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| '''Epirus''' (] Ήπειρος), a region in north-western ]. It is a province (in Greek "periphery") of Greece and is bounded to the east by the provinces of ] and ] and to the south by the province of ]. To the west is the ] and the ], and to the north is ]. Epirus is divided into the prefectures (''nomoi'') of ], ], ] and ]. The capital and largest city is ]. | |||
| The father of ancient history Herodotus, in his monumental work “The History”, book eight , paragraph 47, a book which is dedicated to muse Urania, confesses that the Thessproti are neighbors with Ambracias and Leucades, who came to Salamina battle against Persians from all corners of Greece. | |||
| According to Herodotus, Greece ended in Leucades islands, which is to the west part of Acarnania and Ambracias of Ambracia city, the only Hellen colony in Epirot seashore. | |||
| Epirus did not take part in Trojan War, neither in the war against Persian, nor in Peloponesian War, which was of a Greek character, because Epirus was not included in Hellen community. In Panhellenic Conference, organized by Pericles, none of Epirot cities took part, except for Ambracia , which as it is known, was a Greek colony (Plutarch,Pericles, XVII). For Ephor of Cuma Greece starts in Acarnania; this stands also for Strabo(VIII, 333) | |||
| During all times Epirus, up to Berlin congress, remained out of Greece historical borders. Ancient historians consider Epirots as barbarous. It is known that at that time if one was called barbarous, it meant that he was not Greek. | |||
| Greeks, says Herodotus in his book VII, paragraph II, dedicated to Polymnia muse, charged king Leonidas with 300 Spartans to defend Thermopylae passes, on order to prohibit the entering of barbarians to Greece. | |||
| Herodotus even in paragraph 146 of his book states that in the east of Thermopylae there was a step and impassable mountain, which extended up to Aeta mountain. To the east this road is limited by sea and some valleys and rivulets. There is only a passing way which goes to Phocis, Greece region, extended to the east by Aetolia. This pass, confesses Herodotus, is protected by a wall, constructed by inhabitants of Phocis. That wall was constructed, because they were frightened by Thessalians, who had come from Thesprotia and were placed in Aeolida (Thessaly).Phocis people had taken these measures to defend themselves from Thessalians, who wanted to subdue and to keep them under their yoke. | |||
| Historically, Epirus extended further north into what is now Albania. There is still a substantial Greek minority in southern Albania, which Greeks call North Epirus. There was also a large Albanian mainority in Greek Epirus, but these people were mostly removed to Albania during and after ] and the ]. Greece maintained a territorial claim to southern Albania for many years, but today both countries recognise the current border. Today's Greece's main concern is to police the border against illegal immigration from Albanians seeking work. | |||
| ==References==Herodotus(Greek Historian) "The History" | |||
| The country is all mountainous, especially towards the east, where the ], forming the mountainous spine of mainland Greece, separate Epirus from Macedonia and Thessaly. Epirus is largely made up of mountainous ridges, reaching 2,600 metres in places. Most of Epirus lies on the windward side of the Pindus and receives the winds off the Ionian Sea, thus receiving more rainfall than any other part of Greece. This advantage is set off by a lack of suitable farmland and poor soils. As a result the agricultural productivity of Epirus has always been low. | |||
| Epirus is one of the poorest parts of Greece. Tobacco is grown around Ioannina, and there is also some dairying and fishing, but most of the area's food must be imported. Epirus has few resources and industries, and has been steadily depopulated by emigration since the 19th century. The population is concentrated in the area around Ioannina, which has some manufacturing and service industries. Although Epirus has many attractions, it has not shared in the tourist boom which has brought wealth to other parts of Greece. | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| *, an unsympathetic Turkish report on the official position of the Greek Government. | |||
| * | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 11:38, 14 July 2004
Epirus (Greek Ήπειρος), a region in north-western Greece. It is a province (in Greek "periphery") of Greece and is bounded to the east by the provinces of West Macedonia and Thessaly and to the south by the province of West Greece. To the west is the Ionian Sea and the Ionian Islands, and to the north is Albania. Epirus is divided into the prefectures (nomoi) of Arta, Ioannina, Preveza and Thesprotia. The capital and largest city is Ioannina.
Historically, Epirus extended further north into what is now Albania. There is still a substantial Greek minority in southern Albania, which Greeks call North Epirus. There was also a large Albanian mainority in Greek Epirus, but these people were mostly removed to Albania during and after World War II and the Greek civil war. Greece maintained a territorial claim to southern Albania for many years, but today both countries recognise the current border. Today's Greece's main concern is to police the border against illegal immigration from Albanians seeking work.
The country is all mountainous, especially towards the east, where the Pindus Mountains, forming the mountainous spine of mainland Greece, separate Epirus from Macedonia and Thessaly. Epirus is largely made up of mountainous ridges, reaching 2,600 metres in places. Most of Epirus lies on the windward side of the Pindus and receives the winds off the Ionian Sea, thus receiving more rainfall than any other part of Greece. This advantage is set off by a lack of suitable farmland and poor soils. As a result the agricultural productivity of Epirus has always been low.
Epirus is one of the poorest parts of Greece. Tobacco is grown around Ioannina, and there is also some dairying and fishing, but most of the area's food must be imported. Epirus has few resources and industries, and has been steadily depopulated by emigration since the 19th century. The population is concentrated in the area around Ioannina, which has some manufacturing and service industries. Although Epirus has many attractions, it has not shared in the tourist boom which has brought wealth to other parts of Greece.