THESSALONIKE P. Adam-Veleni the Site Before the Foundation Of

CHAPTER 26

THESSALONIKE

P. Adam-Veleni

The Site Before the Foundation of the City

Four great rivers flow into the Thermaic gulf: the Gallikos, the Axios, the Loudias, and the Haliacmon. These gave central Macedonia1 its fertility, its forests that produced timber for safe, seaworthy ships, and avenues for communication with the hinterland. The earliest signs of human presence around the Thermaic gulf can be dated to the end of the middle and the late Neolithic period. These traces were discovered in the plot of the “Vellideion Centre” in the area of the Thes- salonike International Fair.2 Remains of Neolithic settlements in the wider area of the Thermaic gulf were also excavated in Stavroupoli,3 Trilofos,4 and Thermi.5 In Toumba at Thessalonike, another important Bronze Age settlement, more than ten consecutive building phases were identifĳied.6 During the fĳirst and second periods of colonisation, in the twelfth and eighth centuries bc respectively, several Greek cities to the south sought new wealth and resources in coastal Macedonia. The products that

1 N. G. L. Hammond, A History of Macedonia (Oxford, 1968); N. G. L. Hammond and G. T. Grifffĳith, A History of Macedonia II (Oxford, 1979); M. Sakellariou, ed., Μακεδονία, 4000 χρόνια ιστορίας και πολιτισμού (Athens, 1982); R. Ginouves and M. Hatzopoulos, Η Μακεδονία από τον Φίλιππο Β΄ έως τη ρωμακή κατάκτηση (Athens, 1993). 2 M. Pappa, “Νεολιθική εγκατάσταση στο χώρο της Διεθνούς Εκθέσεως Θεσσαλονίκης,” AErgMak 7 (1993), 303–310. 3 A. Lioutas and E. Gioura, “Τοπογραφικές αναζητήσεις ΒΔ της αρχαίας Θεσσαλονίκης με αφορμή τις ανασκαφές σε νεκροπόλεις στους Δήμους Σταυρούπολης και Πολίχνης,” AErgMak 11 (1998), 317–326. 4 D. Grammenos and K. Skourtopoulou, “Μεσημεριανή τούμπα Τριλόφου νομού Θεσσαλονίκης. Ανασκαφική περίοδος 1992,” AErgMak 6 (1992), 339–347. 5 Grammenos, Skourtopoulou, “Μεσημεριανή.” 6 S. Andreou and K. Kotsakis, “Η προUστορική Τούμπα Θεσσαλονίκης. Παλιά και νέα ερωτήματα,” AErgMak 10A (1996), 369–387; K. Sueref, “Τούμπα Θεσσαλονίκης 1985–1996: Το ανασκαφικό έργο στην τράπεζα και το νεκροταφείο,” AErgMak 10A (1996), 389–406. 546 p. adam-veleni attracted the colonists were ship-timber, wheat and other cereal crops, and the abundant minerals in the area.7 The archaic period signalled the beginning of a period of prosperity for Macedonia, for both inland and coastal settlements. The intensive trade with Euboea, the coastal cities of Ionia, and Corinth, in the seventh and sixth centuries bc (in which Attica became an active player from the sixth century), together with the exploitation of gold, silver, and iron mines and timber, made a great economic impact on Macedonia.8 In the privileged areas around the Thermaic gulf, at Karabournaki, Tell Lebet,9 Stavroupoli,10 Sindos,11 Aineia,12 Agia Paraskeui,13 Agios Athanasios,14 the Gona Toumba, Sedes and Thermi,15 settlements evolved during the archaic and classical period that contributed to the population which was subsequently resettled in the foundation of Thessalonike in 316/5 bc.

The Hellenistic City of Cassander

The fourth century bc was an extremely important period for Macedonia. During this century its two most famous kings, Philip II16 and Alexander III,17 changed the course of history, not just for Greece but for all the civi- lized world of the south-east Mediterranean and the East. The strategy of occupying a city, even within the boundaries of the Macedonian kingdom,

7 D. Ignatiadou and E. B. Tsigarida, Ο χρυσός των Μακεδόνων, Οδηγός ΤΑΠΑ (Athens, 2005); D. Grammenos, ed., Ο χρυσός των Μακεδόνων (Thessaloniki, 2007). 8 P. Adam Veleni, Θεσσαλονίκη, νεράιδα, βασίλισσα, γοργόνα, Αρχαιολογική περιδιάβαση από την προστορία έως την ύστερη αρχαιότητα (Thessaloniki, 2001), with bibliography. 9 K. Tzanavari and A. Lioutas, “Τράπεζα Λεμπέτ. Μια πρώτη παρουσίαση,” AErgMak 7 (1993), 256–277. }10 Lioutas, Gioura, “Τοπογραφικές αναζητήσεις” (see above, note 3). }11 A. Despoini, M. Tiverios, I. Vokotopoulou, and V. Misailidou, Σίνδος, Κατάλογος της Έκθεσης (Athens, 1990); M. Tiverios, “Επτά χρόνια (1990–1996) αρχαιολογικών ερευνών στη διπλή τράπεζα Αγχιάλου-Σίνδου. Ο αρχαίος οικισμός,” AErgMak 10A (1996), 407–425. }12 I. Vokotopoulou, La civilisation grecque: Macédoine, royaume d’Alexandre le Grand: au Marché Bonsecours, Montréal du mai 7 au 19 septembre 1993 (Athens, 1993). }13 K. Sismanides, Το νεκροταφείο της Αγ. Παρασκευής, Αμητός, τιμητικός τόμος στον καθηγητή Μ. Ανδρόνικο (Thessaloniki, 1985). }14 M. Tsimpidou Auloniti, Οι ταφικοί τύμβοι του Φοίνικα και του Αγ. Αθανασίου (Athens, 2005). }15 S. Moschonisioti, “Θέρμη-Σίνδος, Ανασκαφικές παρατηρήσεις στα δύο νεκροταφεία της περιοχής Θεσσαλονίκης,” AErgMak 2 (1988), 283–295; E. Skarlatidou and D. Ignatiadou, “Πρώτα συμπεράσματα από την ανασκαφή του αρχαίου νεκροταφείου στη Θέρμη,” AErgMak 10A (1996), 477–490. }16 Ian Worthington, Philip II of Macedonia (London, 2008). }17 Ian Worthington, Alexander the Great: Man and God (London, 2003).