Abantes

The Abantes (Abantians) were an ancient Ionian tribe. Their home was Euboea.

Contents

Origins

Aristotle of Chalcis states that the Abantes were Thracians from Abae in Phokis (Phocis).[1][2] The Abantes were definitely not Ionians themselves, but many ended up assimilated into the Ionian population.[3][4]

The Iliad

In the Iliad, Homer mentions the Abantes among the allies of the Greeks in the Trojan War.[5]

Colonies

Pausanias writes that they contributed to a colony from Thronium in Thesprotis. The local area became known as Abantis. Eventually it was conquered by Apollonia with the help of Corinth.[6]

Another colony was sent to Chios, but eventually it was defeated and the survivors forced to flee.[7]

References

  1. ^ Strabo. Geography, 10.1.3.
  2. ^ http://mythagora.com/encyctxt/enca.html
  3. ^ Herodotus. Histories, 1.146.
  4. ^ Chios: a conference at the Homereion in Chios, 1984‎ ,page 180 by John Boardman, C. E. Vaphopoulou-Richardson - 1986 -... made war upon the Abantes and Carians dwelling in Chios in his time, ...than this.39 Unlike the Carians the Abantes seem to have been Greeks"
  5. ^ Homer. Iliad, 2.536–542.
  6. ^ Pausanias. Description of Greece, 5.22.4.
  7. ^ Pausanias. Description of Greece, 7.4.9.