Geography

Most of Attica is covered with hills, consisting of limestone and marble, and is currently only bare, devoid of vegetation. Only the higher parts of Kiferon and Parnassus, as well as the northwestern slopes of Pentelikon, are covered with pine and spruce forests. The base of the entire mountain system is Kiferon (now Elatea, the so-called spruce hill, highest point which rises to 1411 m above sea level). Kiferon separates Attica from Boeotia with his main ridge; Attica is separated from Megara by its branch going to the south and bearing the name Kerata (horns); Parnassus (now Ocea), reaching 1413 m, merges with the southeastern spurs of Kiferon, which the northeastern ramifications, now bearing separate names (Belettsi, Armeni, Mavrovuno, Tsastany, Stavrokoraki, Kotroni), extending to the eastern edge of the region, form in this part Attica is a real mountainous country (Diacria or Epacria of the ancients). The southern continuation of Parnassus is the Aegaleos rising much lower above the sea, which in the southern part, where it juts into the sea against the island of Salamis, is called Korydallos (now Scaramantha), and in the middle, where it is cut through by a gorge that connects the plains of Athens and Eleusis is called Pekilion. In the northeast, the Athenian plain is bordered by Brilettos, or, as it was commonly called from the area lying on its southern slope, Pentelikon (now also Menteli). This is a pyramidal hill reaching 1110 m in height with extensive, still successfully exploited marble quarries, which deliver excellent white marble of the finest grain, which goes to buildings and statues. A valley 4 km wide in the south separates the base of the Pentelikon from the southern belt, almost exclusively consisting of bluish-gray marble, which in ancient times was used for architectural purposes. This ridge - Gimet (now Trelovuno) - rises to 1027 m, is almost devoid of forest vegetation, but is covered with fragrant grasses and therefore is inhabited by wild bees that give excellent honey. The eastern edge of the region (at the ancient Paralia) is cut through by less high chains of hills, which to the south of Gimet, where the peninsula narrows, join into one ridge - the Lavrion Highlands, which is enclosed by a steeply sloping cape - Sounium, on which the ruins of the temple of Athena still rise , according to the columns of which the cape is still called by the sailors of Cap Colonnese. The mountains of Lavrion, in terms of their riches in silver, were of great importance to Attica in antiquity; but these mines, at first very profitable, were so intensively exploited that already immediately after the beginning of AD. e. I had to stop mining. Only at a later time did they try, and not unsuccessfully, to take advantage of the slags left over from previous works.

The mountains stretch partly directly to the sea, partly alluvial land accumulated to their soles, forming more or less wide coastal plains, many of which were known in antiquity. The most remarkable of them is the Marathon Plain (belor.)Russian on the north bank. It is a lowland 9 km long and 2-4 km wide, with a vast swamp to the northeast. Here in 490 BC. e. the Persian army was defeated by the Athenian army. There are only three more significant plains, which either, starting at the coast, stretch far inland, or are completely separated from the sea, there are only three in the country: 1) the Athenian plain, often called simply "plain" (pedion); 2) the smaller Triassic Plain, separated from the Athenian Aegaleos Mountains (so called after the ancient area of ​​Tria) and 3) the plain between Gimet and the lower mountain ranges of the eastern coast, which connects to the Athenian plain through the valley that separates Pentelikon from Gimet.

Irrigation of the country is extremely poor. The most significant streams flow along the Athenian plain, namely: Kefiss, which begins at the southwestern foot of Pentelikon in the rich forest of Kefisia, fed by various tributaries from Parnassus. It flows through the plain in the southwest direction and to the west of the city is diverted into numerous canals for irrigation of vegetable gardens and plantations; Ilissus begins at the northern foot of Gimet, flows at the eastern and south side the city and southwest of it is lost in the sands. In addition to them, it is necessary to mention another Kefis of the Eleusinian Plain, the Enoe stream cutting through the Marathon Plain (so named after the ancient area lying to the north of Marathon) and Erasinos, which flows further south of the eastern coast, near the ancient area of ​​Arafen (now Rafina).

History

The population of the country, not to mention some of the Pelasgic elements of the prehistoric era and the huge number of foreigners who subsequently permanently resided in Athens, belonged in antiquity to the Ionian tribe. The inhabitants called themselves autochthonous, that is, indigenous, since their ancestors originated directly from the soil of the country and from time immemorial the land was in their continuous possession. Like all Ionic peoples, the inhabitants of Attica fell into four tribes or classes (phylae): geleons (noble), hoplites (warriors), aegikoreans (shepherds in general and goats in particular) and ergadei (farmers). According to legend, in the country from time immemorial there were 12 independent cities or unions of communities. These were part of separate, even later existing settlements, such as Cecropia (later Athens), Eleusis, Dhekelea and Afidna (the last two in the north of the country), Brauron (in the middle of the east coast), Torikos (in the southernmost part of the east coast), Kyteros (location unknown), Sfethos and Kefisia, part of the unions of several settlements, like Epakria (northern Mountain country), Tetrapolis (union of four cities) on the Marathon plain and Tetrakomiya (union of four villages) in the very south of the Athenian plain. According to legend, Theseus united these 12 communities into one political entity, the capital of which was Athens.

