Asterium or Asterion ( grc, τὸ Ἀστέριον) was a city in ancient Thessaly mentioned in the

Catalogue of Ships The Catalogue of Ships ( grc, νεῶν κατάλογος, ''neōn katálogos'') is an epic catalogue in Book 2 of Homer's ''Iliad'' (2.494–759), which lists the contingents of the Achaean army that sailed to Troy. The catalogue gives the na ...

in Homer's ''

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...

'' as belonging to Eurypylus. Homer speaks of "Asterium and the white summits of Titanus – Ἀστέριον Τιτάνοιό τε λευκὰ κάρηνα.

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 ...

places the city in the neighbourhood of Cierium.

Stephanus of Byzantium Stephanus or Stephan of Byzantium ( la, Stephanus Byzantinus; grc-gre, Στέφανος Βυζάντιος, ''Stéphanos Byzántios''; centuryAD), was a Byzantine grammarian and the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled ''Ethni ...

relates that the place was later called Peiresia (Πειρεσία), no doubt from the ''

Argonautica The ''Argonautica'' ( el, Ἀργοναυτικά , translit=Argonautika) is a Greek epic poem written by Apollonius Rhodius in the 3rd century BC. The only surviving Hellenistic epic, the ''Argonautica'' tells the myth of the voyage of Jason a ...

'' of

Apollonius of Rhodes Apollonius of Rhodes ( grc, Ἀπολλώνιος Ῥόδιος ''Apollṓnios Rhódios''; la, Apollonius Rhodius; fl. first half of 3rd century BC) was an ancient Greek author, best known for the ''Argonautica'', an epic poem about Jason and t ...

who describes the place as near the junction of rivers Apidanus (the modern Pharsalitis) and Enipeus. Strabo, who places Titanus near

Arne Arne may refer to: Places * Arne, Dorset, England, a village ** Arne RSPB reserve, a nature reserve adjacent to the village * Arné, Hautes-Pyrénées, Midi-Pyrénées, France * Arne (Boeotia), an ancient city in Boeotia, Greece * Arne (Thessa ...

, also speaks of its white colour. Peiresiae is said by Apollonius to have been near Mount Phylleium. Near Mount Phylleium Strabo places a city

Phyllus Phyllus or Phylos ( grc, Φύλλος) was a city near Mount Phylleium in the district of Thessaliotis, in ancient Thessaly. Strabo says the city was noted for a temple of Apollo Phylleius. Statius Publius Papinius Statius ( Greek: Πόπλι� ...

, noted for a temple of Apollo Phylleius. Statius calls this city Phylli. William Smith conjectures that the town of

Iresiae Iresiae or Iresiai was a town of ancient Thessaly. In the Second Macedonian War, Livy mentions that it was one of the cities devastated by Philip V of Macedon the year 198 BCE, together with Phacium, Euhydrium, Eretria and Palaepharsalus, since ...

mentioned by

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Ancient Rome, Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditiona ...

, is perhaps a false reading for Peiresiae; however, modern scholars treat the town as distinct from Peiresiae and suggest the site is to be found in Magnesia not at Peiresiae. Under its later name, Peiresia, the town was a

polis ''Polis'' (, ; grc-gre, πόλις, ), plural ''poleis'' (, , ), literally means "city" in Greek. In Ancient Greece, it originally referred to an administrative and religious city center, as distinct from the rest of the city. Later, it also ...

(city-state), and minted silver coins with the legend «ΠΕΙΡΑΣΙΕΩΝ». The editors of the '' Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World'' identify Asterium's location at the modern village of Sykies (Συκιές) in the municipal unit of

Fyllo Fyllo ( el, Φύλλο) is a village and a former municipality in the Karditsa regional unit, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Palamas Palamas (Greek: Παλαμάς) is a town and a munici ...

, municipality of Palamas,

Karditsa Karditsa ( el, Καρδίτσα ) is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. The city of Karditsa is the capital of Karditsa regional unit of region of Thessaly. Inhabitation is attested from 9000 BC. Karditsa ls linked with GR-30, the ...

References

Former populated places in Greece Locations in the Iliad Populated places in ancient Thessaly Thessaliotis Thessalian city-states Cities in ancient Greece {{AncientThessaly-geo-stub