Collytus or Kollytos ( grc, Κολλυτός) was a

deme In Ancient Greece, a deme or ( grc, δῆμος, plural: demoi, δημοι) was a suburb or a subdivision of Athens and other city-states. Demes as simple subdivisions of land in the countryside seem to have existed in the 6th century BC and ear ...

of ancient Attica, located in the city of

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

. It was located within the walls of

Themistocles Themistocles (; grc-gre, Θεμιστοκλῆς; c. 524–459 BC) was an Athenian politician and general. He was one of a new breed of non-aristocratic politicians who rose to prominence in the early years of the Athenian democracy. A ...

, south of the

Areopagus The Areopagus () is a prominent rock outcropping located northwest of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Its English name is the Late Latin composite form of the Greek name Areios Pagos, translated "Hill of Ares" ( grc, Ἄρειος Πάγο� ...

and southwest of

Acropolis An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens, ...

. It was famed due to its association with

Plato Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...

, whose family was from this deme.

Etymology

According to legend the name of the deme comes from

Collytus Collytus or Kollytos ( grc, Κολλυτός) was a deme of ancient Attica, located in the city of Athens. It was located within the walls of Themistocles, south of the Areopagus and southwest of Acropolis. It was famed due to its association with ...

, the father of

Diomus ''Diomus'' is a genus of lady beetles in the family Coccinellidae. There are at least 20 described species in ''Diomus''. Species These 65 species belong to the genus ''Diomus'': * ''Diomus akonis'' (Ohta, 1929) * ''Diomus amabilis'' (LeConte, ...

, the favourite of

Heracles Heracles ( ; grc-gre, Ἡρακλῆς, , glory/fame of Hera), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive ...

. For this reason it was believed that Collytus's deme was part of Melite.

Description

Collytus was one of the richest demoi in the city of Athens and there were many aristocratic residences; the

Peisistratos 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 ...

owned a house from which they often governed the city. The rural Dionysias (festival of

Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...

) took place there, which shows that the deme was also an important agricultural center.

Aeschines Aeschines (; Greek: , ''Aischínēs''; 389314 BC) was a Greek statesman and one of the ten Attic orators. Biography Although it is known he was born in Athens, the records regarding his parentage and early life are conflicting; but it seems ...

recited in the theater of Dionysus in the deme, and was so embarrassed of his role that he renounced the theater and gave himself to politics. In the narrow main street of the deme there was a very popular market.Phot., ''s.v.''

People

Adeimantus of Collytus Adeimantus of Collytus ( el, Ἀδείμαντος; c. 432 BC – 382 BC), Debra Nails, ''The People of Plato: A Prosopography of Plato and Other Socratics''. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2002 son of Ariston of Athens, was an ancient Athen ...

(), Plato's brother *

Ariston of Athens Ariston of Collytus ( grc-gre, Ἀρίστων; died c. 424 BC), was the father of the Greek philosopher Plato (originally named Aristocles). Legend holds that he was descended from Codrus, the ancient king of Athens. He supposedly could trace his ...

(d. 424 BCE), Plato's father *

Agyrrhius Agyrrhius/Agyrrhios ( grc-gre, Ἀγύρριος) of the deme Collytus in Attica Attica ( el, Αττική, Ancient Greek ''Attikḗ'' or , or ), or the Attic Peninsula, is a historical region that encompasses the city of Athens, the capit ...

(fl. 4th century BCE), general *

Glaucon Glaucon (; el, Γλαύκων; c. 445 BC – 4th century BC), son of Ariston, was an ancient Athenian and Plato's older brother. He is primarily known as a major conversant with Socrates in the ''Republic''. He is also referenced briefly in th ...

, Plato's brother *

Hypereides Hypereides or Hyperides ( grc-gre, Ὑπερείδης, ''Hypereidēs''; c. 390 – 322 BC; English pronunciation with the stress variably on the penultimate or antepenultimate syllable) was an Athenian logographer (speech writer). He was one ...

(), politician and speechwriter *

Potone Potone (; grc-gre, Πωτώνη, Pōtṓnē; born before 427 BC) daughter of Ariston and Perictione, was Plato's older sister. Her mother was Perictione and she was born in Collytus, just outside Athens. She married Eurymedon of Myrrhinus, with ...

, Plato's sister

References

Populated places in ancient Attica Former populated places in Greece Demoi {{AncientAttica-geo-stub