Pelargiotis was in the southeru part of the lower valley of the Parlous, and includes the Pelangiau plains which stretch from Larissa to There, near Pelion, having for its boundary on the east the range of Peliou and Owe. According to Strabo (ix., p. 441), this part of Thessaly was originally occupied by the Perrhtebi, an ancient tribe of apparently Pelasgio origin. It was however wrested from them by the Lapithre, another Pelasgic nation, whose original abode was iu Magnesia. They forced some of the Perrhasbi to retire northward and across Pindus, while those who remained in the plains were incor porated with themselves, under the common name of Pelasgiuta. The principal towns of Pelasgiotis were as follows :—Lurissa: tide was one of the most ancient and flourishing towns of Thessaly : it was situated in the most fertile part of the old country of the Tho constitution of the city was democratical, the magistrates being elected and remove:side by the people. (Aristot.,' Politic.,' v. 6.) The territory of this city was extremely rich and fertile, but it fro queutly euffered by the inundations of the l'eneus. The name is Pelasgian. Crown, or Crannon, to tho south of Larissa, was ours of the most ancient and considerable towns of this part of Thessaly. Scotussa, to the east of Cranon, though noticed by ancient authors, does not appear to have been known to Homer. (Strube, ix., p. 441.) Within its territory was the hill of Cynoscephalm, or Doge'-Heads, where a victory was gained by the Hommel over Philip of Macedou (n.e. 197). It is one of the hills which separate the plain of Larissa from that of Pharsalia. Pherte was near the eoutheru extremity of the Lake Beebe's. Its territory, according to Polybius (xviii. 2), was moat fertile, and the suburbs were surrounded by gardens and walled inclosures. Its port was Pagano, about 11 or 12 miles distant. There are hardly any traces of antiquity here. The fountain Ilypereia, mentioned by homer (' Iliad,' vi.457), is in the suburbs of the modern town of Beholding, at tha foot of the ancient Acropolis. A small lake of about 100 yards In diameter, and with water as clear as crystal, bubbles up out of the ground. The Doting Campue is also in Pries &tits on its eastern side : it is a considerable plain, encircled by hills to the north, and terminates' to the south by the Lake Boebeis, the most extensive in Thessaly, and included within the limita of Pelsogiods.
Thessaliotia was so called from its having been first occupied in Theasalians, who canto from Thesprotia, and inhabited the clams below Ilestitcotis, having the district of Peligegiotis on the east. This tetrarchs' contained towards the south-cast the city of Pharsalus, celebrated for the battle fought in its plains between Pompey and Caesar. It is situated not far from the junction of the Enipeue and the and was a city of great size and importance. Thera is a modern town called !Iterate, on or near the site of the old Phar salus. South-west of it thero is a hill surrounded with ancient wells, and on a lofty rock above it are ruins of an ancient Acropolis. Other towus of Thessallotit were—Chet-km, supposed to be identical with the ancient A roe, the chief town of the "Eolian Bceotians. lehnce, or slchner, where the goddess Thenda was especially worshipped. Preemies, not far from Phersalus.
PAthiotia, according to Strabo, included all the southern part of Thessaly, stretching lengthwise from the Maliac Bay on the east to Dolopia and Pindus on the west, and in breadth from Mount CEta on the south as far as Pharsalus and the Thessalian plains on the north, an average distance of about 30 miles. Homer comprised within its limits the districts of Phthia and Hellos properly so called, and the dominions of Achilles. Its inhabitants were the Achwaus, or Aeluei
I'hthiots, a doable name under which they were generally enumerated in the lista of the Ainphictyonie nations. The principal cities of l'hthiotis were Halos, or Aloe, on the west aide of the Gulf of Pagasm. It contained a temple sacred to Jupiter Laphystius, which was visited by Xerxes as he passed through the city. hoe, about 6 miles west from Halos, on the river Cuariva, celebrated for a temple of Minerva Bon's. The district of Arne, from which the rEolian Bccotians were expelled by the Thessalians, is by some supposed to have been near these towns and on the shores of the Pagasteau Bay ; but Midler (' Dorian's' ii. 475) adduces satisfactory reasons for believing that the Arne, which the Thee/editing first occupied, ley to the north-west in Thessaliotis, and that it was identical with the ancient Picrium. North of Halos and Iton lay Thebes, the most important town of this part of Thessaly. It was called l'hthiotie, to distinguish it from the Thebes of liceotia. In a military point of view it possessed consider able importance, as it commanded the avenues of Magnesia and the upper parts of Thessaly. Philip, son of Demetrius, changed its name to Philippopolia. Some ruins between the modern towns of Armiro and Vole are supposed by Sir W. Gall to be those of Thebes. They consist of an Acropolis, with very ancient walls constructed with very , large blocks; some towers also are still standing. The port of Thebes appears to have been Pyrasus, about 2i miles distant. A little south of Thebes was Larissa Cremoste, or the Hanging, so called from its position on the side of a hill ; it wag also called the Pelasgian. It lay in the dominions of Achilles, whence he is called Larissteus by Virgil ii. 193). The ruins of it still exist, and Sir 11'. Gell say. of it, " The form of Larisea was, like that of many very ancient Grtek cities, a triangle, with its citadel at the highest point. lu the Acropolis are the fragments of a Doric temple; and from it is seen the magnificent prospect of the Maliac Gulf, the whole range of (Eta, and over it Parnassus." Melitia was situated at the foot of Mount Othrys, on the river Eoipeus. Its ancient name was Pyrrha, and it boasted of possessing the tomb of Mellen, the son of Deucalion. To tha north-west of Montia lay the town of naumoki (the Wonderful), so called from the singularity of its position on a lofty and perpen dicular rock. It was on the great road leading from Thermopylto by Lamle to the north of Thessaly. "After a rugged route over hill and dale," says Livy (zasii. 4), "you suddenly open on an immense like a vast sea, a hich stretches below as far as the eye can reach." )odwell says of it, "It is about five hours from Pharaalia. lt, must always have been a place of importance. The view from it is one of the most wonderful and extensive I ever beheld." Oti the west of Habig:din, and close to it, but still separated from it, lay the territories of the Dolopians. According to Homer (' 4'O), Dolopia was at the extremity of rhthiotis ; but it does not follow that it was included in that district; nor are the Dolopiana in early tunes ever mentioned as the vassals of the Thesealians. They occupied the extreme south-west angle of Thessaly, formed by the dim of Tymplireetus, a branch of Pindige, on one side, and Mount sothrya on the other. They were a very ancient nation, as appears from their sending deputies; to the Amphietyonie council. At a later period they were subjects of Jason, the tyrant of Phera It was conquered by Perseus, the last king of Macedonia. Dolopia was a rugged mountainous district, with few towns of note. Ctemene, or (Akimbo, was perhaps the most important.