Читать книгу The Herodotus Encyclopedia - Группа авторов - Страница 31

MATTHEW A. SEARS

University of New Brunswick

Abdera was an important city with a fertile plain on the Aegean coast of THRACE, just east of the mouth of the NESTUS RIVER (BA 51 D3). Known for its produce and fishing, Abdera dominated one of the best overland routes from the AEGEAN SEA to the ISTER (Danube) River and EUXINE (Black) Sea. Abdera was colonized primarily by the Ionian city TEOS in the mid‐sixth century BCE, after an earlier settlement of the site by CLAZOMENAE (1.168). Thereafter, Abdera was a center of Greco‐Thracian relations (cf. 7.137.3), and much of the population seems to have been a mixture of Greeks and Thracians who followed many Thracian practices, including the worship of DIONYSUS.

Abdera may have served as a naval base for Persian operations under DARIUS I in the 490s (6.46–48). During XERXES’ invasion of Greece in 480, Abdera enthusiastically supported the Persians. On its way to Greece, Xerxes’ army was provisioned from Abdera, which prompted one Abderite (MEGACREON) to quip that if Xerxes’ forces had needed two meals from the city, the residents would have been better off fleeing than being crushed by the expense (7.120). Upon Xerxes’ retreat after the Battle of SALAMIS, Abdera was so welcoming to the king that he declared a pact of FRIENDSHIP with the city and presented the residents with a GOLD sword (akinakēs) and gold TIARA. Herodotus also reports, though does not believe, the Abderite claim that their city was the first place Xerxes felt safe enough to undo his belt (8.120). This story is remarkable because it shows no sign that Abdera was later ashamed of its association with PERSIA.

SEE ALSO: Colonization; Medize; Nymphodorus; Persian Wars; Sources for Herodotus; Timesius