AboutIrulan Serena Expertise Along with teaching classical Literature for over thirty-eight years, I have also taught history of the Greco-Roman cultures. History and Mythology are, in my opinion, inseparable; it is necessary to have a background in both to have a clear understanding of both ends of the spectrum, the myth and the fact.
Question I understand that what we now know as the country of Greece was in ancient Roman times (my time frame) many city-states and not one country. How did one refer to the area of that the city-states were located in? For instance, if an ancient Roman was going to "Greece" to visit numerous city-states.
Answer Travelers would refer to the area by the name of the city state where he was destined to go.
Here is a list of the Greek city states:
This is a small list of ancient Greek cities, including colonies outside Greece proper. In this list a city is defined as a single population center which were often referred to as poleis in the ancient world.
A
Abdera
Abila (Decapolis)
Abydos
Acanthus (Egypt)
Acanthus (Greece)
Acharnae
Actium
Aegina
Aegium
Aenus
Aetos
Agrinion
Aigosthena
Akragas
Akrai
Alalia aka Aleria
Alexandretta
Alexandria
Amarynthos
Amasya
Amida
Amisos
Amphicleia
Amphipolis
Amphissa
Ancona
Antioch on the Maeander
Antioch, Mygdonia
Antioch on the Orontes
Antioch, Pisidia
Antiochia ad Taurum
Andros
Apamea (several)
Aphidnae
Apollonia (many cities)
Apollonia Pontica
Argos
Artanes or modern day Lom
Argyroupoli or modern day Gümüºhane
Asine of Argolis
Asine of Messenia
Asine of Laconia
Aspendos
Assus
Astacus or Nicomedea
Athens
B
Baris modern day Isparta
Borysthenes
Bouthroton
Brauron
Byzantium – later Constantinople, now Istanbul
Bythinion modern day Bolu
C
Chalcedoon
Calydon
Carystus
Chalcis – chief city of Euboea
Chersonesos
Clazomenae
Cnidus
Colosse
Corcyra
Corinth
Croton
Cumae
Cyme
Cyrene
Cythera
D
Decelea
Delos
Delphi
Demetrias
Didyma
Dion
Dioscurias
Dodona
Dorylaion
Dyme
Pagasae
Pandosia (Epirus)
Pandosia (Bruttium) – Bruttium (now Calabria), Italy
Pandosia (Lucania) – Lucania (now Basilicata), Italy
Panticapaeum
Paros
Patrae
Pella
Pergamum
Perinthus
Phalerum
Phanagoria
Pharae
Pharnacia modern day Giresun
Phaselis
Philippopolis
Phlius
Pherae
Phocaea
Pinara
Piraeus
Pitiunt
Plataea
Poseidonia
Potidaea
Priene
Prousa modern day Bursa
Pteleum
Pydna
Pylos
Pyrgos or modern day Burgas
R
Rhamnus
Rhegion
Rhodes
Rhypes
Rize
S
Salamis
Same
Selinus
Seleucia Pieria
Semasus or Cromna modern day Amasra
Sestus
Seuthopolis of Kazanlak
Scidrus
Sicyon
Side
Sinope
Smyrna
Sparta
Stagirus
Stenimahos or modern day Asenovgrad
Stymphalus
Sybaris
Syracuse
T
Tanagra
Tanais
Taras
Tauromenium
Tegea
Tenedos
Teos
Thebes – chief city of Boeotia
Theodosia
Therma
Thermum
Thespiae
Thoricus
Thurii
Thyreum
Thyria
Tomis
Trachis
Trapezus
Tripolis
Troezen
Troy
Tyras
Tyritake