Administrative divisions in ancient times

The division of the people into 4 phylae remained both under the kings and under the archons. Even the legislator Solon did not abolish this division, but in parallel with it, partly wishing to reduce the influence of the ancient aristocratic families, partly in order to lead to a more equitable distribution of the tax burden among citizens, created a new division of citizens into 4 classes according to their property. Only Cleisthenes abolished the ancient Ionian division by tribes and replaced it with the division of the people into 10 phyla, each of which bore the name of an ancient Attic hero (eponym). Each of these phyla embraced a certain number of communities (demos) that lay in different parts of the country. As a rule, each not very significant area constituted a special “demu”, while large ones, like the cities of Athens and Brauron, fell apart into several demu. The number of dem was not the same in different time: - at the beginning of the Christian era there were 371. Thanks to writers and inscriptions, the names of about 180 dem have come down to us, but the location of many is now impossible to establish. The total number of citizens fluctuated, judging by the history of Thucydides and censuses, during the heyday of the state, to the Peloponnesian War, within 80-100 thousand. The number of those who stood under the auspices of the metecs reached 40,000, the number of slaves reached 400,000, so that the total number of free and non-free population exceeded 500,000. The increase in the number of Phil (10) by two new ones took place in 307 BC. e. Out of a desire to flatter Demetrius Poliorketa, the latter were named after him and the name of his father Antigonus - Antigonis and Demetriada. But the first one was renamed in 265 BC. e. in honor of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus in Ptolomaida, the second in honor of the Pergamon king Attalus I in Attalis. Finally, under the emperor Hadrian, the 13th Phila was annexed and named Adrianides after this benefactor of the city of Athens.

Political structure in antiquity

Politically, Attica was in ancient times the most centralized region of Greece. Main city was not only the seat of the administration, but the court, as well as the people's assemblies, in whose hands, since the time of the democratic reforms begun by Cleisthenes and completed by Pericles, the supreme decision of all state affairs was concentrated. The significance that Attica, thanks to its main city of Athens, had in the political and cultural life Ancient Greece can only be properly assessed in relation to the presentation of the general history of Greece.

Administrative division

On the map of prefectures (nomes), the decentralized administration of Attica is divided into 4 nomes (nomarchies), shown on the map below:

Following the 2011 administrative reform, the decentralized administration of Attica consists of 65 municipalities.

Agriculture and Fossils

The soil of the country is almost entirely a light, rather thin layer of stony limestone, which is not very suitable for the cultivation of wheat, more for barley and grapes, but especially for olive and figs, and therefore the latter, both in ancient times and now, are the main products of the country and items of its export. Cattle breeding is significant even today, and in ancient times, Attic wool enjoyed great fame. In the mountains, not to mention the already depleted silver mines of Lavrion, excellent marble is mined; the soil in many places, especially on the coastal strip running southwest of the harbor of Piraeus and the Falernian Bay and ending at the foothills of Kolias (now Gagios Kosmas), gives excellent clay for dishes, and therefore pottery was a flourishing branch of industry in ancient Athens and his products were very popular.

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• Attica // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.

Excerpt from Attica

For a minute I felt very scared - the words of the North were too reminiscent of the sayings of Karaffa! .. But in my "rebellious" soul, I did not want to agree that the bloodthirsty killer - Dad - could be at least something truly right ...
- This slavish "faith" was still needed by the same Thinking Dark ones to strengthen their dominance in our fragile, still nascent world ... to never allow him to be born again ... - Sever continued calmly. - Precisely in order to more successfully enslave our Earth, the Thinking Dark Ones found this small, but very flexible and vain Jewish people, understandable to them only. Due to its "flexibility" and mobility, this people easily succumbed to the influence of others and became a dangerous instrument in the hands of the Thinking Dark Ones, who found the Prophet Joshua who once lived there, and cunningly "intertwined" the story of his life with the story of Radomir's life, destroying the real biographies and planting false ones, so that naive human minds would believe in such a "story". But even the same Jewish Joshua also had nothing to do with the religion called Christianity ... It was created by order of Emperor Constantine, who needed a new religion in order to throw a new "bone" to the out-of-control people. And the people, without even thinking, gladly swallowed it ... This is still our Earth, Isidora. And it will take a very long time for someone to change it. Very long time ago people will want to THINK, unfortunately ...
- Even if they are not ready yet, Sever ... But you see, people very easily open up to the “new”! So does this not show exactly that humanity (in its own way) LOOKS for a path to the present, that people strive for the TRUTH, which there is simply no one to show them? ..
- You can show the most valuable Book of Knowledge in the world a thousand times, but it will do nothing if a person cannot read. Isn't it, Isidora? ..
- But you TEACH your students! .. - I exclaimed with anguish. - They, too, did not know everything at once, before they came to you! So teach humanity !!! It's worth not disappearing! ..
- Yes, Isidora, we teach our students. But the gifted, who come to us, are able to do the main thing - they know how to THINK ... And the rest are still only "led". And we have neither time nor desire for them, until their time comes, and they are not worthy of one of us to teach them.
Sever was absolutely sure that he was right, and I knew that no arguments could convince him. Therefore, I decided not to insist more ...
- Tell me, Sever, what of the life of Jesus is real? Can you tell me how he lived? And how could it happen that with such a powerful and loyal support, he still lost? .. What happened to his children and Magdalene? How long after his death did she manage to live?
He smiled his wonderful smile ...
- You reminded me now of young Magdalene ... She was the most curious of all and endlessly asked questions to which even our wise men did not always find answers! ..
Sever again "went" into his sad memory, again meeting there with those for whom he still so deeply and sincerely yearned for.
- She was indeed an amazing woman, Isidora! Never giving up and not feeling sorry for herself, just like you ... She was ready at any moment to give herself up for those she loved. For those whom she considered more worthy. And simply - for LIFE ... Fate did not spare her, bringing down the weight of irreparable losses on her fragile shoulders, but until her last moment she fiercely fought for her friends, for her children, and for everyone who remained to live on earth after her death Radomir ... People called her the Apostle of all Apostles. And she truly was him ... Only not in the sense in which the Hebrew language, which is alien to her in essence, shows her in her "sacred writings." Magdalene was the strongest Vedunya ... Golden Mary, as people called her, who at least once met her. She carried with herself the pure light of Love and Knowledge, and was completely saturated with it, giving everything without a trace and not sparing herself. Her friends loved her very much and, without hesitation, were ready to give their lives for her! .. For her and for the teaching that she continued to carry after the death of her beloved husband, Jesus Radomir.
- Forgive my meager knowledge, Sever, but why do you always call Christ - Radomir? ..
- It's very simple, Isidora, his father and mother once called him Radomir, and it was his real, generic name, which really reflected his true essence. This name had a double meaning - the Joy of the world (Rado - peace) and the Light of Knowledge that brings the world, the Light of Ra (Ra - do - peace). And the Thinking Dark ones called him Jesus Christ, when they completely changed the history of his life. And as you can see, it firmly "stuck" to it for centuries. The Jews have always had many Jesus. This is the most common and very common Hebrew name. Although, funny as it may seem, it came to them from Greece ... Well, and Christ (Christos) is not a name at all, and that means in Greek it means “messiah” or “enlightened one” ... It is only asked if in the Bible says that Christ is a Christian, then how then can one explain these pagan Greek names that the Thinking Dark ones themselves gave him? .. Isn't it interesting? And this is only the smallest of those many mistakes, Isidora, which a person does not want (or cannot! ..) see.
- But how can he see them if he blindly believes in what is being presented to him? .. We must show it to people! They must know all this, Sever! - again I could not resist.
- We don't owe people anything, Isidora ... - Sever answered sharply. “They are quite happy with what they believe in. And they don't want to change anything. Do you want me to continue?
He again tightly fenced himself off from me with a wall of "iron" confidence in his righteousness, and I had no choice but to nod in response, not hiding the tears of disappointment that came through ... It was pointless even to try to prove anything - he lived in his " correct "world, without being distracted by minor" earthly problems "...

