Anthemus or Anthemous ( grc, Ἀνθεμοῦς), also known as Anthemuntus or Anthemountos (Ἀνθεμοῦντος), was a town of

ancient Macedonia Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by ...

of some importance, belonging to the early Macedonian monarchy. It appears to have stood southeast of Thessalonica and north of

Chalcidice Chalkidiki (; el, Χαλκιδική , also spelled Halkidiki, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos region c ...

, since we learn from Thucydides that its territory bordered upon

Bisaltia Bisaltia ( el, Βισαλτία) or Bisaltica was an ancient country which was bordered by Sintice on the north, Crestonia on the west, Mygdonia on the south and was separated by Odomantis on the north-east and Edonis on the south-east by river ...

, Crestonia and Mygdonia. The territory of the town is first mentioned when

Amyntas I of Macedon Amyntas I (Greek: Ἀμύντας Aʹ; 498 BC) was king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (c. 547 – 512 / 511 BC) and then a vassal of Darius I from 512/511 to his death 498 BC, at the time of Achaemenid Macedonia. He was a son of Alcet ...

offered it to Hippias, the son of Athenian tyrant

Pisistratus Pisistratus or Peisistratus ( grc-gre, Πεισίστρατος ; 600 – 527 BC) was a politician in ancient Athens, ruling as tyrant in the late 560s, the early 550s and from 546 BC until his death. His unification of Attica, the triangular ...

. Hippias refused it, as well as a similar offer from the Thessalians for Iolcos, suggesting that Amyntas probably did not possess Anthemous at that time. It is likely that Amyntas was merely suggesting a plan of joint occupation to Hippias. It was given by Philip of Macedon to the Olynthians. Peroidas commanded the cavalry squadron of Hetairoi from Anthemus in the campaign of Alexander. Like some of the other chief cities in Macedonia, it gave its name to a town in Asia. It continued to be mentioned by writers under the Roman empire. There was also a district, river, and lake named after the city. The river's modern name is Vasilikotikos. The site of Anthemus is located near modern Galatista.

References

* Hazlitt, The Classical Gazetteer > page 36 * Herodotus V, 94 *Macedonian Institutions Under the Kings: A historical and epigraphic study - Page 174 by Miltiades V. Chatzopoulos Geography of ancient Chalcidice Geography of ancient Mygdonia Cities in ancient Macedonia Populated places in ancient Macedonia Former populated places in Greece {{AncientMygdonia-geo-stub