Balla (Ancient Greek: Βάλλα)[1] or Valla (Οὐάλλαι)[2] was a town of ancient Macedonia, on the Haliacmon river, south of Phylace, placed in Pieria by Ptolemy[2] and Pliny,[3] the inhabitants of which were removed to Pythium.[1] As Pythium was in Perrhaebia, at the southwestern foot of the Pierian mountains, 19th century archaeologist William Martin Leake placed Balla in the mountainous part of Pieria, and supposed that Velventos may have derived its name from it. In that case it would be a different place from the "Bala" of the Peutinger Table, which stood about midway between Dium and Berrhoea.[4]
Βάλλα | |
 Map of ancient Macedonia. The author of the map added an estimated location of Balla in Pieria even though the true location remains in question. |
Modern scholars treat its site as unlocated.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v.
- ^ a b Ptolemy. The Geography. Vol. 3.13.40.
- ^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia. Vol. 3.10.17.
- ^ William Martin Leake, Northern Greece, vol. iii. p. 425.
- ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 50, and directory notes accompanying. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9.
Source
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Balla". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
Bibliography
edit- The Macedonian State By N. G. L. Hammond pages 157, 385 ISBN 0-19-814927-1
External links
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Media related to Balla (Pieria) at Wikimedia Commons
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