- After the cruel death of Radomir, Magdalena decided to return to where her real House was, where she was once born into the world. Probably, we all have an inherent craving for our "roots", especially when, for one reason or another, it becomes bad ... mysterious Occitania (today's France, Languedoc) and it was called the Valley of the Magicians (or also the Valley of the Gods), famous for its harsh, mystical majesty and beauty. And there was no person who, having once been there, would not have fallen in love with the Valley of the Mages for the rest of his life ...
“Forgive me, Sever, for interrupting you, but the name of Magdalene ... didn't it come from the Valley of the Magicians? ..” I exclaimed, unable to resist the discovery that shocked me.
- You are absolutely right, Isidora. - Sever smiled. - You see - you think! .. The real Magdalene was born about five hundred years ago in the Occitan Valley of the Mages, and therefore they called her Mary - the Mage of the Valley (Mage of the Valley).
- What is this valley - the Valley of the Mages, North? .. And why have I never heard of such a thing? My father never mentioned such a name, and none of my teachers spoke about it?
- Oh, this is a very ancient and very powerful place, Isidora! The land there once gave extraordinary strength ... It was called the "Land of the Sun", or "Pure Land". It was created by hand, many millennia ago ... And there once lived two of those whom people called Gods. They protected this Pure Land from the "black forces", as it kept the Gates of the Interworld, which no longer exist today. But once upon a time, a very long time ago, it was the place of arrival of otherworldly people and otherworldly news. It was one of the seven "bridges" of the Earth ... Destroyed, unfortunately, by the stupid mistake of Man. Later, many centuries later, gifted children began to be born in this valley. And for them, strong, but unintelligent, we created a new "mateora" there ... Which we named - Raveda (Ra-Vedat). It was, as it were, the younger sister of our Meteora, in whom Knowledge was also taught, only much simpler than we taught it, since Raveda was open, without exception, to all gifted ones. The Secret Knowledge was not given there, but only what could help them live with their burden, what could teach them to know and control their amazing Gift. Gradually, various gifted people from the most distant ends of the Earth, eager to learn, began to flock to Raveda. And because Raveda was open just for everyone, sometimes "gray" gifted ones also came there, who were also taught the Knowledge, hoping that one fine day their lost Light Soul would return to them.

Attica - historical area Greece, which is located near the modern capital. Spread out on a picturesque peninsula in the southeast of Greece, it served as the cradle of ancient culture. It is difficult to imagine a more suitable place for exploring Hellas and relaxing in the bosom of nature, among wonderful beaches, amazing mountains and emerald greenery.

Geographic features

Atika on the map of Greece resembles a triangle that runs along the sea coast and extends to the central part of the country. In its vastness is the capital, the port of Piraeus and several cozy resort towns. The terrain is predominantly hilly, surrounded by limestone and marble mountains... Their peaks are poorly covered with vegetation, but the intermontane plains amaze with all shades of dense greenery.

The coastal part is very winding, there are numerous sandy beaches... The shores are washed by the blue waters of the Sardonic Gulf. The beaches are very clean and beautiful, many of them boast blue flag- the highest environmental award for cleanliness and safety.

Myths and historical facts

From the few surviving sources, it follows that the first settlers, the Ionian Greeks, occupied the territory of Attica as early as two millennia BC. Although Plato in his works claims that the inhabitants of Attica did not come from other lands, but have always lived here. Numerous archaeological excavations testify to the fact that a person has long settled in this territory.

Later, the society was divided into small communities, each of which worshiped a different god. Periodically, wars arose between the settlements, which were also considered wars between the gods - the patrons of the communities. At the same time, the affected community and its god did not disappear completely, but simply changed the importance of one or another patron. Gradually, as a result of several internecine wars, a single pantheon was formed.

After the expansion of Attica and the inclusion of Athens, next to the Acropolis and the temple of Athena, sanctuaries and other gods of the indigenous settlements began to appear. Athens, on the other hand, turned into a bright pearl of Greece, where culture, art, philosophy were actively developing, and new foundations of the state were formed.

