Phyle ( grc, Φυλή) was a strong fortress and
deme of
ancient Attica, on a steep rock, commanding the narrow pass across
Mount Parnes, through which runs the direct road from
Thebes to
Attica, past
Acharnae. On the northern side of the pass was the territory of
Tanagra. Phyle is situated at the distance of more than 120
stadia
Stadia may refer to:
* One of the plurals of stadium, along with "stadiums"
* The plural of stadion, an ancient Greek unit of distance, which equals to 600 Greek feet (''podes'').
* Stadia (Caria), a town of ancient Caria, now in Turkey
* Stadi ...
from Attica, not 100 stadia, as
Diodorus states, and was one of the strongest Attican fortresses on the
Boeotian
Boeotia ( ), sometimes Latinized as Boiotia or Beotia ( el, Βοιωτία; modern: ; ancient: ), formerly known as Cadmeis, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, and its lar ...
frontier. The precipitous rock upon which it stands can only be approached by a ridge on the eastern side. It is memorable in history as the place seized by
Thrasybulus
Thrasybulus (; grc-gre, Θρασύβουλος ; 440 – 388 BC) was an Athenian general and democratic leader. In 411 BC, in the wake of an oligarchic coup at Athens, the pro-democracy sailors at Samos elected him as a general, making him a ...
and the Athenian exiles in
Battle of Phyle
The Battle of Phyle was fought between Athenian exiles who were seeking to restore democracy to Athens and a Spartan garrison trying to protect the oligarchic Thirty Tyrants. In the battle, 700 Athenian exiles under Thrasybulus decisively defe ...
in 404 BCE, and from which they commenced their operations against the
Thirty Tyrants
The Thirty Tyrants ( grc, οἱ τριάκοντα τύραννοι, ''hoi triákonta týrannoi'') were a pro-Spartan oligarchy installed in Athens after its defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404 BC. Upon Lysander's request, the Thirty were elec ...
. The height of Phyle commanded views of the whole Attican plain, of the city itself, of
Mount Hymettus, and the
Saronic Gulf. In Phyle there was a building called the Daphnephoreion, containing a picture, which represented the
Thargelia.
The site of Phyle is located within the bounds of modern
Fyli
Fyli ( el, Φυλή, , meaning "tribe") is a town and a municipality in the northwestern part of Attica, Greece. It lies in the northeastern corner of the West Attica regional unit, and is a suburb of Athens. The seat of the municipality is the to ...
.
References
Populated places in ancient Attica
Former populated places in Greece
Demoi
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