Boeotia

Boeotia, sometimes alternatively Latinised as Beotia

(/bioi/ or /bio/; Greek: , Modern Greek:
[vi.oti.a], Ancient Greek: [bojta]; modern transliteration Voiota, also Viota, formerly Cadmeis), is one of the
regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central
Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital
is Livadeia, and its largest city is Thebes.

and Thera. The Argonauts were sometimes referred

to as Minyans. Also, according to legend the citizens of Thebes paid an annual tribute to their king
Erginus.[2] The Minyans may have been proto-Greek
speakers, but although most scholars today agree that the
Mycenean Greeks descended from the Minyans of the
Middle Helladic period, they believe that the progenitors
and founders of Minyan culture were an autochthonous
group.[3] The early wealth and power of Boeotia is shown
by the reputation and visible Mycenean remains of several of its cities, especially Orchomenus and Thebes.

Geography

The origin of the name Boeotians may lie in the mountain Boeon in Epirus.[4]
Some toponyms and the common Aeolic dialect indicate
that the Boeotians were related to the Thessalians. Traditionally, the Boeotians are said to have originally occupied Thessaly, the largest fertile plain in Greece, and to
have been dispossessed by the north-western Thessalians
two generations after the Fall of Troy (1200 BC). They
moved south and settled in another rich plain, while others ltered across the Aegean and settled on Lesbos and
in Aeolis in Asia Minor. Others are said to have stayed in
Thessaly, withdrawing into the hill country and becoming
the perioikoi, (dwellers around).[5]
Though far from Anthela, which lay on the coast of Malis
south of Thessaly in the locality of Thermopylae, Boeotia
Boeotia lies to the north of the eastern part of the Gulf was an early member of the oldest religious Amphictyonic
of Corinth. It also has a short coastline on the Gulf of League (Anthelian)[6] because her people had originally
Euboea. It bordered on Megaris (now West Attica) in the lived in Thessaly.[7]
south, Attica in the southeast, Euboea in the northeast,
Opuntian Locris (now part of Phthiotis) in the north and
Phocis in the west.
3 Legends and literature
Map of ancient Boeotia.

The main mountain ranges of Boeotia are Mount Parnassus in the west, Mount Helicon in the southwest,
Kithairon in the south and Parnitha in the east. Its longest
river, the Cephissus, ows in the central part, where most
of the low-lying areas of Boeotia are found.
Lake Copais was a large lake in the center of Boeotia. It
was drained in the 19th century. Lake Yliki is a large lake
near Thebes.

Origins

The earliest inhabitants of Boeotia, associated with the

city of Orchomenus, were called Minyans. Pausanias
mentions that Minyans established the maritime Ionian
city of Teos,[1] and occupied the islands of Lemnos Mount Helicon
1

HISTORY

They were also used in lost plays such as Aeschyluss

Niobe and Euripidess Antiope.
Boeotia was also notable for the ancient oracular shrine of
Trophonius at Lebadea. Graea, an ancient city in Boeotia,
is sometimes thought to be the origin of the Latin word
Graecus, from which English derives the words Greece
and Greeks.
The major poets Hesiod and Pindar were Boeotians.

4 History

Map showing ancient regions of central Greece in relation to geographical features.

Many ancient Greek legends originated or are set in this

region. The older myths took their nal form during
the Mycenean age (16001200 BC) when the Mycenean
Greeks established themselves in Boeotia and the city of
Thebes became an important centre. Many of them are
related to the myths of Argos, and others indicate connections with Phoenicia, where the Mycenean Greeks and
later the Euboean Greeks established trading posts.
18th century map of ancient Boeotia.
Important legends related to Boeotia include:
The Muses of Mount Helicon
Ogyges and the Ogygian deluge
Cadmus, who was said to have founded Thebes and
brought the alphabet to Greece
Dionysus and Semele
The Theban Cycle, including the myths of Oedipus
and the Sphinx, and the Seven against Thebes
Antiope and her sons Amphion and Zethus
Niobe

Ruins of the Cadmeia, the central fortress of ancient Thebes.