Attractions of the region

Attica - a land with the rich historical heritage- boasts many attractions. For the most part, these are the ruins of temples and other important structures, as well as places where the fate of the ancient Greeks was decided. Let us dwell on just a few of the most interesting sights of Attica.

Temple of Poseidon- a majestic structure, which is located at Cape Sounion - the southernmost point of Attica. It seems that the god of the seas is still washing the remains of his temple, which nestles almost at the cliff at an altitude of 60 m. It is best to visit here in the late afternoon, when the rays of the setting sun pass through the preserved columns.

Acropolis – the oldest fortress in Athens, which is awe-inspiring even today. Important historical events have left many marks on the boulders. The Acropolis is a fairly large multi-level complex that you can wander around for a long time in search of unusual places and backgrounds for photography.

In the vicinity of Athens there is Daphne monastery- the Byzantine heritage of Greece. Initially it was built in honor of Apollo, but later the monastery passed into the possession of Christians, then the building was used as a fortress wall and even as a psychiatric hospital.

Aegina- a small island off the coast of Attica in the Sardonic Gulf. Here you can endlessly admire the beautiful landscapes, as well as numerous churches. On a small area of ​​land, there are 365 religious buildings. The abandoned city of Palayochora is of no less interest.

Near Athens, in the thick of a cypress forest, an ancient monastery is hidden. It is located at the base of Mount Imittos, next to a healing spring. The structure is striking in size, beautiful architecture, mosaics and frescoes.

Resorts of Attica

Once your mind is full of sightseeing, it's time to go to the beach. There are several cozy towns with developed infrastructure along the coast. They are united under the name "Athenian Riviera"... It is difficult to find a deserted or secluded corner here, but there is everything for comfortable rest: yacht clubs, bars, hotels and nightclubs.

Just 15 km from the center of Athens is the famous Glyfada... Here you can have a fun night out in the many clubs, and in the afternoon go to the huge golf course.

Lagonissi- a less noisy and very comfortable resort. It is ideal for measured family vacation on the Aegean coast. The calm sea with a shallow bottom and the beach with the finest sand let you forget about the time. After lunch, you can stroll through the dense lemon groves.

Loutraki- a town where you can not only enjoy the calm beach vacation, but also to improve health in the famous hospitals. The mild climate and healing springs will return health and youth to everyone.

Vouliagmeni- a prestigious resort with expensive hotels and luxury villas. The city has a lake of the same name, famous for its healing springs. With their help, it is possible to get rid of many serious diseases of the skin, bones, nervous system and reproductive organs. The city is home to the most beautiful coniferous forests.

The maximum cosmetic effect will have a rest in Sounione... There are many beauty centers that use cosmetics based on local herbs, flowers and mineral complexes.

Things to do?

Attica is a place where everyone will find something to their liking. Most tourists start their acquaintance with sightseeing or relaxing on the famous beaches. In addition to passive lying on the shore and swimming, you can ride a scooter or water ski, as well as enjoy the views from a pleasure yacht.

Adults and children alike will enjoy spending time in the water park. Lovers of the underwater world will be able to scuba dive. There are several diving centers on the beaches.

Connoisseurs of gambling and stormy nightlife will not be ignored. They can head to the bustling casino in Loutrak or the many nightclubs along the coast.

Shopping

In Attica, there are areas where people go for shopping even from neighboring countries. In the center of Athens there are shopping centers and boutiques selling jewelry and furs. In memory of this paradise, they buy aromatic herbal teas, leather products, cosmetics based on minerals and olive oil, oil itself and olives, as well as ceramic products from the masters of Marusya.

How to get there?

Since the capital of Greece Athens is located in Attica, there will be no problems with the flight. The city has a large international Airport which accepts direct flights from different parts of the world.

You can get to more remote towns by comfortable regular buses or trains. They run regularly in the suburbs. In order not to depend on the schedule, you can rent a car and create your own route for exploring the region.

You can get to the island of Aegina by ferry from the port of Piraeus. It delivers passengers every hour from early morning until sunset.

encyclopedic Dictionary

Attica

in antiquity, the area in the southeast Wed. Greece. In modern Greece, Attica is one of the nomes (center is Athens).

The ancient world. Reference dictionary

Attica

(from Greek- coastal country)

peninsula, one of the largest areas in the southeast of the Middle. Greece. Its mountains are branches of Kiferon, a steep rocky ridge that formed the natural border of Africa with Boeotia and Megara. Among the mountain ranges are the plains: Eleusis, Kekrop, Mesogei and Marathon. The small rivers A. Kefis and Asop were shallow, the land was barren. But the industriousness of the farmers compensated for the scarcity of the land: olives, grapes, figs, millet, spelled, and barley were grown in Armenia. There was a lot of limestone and marble in the mountains, suitable for building. Silver, iron ore and clay were mined in Lavrion, which contributed to the early development of crafts, and thanks to the large reserves of table salt, the population began to preserve food, initiating the development of an entire industry.

The population of Albania considered themselves to be autochthonous. OK. X century. BC, under the legendary king Theseus, it began to unite under the rule of Athens, but this process was long and stretched for centuries. By the VI century. BC. Athens became the center of economic and political transformations in Armenia.The large centers of Armenia were Eleusis, Piraeus, Forikos, Ramnunt, and others.

