Astakos (Greek: Αστακός, meaning "lobster") is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Xiromero, of which it is a municipal unit.[2] The municipal unit has an area of 345.099 km2.[3] It is located on a bay on the eastern shore of the Ionian Sea, near the southern end of the Acarnanian Mountains. It takes its name from the ancient Acarnanian town Astacus (Ancient Greek: Ἄστακος - Astakos),[4] and was named Dragamesti in the Middle Ages. It is speculated to be the site of ancient Dulichium.
Astakos
Αστακός | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Astakos Location within the regional unit  | |
| Coordinates: 38°32′N 21°5′E / 38.533°N 21.083°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | West Greece |
| Regional unit | Aetolia-Acarnania |
| Municipality | Xiromero |
| Area | |
| • Municipal unit | 345.1 km2 (133.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
| • Municipal unit | 5,719 |
| • Municipal unit density | 17/km2 (43/sq mi) |
| • Community | 2,617 |
| Time zone | UTC 2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC 3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 300 06 |
| Area code(s) | 26460 |
| Vehicle registration | AI |
It is 16 km southeast of Kalamos (island), 30 km southwest of Agrinio, 35 km northwest of Missolonghi and 55 km southeast of Preveza.
Subdivisions
editThe municipal unit Astakos is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
- Agrampela
- Astakos (Astakos, Valti)
- Bampini
- Karaiskakis
- Machairas
- Chrysovitsa
- Palaiomanina
- Prodromos
- Skourtou
- Strongylovouni (Strongylovouni, Manina Vlizianon)
- Vasilopoulo
- Vliziana
Economy
editThe city has a port able to hold ferries. The countryside mainly produces wheat, corn and few grapes. Fishing is an important source of income.
Historical population
edit| Year | Community | Municipal unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 2,724 | - |
| 1991 | 2,459 | 8,210 |
| 2001 | 2,560 | 7,330 |
| 2011 | 2,732 | 6,578 |
| 2021 | 2,617 | 5,719 |
Noteworthy persons
edit- Leo Leandros (b. 1926), singer and composer
In popular culture
edit- Astakos is also the birthplace of the fictional characters Xeones and Diomache in Steven Pressfield's novel Gates of Fire. Cousins Xeones and Diomache both survive the sack of Astakos by Argos (cir. 500 BC); Xeones later becomes a perioikoi of Sparta and serves at the Battle of Thermopylae as a squire to the Spartiate Dienekes.[5]
See also
editExternal links
edit- Municipality of Astakos (in Greek)
References
edit- ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- ^ Kallikratis law Archived 2018-06-12 at the Wayback Machine Greece Ministry of Interior (in Greek)
- ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
- ^
Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Astacus". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
- ^ Pressfield, Steven (1998). Gates of Fire : An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae. New York: Bantam.