.O. Polyteknos
Poseidonos Patras AU - Patras, ceased
Proodevtiki - fourth division
A.O. Psilalonia Patras
A.O. Romanos - Romanos
Skakistikos Omilos Patras - Patras, fourth division
Spartakos Ovrya - Ovrya - third division (as of 2007)
T.A.D. '93 Aigiou
A.O. Thea - Thea
Thyella Aigeira - Aigeira
Thyella Aigio - Aigio
Thyella - Patras, third division
Thyella Skiada - third division
Tritaiikos Stavrodromi - Stavrodromi
A.O. Vasilikou
A.O. Vounteni
A.O. Vouprasio
A.O. Vouraikos Diakopto
A.P.S. Zavlani - fourth division
A.O. Ziria

Basketball only
A.O. Skagiopouleio

Defunct and historic teams
Foinikas Patras - Patras
Lefkos Asteras - Patras
Olympiakos Kato Achaia - Kato Achaia
Thriamvos Patras - Patras, now part of EPA Patras

Translation

The word "Achaea" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Simple English.

Translation(s) in other languages: Arabic: آخايا, Catalan: Acaia, German: Achaia, Greek: Νομός Αχαΐας, Spanish: Acaya, Esperanto: Aĥeo, French: Achaïe, Korean: 아카이아 현, Croatian: Prefektura Ahaja, Italian: Acaia, Hebrew: מחוז משנה אכאיה, Latin: Achaea (nomus Graeciae), Dutch: Achaea (departement), Norwegian (Bokmål): Akhaia, Norwegian (Nynorsk): Akhaía, Polish: Achaja (nomos), Portuguese: Acaia (Grécia), Romanian: Ahaia, Russian: Ахайя, Slovak: Achája (historické územie), Serbian: Префектура Ахаја, Finnish: Akhaia, Swedish: Achaia, Turkish: Achaea (il), Ukrainian: Ахея, Waray-Waray: Akhaia, Chinese: 阿哈伊亞州.