(IA Lisovyi, KA Revyako. The Ancient World in Terms, Names and Titles: Dictionary-Reference Book on the History and Culture of Ancient Greece and Rome / Scientific Ed. AI Nemirovsky. - 3rd ed. - Minsk: Belarus, 2001)

Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Attica

(Greek ή Αττική, which means "coastal country") - the southeastern region of Central Greece, a connecting link between the Balkan Peninsula and the Archipelago, approximately 2200 sq. km of space; It borders on the north with Viotia, in the west with Megara, and on the south and east it is washed by the sea. Most of Albania is covered by elevations of limestone and marble, and at the present time represents only bare spaces devoid of vegetation. Only the higher parts of Kiferon and Parnassus are equal to the northwest. the slopes of Pentelikon are covered with pine and spruce forests. The base of the entire mountain system is Kiferon (now Elatea, the so-called spruce hill, the highest point of which rises 1411 m above sea level). Kiferon separates A. from Viotia with its main ridge; A. is separated from Megara by its branch going to the south and bearing the name Kerata (horns); Parnassus (now Ocea), reaching 1413 m, merges with the southeastern spurs of Kiferon, whose northeastern ramifications, now bearing separate names (Belettsi, Armeni, Mavrovuno, Tsastany, Stavrokoraki, Kotroni), extending to the east. the edges of the region form in this part of A. a real mountainous country (Diacria or Epacria of the ancients). The southern continuation of Parnassus is the Aegaleos rising much lower above the sea, which is in the south. the part, where it juts out into the sea opposite the island of Salamis, is called Koridallos (now Scaramantha), and in the middle, where it is cut through by the gorge connecting the plains of Athens and Eleusis, is called Pekilion. On S.V. The Athenian plain is bordered by Brilettos, or, as it was usually called from the area lying on its southern slope, Pentelikon (now Menteli). This is a pyramidal hill reaching 1110 m in height with extensive, still successfully exploited marble quarries, which deliver excellent white marble of the finest grain, which goes to buildings and statues. A valley 4 km wide in the south separates the base of the Pentelikon from the southern belt, almost exclusively consisting of bluish-gray marble, which in ancient times was used for architectural purposes. This ridge - Gimet (now Trelovuno) - rises to 1027 m, is almost devoid of forest vegetation, but is covered with fragrant grasses and therefore is inhabited by wild bees that give excellent honey. The eastern edge of the region (at the ancient Paralia) is cut through by less high chains of hills, which to the south of Gimet, where the peninsula narrows, join into one ridge - the Lavrion Highlands, which is enclosed by a steeply sloping cape - Sounium, on which the ruins of a temple still rise Athens, according to the columns of which the cape is still called by the sailors of Cap Colonnese. In ancient times, the Lavrion Mountains were of great importance to Armenia for their riches in silver; but these mines, at first very profitable, were so intensively exploited that already immediately after R. Kh. mining had to be stopped. Only at a later time did they try, and not unsuccessfully, to take advantage of the slags left over from previous works.

The mountains stretch partly directly to the sea, partly alluvial land accumulated to their soles, forming more or less wide coastal plains, many of which were known in antiquity. The most remarkable of them is the Marathon Plain to the north. shore. It is a lowland 9 km long and 2-4 km wide, with a vast swamp to the northwest. Here in 490 BC the Persian army was defeated. There are only three more significant plains, which either, starting at the coast, stretch far inland, or are completely separated from the sea, there are only three in the country: 1) the Athenian plain, often called simply "plain" (pedion); 2) the smaller, separated from the Athenian Aegaleos mountains, the Triassic Plain (so called after the ancient area of ​​Tria) and 3) the plain between Gimetus and the lower mountain ranges of the eastern coast, which connects with Athens. plain through the valley separating Pentelikon from Gimet. Irrigation of the country is extremely poor. The most significant streams flow through Athens. plain, namely: 1) Kefis, starting at the southwest. the foot of Pentelikon in the rich forest area of ​​Kefizia, fed by various tributaries from Parnassus. It flows across the plain to the southwest. direction and westward from the city it is diverted into numerous canals for irrigating vegetable gardens and plantations; the second stream - Ilissus begins at the sowing. the foot of Gimet, flows at the east. and south. sides of the city and to Yu.Z. from him is lost in the sands. In addition to them, it is necessary to mention another Kefis of the Eleusinian plain, about the Enoe stream cutting through the Marathon plain (so named after the ancient area lying north of Marathon) and about. Erasinos, flowing further to the south of the eastern coast, near the ancient area of ​​Arafen (now Rafina).

The soil of the country is almost entirely light, rather lean, stony limestone, not very suitable for the cultivation of wheat, more - for barley and grapes, but especially for olive and fig, and therefore the latter, both in antiquity and now, are the main products of the country and its subjects. export. Cattle breeding is still significant now, but in antiquity, attich. wool enjoyed great fame. In the mountains, not to mention the already exhausted silver. in the mines of Lavrion, excellent marble is mined; soil in many places, especially on the coastal strips leading to the southwest. from the harbor of Piraeus and the Falernian Bay and ending at the foothills of Kolias (now Gagios Kosmas), it gives excellent clay for dishes, and therefore pottery was a flourishing branch of industry in ancient Athens and its products were very widespread.

