Thessaly
Thessaly(see map: Greece and the Aegean world), region of N. Greece, divided into the four tetrades (districts) of Thessaliotis, Hestiaeotis, Pelasgiotis, and Phthiotis, along with the so-called perioecic (neighbouring) regions of Perrhaebia, Magnesia, Achaea Phthiotis, and Dolopia. Comprising two vast plains divided by the modern Revenia hills, Thessaly is enclosed by mountains (notably Olympus, Ossa, Pelion, Othrys, and Pindus) which, far from forming obstacles to communication with neighbours, are pierced by valleys and passes with the generic ancient name of tempē, by which, in all periods, travellers, merchants, and armies have reached the Thessalian plains. Thessaly has access to the sea only by the gulf of Pagasae, with its two neighbouring ports, the one in the bay of Volos, in antiquity successively Iolcus, Pagasai, and Demetrias, the other in the bay of Halmyrus (Pyrasus, or Demetrieum, absorbed...
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