Aegae

AEGAE in Europe (Αἰψαί : Eth. Αἰγαῖος, Αἰγεάτης, Αἰγαιεύς).

1. Or AEGA(Αἰγά), a town of Achaia, and one of the 12 Achaean cities, was situated upon the river Crathis and upon the coast, between Aegeira and Bura. It is mentioned by Homer, and was celebrated in the earliest times for its worship of Poseidon. It was afterwards deserted by its inhabitants, who removed to the neighbouring town of Aegeira; and it had already ceased to be one of the 12 Achaean cities on the renewal of the League in B.C. 280, its place being occupied by Ceryneia. Its name does not occur in Polybius. All traces of Aegae have disappeared, but it probably occupied the site of the Khan of Akrata, which is situated upon a commanding height rising from the left bank of the river. Neither Strabo nor Pausanias mention on which bank of the Crathis it stood, but it probably stood on the left bank, since the right is low and often inundated. (Hom. II. 8.203; Hdt. 1.145; Strab. pp. 386—387; Paus. 7.25.12; Leake, Morea, vol. 3. p. 394; Curtius, Peloponnesos, vol. 1. p. 472.)


2. A town in Emathia in Macedonia, and the burial-place of the Macedonian kings, is probably the same as Edessa, though some writers make them two different towns. [EDESSA]


3. A town in Euboea on the western coast N. of Chalcis, and a little S. of Orobiae. Strabo says that it was 120 stadia from Anthedon in Boeotia. It is mentioned by Homer, but had disappeared in the time of Strabo. It was celebrated for its worship of Poseidon from the earliest times; and its temple of this god still continued to exist when Strabo wrote, being situated upon a lofty mountain. The latter writer derives the name of the Aegaean Sea from this town. Leake supposes it to have stood near Limni. (Hom. II.13.21; Strab. pp. 386, 405; Steph. B. s. v.;Leake, Northern Greece, vol. 3. p. 275.)