The population of the country, not to mention some of the Pelasgic elements of the prehistoric era and the huge number of foreigners who subsequently permanently resided in Athens, belonged in antiquity to the Ionian tribe. The inhabitants called themselves autochthonous, that is, indigenous, since their ancestors originated directly from the soil of the country and from time immemorial the land was in their continuous possession. Like all Ionic. The peoples of Africa fell into four tribes or classes (phyla): heleons (noble), hoplites (warriors), aegikoreans (shepherds in general and goats in particular), and ergadeis (farmers). According to legend, 12 independent cities or unions of communities have existed in the country since time immemorial. These were part of separate, even later existing settlements, such as Cecropia (later Athens), Eleusis, Dhekelea and Afidna (the last two in the north of the country), Brauron (in the middle of the eastern coast), Torikos (in the southernmost part of the eastern coast), Kyteros ( location unknown), Sfethos and Kefisia, part of the unions of several settlements, such as Epakria (northern mountainous country), Tetrapolis (union of four cities) on the Marathon plain and Tetrakomiya (union of four villages) in the very south of the Athenian plain. According to legend, Theseus united these 12 communities into one political entity, the capital of which was Athens. The division of the people into 4 philes remained both under the kings and under the archons. Even the legislator Solon did not abolish this division, but in parallel with it, partly wishing to reduce the influence of the ancient aristocratic families, partly in order to lead to a more equitable distribution of the tax burden among citizens, created a new division of citizens into 4 classes according to their property. Only Cleisthenes canceled the ancient Ionian division by tribes and put in its place the division of the people into 10 phyla, each of which bore the name of ancient Atta. hero (Eponym). Each of these phyla embraced a certain number of communities (demos) located in different parts of the country. As a rule, each not very significant area constituted a special "demu", while large ones, like the cities of Athens and Brauron, fell apart into several demu. The number of dem was not the same at different times: - at the beginning of the Christian era there were 371. Thanks to writers and inscriptions, the names of about 180 dem have come down to us, but the location of many is now impossible to establish. A list of them is given by Lik, "Die Demen von A." (translated by Westermann, Braunschweig, 1840); Ross, "Die Demen von A. und ihre Vertheilung unter die Phylen", Halle, 1846); G. Geltzer in the appendix to Westermann's book "Lehrbuch der Griech ischen Staatsalterthümer" (5th ed. Heidelb., 1875). The total number of citizens fluctuated, judging by the censuses, during the heyday of the state, to the Peloponnesian War, between 80-100 thousand. The number of those who stood under the auspices of the Metoiks reached 40,000, the number of slaves reached 400,000, so that the total number of free and non-free population exceeded 500,000. the number of phyla (10) with two new ones took place in 307 BC Out of a desire to flatter Demetrius Poliorketa, the latter were named after him and the name of his father Antigonus - Antigonis and Demetriada. But the first was renamed in 265 BC in honor of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus in Ptolomais, the second in 200 in honor of the Pergamon king Attalus I in Attalis. Finally, under the emperor Hadrian, the 13th Philae was annexed and named by Adrianides after this benefactor of the city of Athens.

Politically, Albania was in ancient times the most centralized region of Greece. The main city was not only the seat of the administration, but the court, as well as the assemblies of the people, in whose hands, since the time of the democratic reforms initiated by Cleisthenes and imprisoned by Pericles, the supreme decision of all state affairs was concentrated. The significance that A., thanks to its main city of Athens, had in the political and cultural life of ancient Greece, can be correctly estimated only in connection with the presentation of the general history of Greece (see this next). Wed .. Bursian, "Geographie von Griechenland" (vol. I, Leipz., 1862); Curtius, "Erl ä uternder Text der 7 Karten zur Topographie von Athen" (Gotha, 1868); Curtius and Kaupert, "Karten von Attika" (2 tetras., Berlin, 1881). At present, Albania, together with Megara, Viotia, and the islands of Salamis (now Kuluri), forms the nomarchy of Attica and Viotia, which splits into 5 dioceses (A., Aegina, Thebes, Livadia, and Megara) and totals 6426 sq. km 185364 inhab. (1879). In the diocese (district) of Armenia (including the Salamis Islands) 116263, the rural population is engaged in agriculture, winemaking and cattle breeding, and in part also silkworm and tobacco growing. The Athenian plain is still rich in vast olive plantations.

The political history of Attica is a classic example of the emergence of the state. Athens, the main city of Attica, has been inhabited since ancient times by a people ethnically close to the Asia Minor Greeks.

Attica, a region of Central Greece, is a peninsula protruding in a triangle into the Aegean Sea and washed from the west by the Saronic Gulf, the Euripus Strait separates it from the island of Euboea. The central region of Attica (Mesogeia) is surrounded by mountain ranges. The Kefis River cuts the valley in two and connects the plain to the sea. On the western coast, Attica has several natural harbors: Faler, Piraeus (Munichia). The nature of the country has had its influence on the history of Attica. Mainly remaining an agricultural land of gardeners, herders, gardeners and beekeepers, Attica, with good bays and harbors, developed a large trade and industry that won her fame throughout the Hellenic world and beyond. Sparta in this respect cannot be compared to any comparison.

The oldest history of Attica is little more known than the history of Sparta. Like Sparta, Attica and Athens have their historical roots in the Cretan-Mycenaean world. In the post-Kemikan period, Attica was covered with small fortresses of the basleis, as evidenced by the remains that have survived to this day. The names of the most ancient semi-legendary Attic kings and heroes have been preserved in the myths: Kekrop, Aegeus, Theseus, Codra, etc.

In myths and legends, the formation of the Athenian state is presented in the form of a long-term struggle with each other by the Basilees, who were sitting in their policies, scattered across the territory of Attica. Subsequently, this process of struggle began to be imagined in the form of a peaceful unification, or synoykism. Legends say that after he received the royal power Theseus, combining strength with intelligence, he put the country in order, abolished the councils and officials of other cities and united all the inhabitants around one city by means of syneikism, establishing one council and one pritania. In memory of the unification of Attica, an All-Finnish holiday was established Panathenaea, dedicated to the memory of the patroness of the city Pallas Athena, the goddess of war and olive groves. Subsequently, the Panathenaeans became a national holiday, accompanied by games, gymnastic and musical competitions.

Socio-economic system of Attica XII-VIII centuries. can be defined as the Homeric system.

The four tribal unions, or phylae, inhabiting Attica, were divided into phratries, phratries-into clans. According to the general law, the growth of the productive forces, the division of labor and exchange disintegrated the tribal organizations, putting forward in their place other organizations - neighboring, professional and property. Longest of all, the tribal organization was preserved among the upper layer of the "noble and rich" aristocrats, who were called in Attica eupatrides, that is, they have noble parents.

Athenian landscape.

