Chalastra

Chalastra is a town and was a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delta, of which it is a municipal unit.^[1] The town is located 20 km west from the city of Thessaloniki, on the north side of Greek National Road 1, near the Axios river and the Thermaic Gulf. The municipal unit of Chalastra consists of the two communities of Chalastra itself and Anatoliko. The population was 9,837 inhabitants according to the 2001 census, most of them working in agriculture and small industry.

History

Chalastra (Greek: Χαλάστρα, Strabo vii.; Χαλέστρη, Herod. vii. 123; Χαλαίστρα, Plut. Alex. 49; Plin. iv. 10. § 17, xxxi. 10. § 46) was known as a town of Mygdonia in ancient Macedonia, situated on the Thermaikos gulf at the mouth of the Axios river, which belonged to the Thracians and possessed a harbor. (Steph. B. s.v.) A large part of the population was absorbed in Thessaloniki when it was founded by Cassander. Little remains of the original town, but it is considered that its location was near modern Kulakia. Other names of the town have been Campania and Pyrgos.

References

1. ^ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior (Greek)

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed (1854–57). "^{article name needed}". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.