Ancient Greek city states
Abdera
Abdera was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Thrace, near the island of Thasos. Today the city is called Abdéra and falls under the Greek regional unit of Xanthi.
In Greek mythology, the origin of the city is attributed to Heracles, who buried his friend Abdera on this spot. Abdera was the son of the god Hermes and died while carrying out Heracles' mission to "bring the four wild horses of the Byzantine king Diomedes". According to historians, the founding of the city dates back to 654 BC, but the evidence is not entirely clear.
The city's fame began to grow after 554 BC, when many inhabitants from the Asia Minor city of Teu moved here to escape Persian rule. The Persians seized the city in 513 and 512 BC, then again in 492 BC under Darius I. In later years the city became a member of the Athenian Naval Society, where it played an important role as the third richest city. Abdera thus participated in the Peloponnesian War.
The city's decline in importance dates back to the second half of the 4th century BC. At this time the city was repeatedly sacked by Tribalia, Philip II. Macedon, Lysimachus, the Seleucids, the Ptolemies and finally the Roman army.