In the distance the valley of the river Kefisa and the Aegalean mountain pass from "Sacred road» to Eleusis. To the right is the Erechtheion.

Most of the population was made up of medium and small farmers - geomors, artisans - demiurges, merchants and fetas. The lowest stratum of Attic society was made up of slaves, whose number increased with every century.

Under the influence of the same factors that destroyed the clan, separate localities and clans merged into a single Athenian state. The process of the formation of the Athenian state, long and diverse, ended approximately at the beginning of the 6th century. BC e.

The unification of Attica, caused by the growth of productive forces, for its part, was a factor contributing to further socio-economic and cultural progress. Along with local customs, institutions, cults, etc., general (Athenian) institutions arose. In this way, Athens from a fortress, the seat of the basileus and his squad, turned into a city-city in its own sense.

The supreme power over the united Attica for several centuries belonged to the Athenian Basilees. Around the VIII century. royal power in Athens disappears. The last Athenian king was, according to legend, Codr. After the abolition of royal power, Athens was headed by rulers elected from the Eupatrides - archons. At first, this post was for life, then the archons were elected for 10 years and, finally, for one year. Initially, only one archon was elected, around the middle of the 6th century. formed college of nine archons: 1) the first archon, archon-eponym, initially had great power, but later his functions were limited; 2) the archon-basileus performed mainly priestly functions, as well as judicial functions in cases related to the cult; 3) the archon-polemarch was the leader of the Athenian militia and 4) six archons of the Thesmophetes-keepers of the law, chairmen of various judicial boards. The archons sent public posts free of charge. Archonism was considered the highest honor and honor not only for the archon himself, but also for all his family, phratry and phyle, to which he belonged.

Upon completion of their term of office, the archons entered into Areopagus, the supreme council of state. The Areopagus dealt with criminal cases, especially murder cases. The Areopagus was the keeper of traditions, the highest judicial and regulatory body. He belonged to the recommendation and control of the archons. The Areopagus sat on a rock dedicated to the god of war Ares. From here, apparently, the name itself comes.

Archons and members of the Areopagus could only be Eupatrides, members of the most influential Athenian families. Possessing wealth and having at their disposal a mass of servants and dependent people, the Eupatrides could live in Athens and engage in public affairs.

The economic basis of the power of the Eupatrides was the land located in the fertile area near Athens. The remnants of the clan system were still very strong: the land could not be alienated, and all property remained in the clan. However, new relationships were already making themselves felt. Some Eupatrides were engaged in usury and trade, especially since geographical position Afpn, located only 5 kilometers from the sea, predisposed to overseas trade. The number of rich and influential aristocratic families in Attica, as in all of Greece in general, decreased with each generation. The monetary economy corrupted not only the clans in the lower strata of Attica, but also captured the upper stratum of the "noble". A smaller part of the Eupatrides grew richer and rose, becoming even more noble and noble, while the larger part became poorer and fell into the category of the artless. "The clan system is absolutely incompatible with the monetary economy" 1. The further, the more and more gentility became a symbol and sign of wealth. The number of influential Eupatridian clans and families in Athens in the 8th-7th centuries, on the eve of the great reforms, was small, but they had wealth, strength and power in their hands.

The impact of the ongoing economic changes - the growth of the money economy and the growth of slavery - was most painfully felt in the countryside. The trade and usury that penetrated the countryside mercilessly broke the patriarchal relations consecrated by deep antiquity, inseparable from the natural economy.

"... The developing money economy penetrated, like a corrosive acid, into the primordial way of life of rural communities based on subsistence farming."

The position of the rural masses, geomors and fetas, in the VII-VI centuries. in Attica it was extremely difficult, both materially and legally. There is quite definite evidence of this from our main sources, the Athenian Polity of Aristotle and Plutarch (in the biography of Solon). Despite the well-known schematism and one-sidedness of their coverage, the very fact of the ruin of the Attic village is beyond doubt. The main scourge of the countryside was usury and the growing slavery, supplanting free labor.

Plutarch and Aristotle report that in Attica, on the eve of the Solonian reforms (6th century), a large number of small landowners were in debt to the wealthy Eupatrides. Debtors cultivated the land of the rich or took money on the security of their own person. Lenders had the right to enslave the debtor or sell it abroad.

“The fact is,” says Aristotle in the “Athenian Polity” (“History of the Athenian Constitution”), “that at that time the state system in Athens was oligarchic, the poor were enslaved by the rich, they themselves and their families. They cultivated the lands of the Eupatrides, giving them five-sixths of the income received from the land, and leaving one-sixth for the personal use of themselves and their families. Therefore, they were called six-lovers (hectomores). All the land was in the hands of a few. If the debtors did not pay the payment due from them on time, then they themselves and their family members were allowed to be taken into bondage. "

Against the Eupatrides, who had political power and strength in their hands and held firmly to the tribal order, not only the enslaved six-lovers, but also other social strata of Attica, including some of the "noble" ones, spoke out. In other words, all the elements of the emerging slave-owning polis, among them a part of the "noble" ones, who for some reason divorced from their class, opposed the rule of the Eupatrides. Class contradictions in the 7th-6th centuries in Attica were as sharp as in other Greek city-states mentioned above.

"The collision of the newly formed social classes is blowing up the old society, based on clan alliances" 1.

