Almopia Αλμωπία |
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Coordinates: 40°58′N 22°03′E / 40.967°N 22.050°ECoordinates: 40°58′N 22°03′E / 40.967°N 22.050°E | |
Country | Greece |
Administrative region | Central Macedonia |
Regional unit | Pella |
Government | |
• Mayor | Dimitris Pasois |
Area | |
• Municipality | 985.8 km2 (380.6 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Municipality | 27,556 |
• Municipality density | 28/km2 (72/sq mi) |
Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
• Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
Almopia (Greek: Αλμωπία), or Enotia, also known in the Middle Ages as Moglena (Greek: Μογλενά, Macedonian: Меглен and Bulgarian: Мъглен), is a municipality and a former province (επαρχία) of the Pella regional unit in Macedonia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Aridaia. The municipality has an area of 985.817 km2.
The name Almopia (Ancient Greek: Ἀλμωπία, Almōpia) derives from the Almopes (Ἀλμῶπες), the tribe that originally inhabited the area during Antiquity. The Almopes traced their descent to the eponymous mythological figure of Almops, son of Poseidon and Helle. According to Thucidydes, the Almopes were expelled from the region when it was incorporated into the ancient Macedonian kingdom during the reign of Alexander I (r. 498–454 BC). The 2nd-century astronomer and geographer Claudius Ptolemy records three cities in the region in his Geography: Horma (Ὅρμα), Europos (Εὔρωπος) and Apsalos (Ἄψαλος).
In the early Byzantine period, the area was renamed to Enotia (Greek: Ενωτία) after a nearby fortress, probably in the vicinity of modern Notia. The name was revived between 1915 and 1927 for the Greek province as well.