Alyzia ( el, Αλυζία) is a former
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in
Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania ( el, Αιτωλοακαρνανία, ''Aitoloakarnanía'', ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the geographic region of Central Greece and the administrative region of West Greece. A combination of the histor ...
,
West Greece
Western Greece Region ( el, Περιφέρεια Δυτικής Ελλάδας, translit=Periféria Dhitikís Elládhas, ) is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It comprises the western part of continental Greece and the northw ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality
Xiromero
Xiromero municipality ( el, Δήμος Ξηρομέρου) is a municipality in the Aetolia-Acarnania regional unit, West Greece region, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Astakos. Its borders do not coincide with the historical regi ...
, of which it is a municipal unit.
It is located on the central west coast of Aetolia-Acarnania, near the island community of
Kálamos. It has a land area of 148.719 km²
and a population of 3,005 inhabitants at the 2011 census.
Its municipal seat was the town of Kandila (pop. 1,048 in 2011). The other towns are Archontochori (Zaftsa) (pop. 701), Mytikas (759), Varnakas (342), and Panagoula (155).
Subdivisions
The municipal unit Alyzia is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
*
Kandila
*Archontochori (Archontochori, Agios Athanasios, Paliovarka)
*Mytikas
*Panagoula
*Varnakas
History
Ancient Alyzia was one of the most important cities of ancient
Acarnania
Acarnania ( el, Ἀκαρνανία) is a region of west-central Greece that lies along the Ionian Sea, west of Aetolia, with the Achelous River for a boundary, and north of the gulf of Calydon, which is the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. Today i ...
. According to
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
, the city was named after
Alyzeus
Alyzeus ( grc, Ἀλυζεύς) was in Greek mythology a son of Icarius and Polycaste, and brother of Penelope and Leucadius. After his father's death, he reigned in conjunction with his brother over Acarnania, and is said to have founded the town ...
, son of
Icarius In Greek mythology, there were two people named Icarius (; grc, Ἰκάριος ''Ikários'').
* Icarius, a Spartan prince, son of Perieres.
* Icarius, an Athenian who received Dionysus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, ...
and brother of
Penelope
Penelope ( ; Ancient Greek: Πηνελόπεια, ''Pēnelópeia'', or el, Πηνελόπη, ''Pēnelópē'') is a character in Homer's ''Odyssey.'' She was the queen of Ithaca and was the daughter of Spartan king Icarius and naiad Periboea. Pe ...
(
Odysseus
Odysseus ( ; grc-gre, Ὀδυσσεύς, Ὀδυσεύς, OdysseúsOdyseús, ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; lat, UlyssesUlixes), is a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the ''Odyssey''. Odysse ...
' wife).
Famous natives include the regent of
Ptolemaic Egypt,
Aristomenes of Alyzia Aristomenes of Alyzeia or Aristomenes the Acarnanian ( grc-gre, Ἀριστομένης; born 3rd century BC; died 2nd century BC) was regent and chief minister of Egypt in the Ptolemaic period during the reign of the boy king Ptolemy V.
Aristomen ...
(fl. 190s BC).
References
External links
Municipality of Alyzia
Populated places in Aetolia-Acarnania
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