“The clan system was coming to an end. Society every day grew more and more out of its framework; even the worst negative phenomena that arose before everyone's eyes, he could neither weaken nor eliminate. In the meantime, the state has developed imperceptibly ... "

The long accumulated dissatisfaction with the existing system finally broke out in the form of the so-called Kylon Troubles in the 30s of the 7th century. The essence of the Kylon Troubles is as follows: Kylon, an aristocrat by birth who won the Olympic Games, the son-in-law of the Megarian tyrant Theagen, was very popular in Athens. Taking advantage of the gathering of people during the holiday in honor of Zeus, Kylon with a group of adherents decided to carry out a coup d'etat in order to seize the supreme power. The adherents of Kylon managed to capture the Acropolis, but they could not stay in it due to the weak support of the people. “Having learned about this, the Athenians rushed from the fields against Cylon and his accomplices and, having settled at the Acropolis, began to besiege him. The siege dragged on, and most of the Athenians, weary of it, left, leaving the archons to guard Cylon and giving them unlimited powers to do everything else at their own discretion. At that time, most of the administrative functions belonged to the archons. " The Eupatrides were able to quickly organize themselves and laid siege to the Acropolis. Kylon himself managed to escape, and his followers, who sought refuge at the altar of Athena? life was promised if they left the temple. However, this promise was not fulfilled. On leaving the temple, Kylon's accomplices were killed, some even at the altar of the Eumenides.

At the head of the besiegers were representatives of the family Alcmeonides."Kplon's filth" left an indelible mark on the Alkmeonid family. Throughout Athenian history, the Alkmeonids were considered a cursed clan that did not keep their promise to free the besieged and shed blood at the altar of the patron goddess of the city. Their political and personal enemies took advantage of this circumstance at every opportunity.

Kplon's attempted coup d'état failed due to the immaturity of the movement, but still the impetus was given. The class contradictions deepened, and the class struggle intensified with them. The “turmoil” started by Kylon continued after his expulsion. All this indicated that public discontent and unrest in Attica in the middle of the 6th century. were very strong.

The first major concession of the Eupatrides was the publication of written laws -Laws of the Dragon. In 621 one of the archons, Draconus, was commissioned to revise and write down the current customary law. The assignment was carried out. This is how the Draconian Laws came into being.

The laws of the Drakont, according to legend, were distinguished by their extraordinary severity ("dragon laws!"), Which testified to the coarseness and cruelty of the morals of this era. The death penalty was imposed even for such crimes as idleness, theft of vegetables and fruits. "The laws of the Draconis are written not in ink, but in blood" - this is how the Greeks themselves characterized the Drakontian laws. They said that when they asked the legislator himself why he appointed for almost all crimes death penalty, then Draconte allegedly replied that minor offenses, in his opinion, deserve this punishment, for large ones he could not think of more. The punishments for violation of private property rights were especially fierce: theft, arson, murder and other civil offenses.

And nevertheless, with all the ferocity, technical imperfection and primitiveness of legal consciousness, Drakont's laws were of great historical importance as a victory of the emerging (slave-owning) democratic polis over elements of the clan system, had at least because some of their articles were definitely directed against blood feud. The upper layer of the demos, in particular the foreigners living in Athens (metekp), received the most benefits from the introduction of written law. The meteks (or metoiks), merchants and artisans, were interested in fixing firm legal norms for trade and monetary transactions. The written law protected private property and brought order to property and business relations.

• Engels, The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, 1938, p. 106.
• In the same place.
• Engels, The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, 1938, p. 4.
• Ibid, p. 109.
• 8 Thucydides, 1, 126.

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The meaning of the word attica

attica in the crossword dictionary

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

Attica

in antiquity, the area in the southeast Wed. Greece. In modern Greece, Attica is one of the nomes (center is Athens).

Attica

(Greek Attike), in antiquity, an area in the southeast of Central Greece. The political unification of Armenia around Athens (synekism) took place, according to ancient Greek legends, during the reign of Theseus; in reality, this process lasted for several centuries. By the beginning of the 6th century. BC. Athens gained absolute economic and political predominance in Armenia (see Ancient Athens). In modern Greece, A. is one of the nomes of the same name (the center is Athens).

Wikipedia

Attica

Attica (, Atiki- letters. "Coastal country") - the southeastern region of Central Greece, a connecting link between the Balkan Peninsula and the Archipelago, with an area of ​​approximately 3808 km², bordered in the north by Boeotia, in the west across the Isthmus of Corinth - with Megaris and the entire Peloponnese. From the south it is washed by the Saronic Gulf, from the east - by the Petalia Gulf and from the northeast - by the Notios Evvoikos Gulf of the Aegean Sea.

Attica (prison)

Attica- New York State High / Super High Security Prison, located in Attica, operated by the New York State Department of Corrections. After construction was completed in the 1930s, many of the dangerous criminals of the time were kept there. A tear gas system has been installed in the canteen and production areas of the prison to suppress conflicts. Currently, the prison contains prisoners serving various sentences from short to life sentences, as well as prisoners transferred from other prisons due to disciplinary problems.

In 1971, a riot occurred in the prison, during which 43 people died, including 33 prisoners, ten jailer officers and civil servants. One of the guards died at the hands of mutinous prisoners at the very beginning of the conflict. The rest were shot to death during the storming of the prison by the state police and the National Guard. Overcrowding in the prison was one of the reasons for the riot. John Lennon's song "Attica State" from the album "Some Time in New York City" (1972) was dedicated to the suppression of this riot. Today the prison is also overcrowded. Some of the prisoners are held in pairs in small cells designed for one person.

Attica (disambiguation)

Attica

• Attica is a region in Greece
• Attica - a maximum security prison in New York state

Examples of the use of the word attica in literature.

The Council of Amphiktyon at Delphi continued to act as the highest court, but another, more extended council was created under the chairmanship of Philip, which was to be located in Corinth, that is, between Attica and the Peloponnese - and which was the real governing body of the coalition.

Once I saw Boreas, sweeping over Attica, daughter of Erechtheus Orifia and fell in love with her.

What did I do with Attica Theseus is only the development of the thoughts and ideas of Hercules.

The great goddess Athena weaved the majestic Athenian Acropolis on her veil in the middle, and on it she depicted her dispute with Poseidon for power over Attica.