Boeotia had signicant political importance, owing to its

position on the north shore of the Gulf of Corinth, the
Many of these legends were used in plays by the tragic strategic strength of its frontiers, and the ease of communication within its extensive area. On the other hand,
Greek poets, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides:
the lack of good harbours hindered its maritime development.
Aeschyluss Seven Against Thebes
The importance of the legendary Minyae has been con Sophocless Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, rmed by archaeological remains (notably the Treasury
of Minyas). The Boeotian population entered the land
and Antigone, known as the Theban plays
from the north possibly before the Dorian invasion. With
Euripidess Bacchae,
Phoenician Women, the exception of the Minyae, the original peoples were
Suppliants, and Heracles
soon absorbed by these immigrants, and the Boeotians

4.3

Fourth century BC

henceforth appear as a homogeneous nation.

Greek was spoken in Boeotia.

3
Aeolic

In historical times, the leading city of Boeotia was

Thebes, whose central position and military strength
made it a suitable capital;[8] other major towns were Orchomenus, Plataea, and Thespiae. It was the constant ambition of the Thebans to absorb the other townships into
a single state, just as Athens had annexed the Attic communities. But the outlying cities successfully resisted this
policy, and only allowed the formation of a loose federation which, initially, was merely religious.[8]
While the Boeotians, unlike the Arcadians, generally
acted as a united whole against foreign enemies, the constant struggle between the cities was a serious check on
the nations development. Boeotia hardly gures in history before the late 6th century BC. Previous to this, its
people are chiey known as the makers of a type of geometric pottery, similar to the Dipylon ware of Athens.
In about 519 BC, the resistance of Plataea to the federating policy of Thebes led to the interference of Athens on
behalf of the former; on this occasion, and again in 507
BC, the Athenians defeated the Boeotian levy.

4.1

Fifth century BC

During the Persian invasion of 480 BC, Thebes assisted

the invaders. In consequence, for a time, the presidency
of the Boeotian League was taken from Thebes, but in
457 BC the Spartans reinstated that city as a bulwark
against Athenian aggression after the Battle of Tanagra.
Athens retaliated with a sudden advance upon Boeotia,
and after the victory at the Battle of Oenophyta took control of the whole country, taking down the wall the Spartans had built. With the victory the Athenians also occupied Phocis, the original source of the conict, and Opuntian Locris.[9] For ten years the land remained under
Athenian control, which was exercised through the newly
installed democracies; but in 447 BC the people revolted,
and after a victory at the Battle of Coronea regained their
independence.[8]
In the Peloponnesian War the Boeotians fought zealously
against Athens. Though slightly estranged from Sparta
after the peace of Nicias, they never abated their enmity against their neighbours. They rendered good service at Syracuse and at the Battle of Arginusae in the
closing years of the Pelopennesian War; but their greatest achievement was the decisive victory at the Battle of
Delium over the Athenian army (424 BC) in which both
their heavy infantry and their cavalry displayed unusual
eciency.

Boeotian cup from Thebes painted with birds, 560540 BC

(Louvre).

of which elected one Boeotarch or minister of war and

foreign aairs, contributed sixty delegates to the federal
council at Thebes, and supplied a contingent of about
1000 infantry and 100 cavalry to the federal army. A
safeguard against undue encroachment on the part of the
central government was provided in the councils of the individual cities, to which all important questions of policy
had to be submitted for ratication. These local councils,
to which the propertied classes alone were eligible, were
subdivided into four sections, resembling the prytaneis of
the Athenian council, which took it in turns to vote on all
new measures.[8][10]
Two Boeotarchs were provided by Thebes, but by 395
BC Thebes was providing four Boeotarchs, including
two who had represented places now conquered by
Thebes such as Plataea, Scolus, Erythrae, and Scaphae.
Orchomenus, Hysiae, and Tanagra each supplied one
Boeotarch. Thespiae, Thisbe, and Eutresis supplied two
between them. Haliartus, Lebadea and Coronea supplied one in turn, and so did Acraephnium, Copia, and
Chaeronea.[11]

4.3 Fourth century BC

Boeotia took a prominent part in the Corinthian War

against Sparta, especially in the battles of Haliartus and
Coronea (395-394 BC). This change of policy was mainly
due to the national resentment against foreign interference. Yet disaection against Thebes was now growing
rife, and Sparta fostered this feeling by insisting on the
complete independence of all the cities in the peace of
Antalcidas (387 BC). In 374, Pelopidas restored Theban
dominion[8] and their control was never signicantly challenged again. Boeotian contingents fought in all the cam4.2 Boeotian League
paigns of Epaminondas against the Spartans, most notably at the Battle of Leuctra in 371, and in the Third
About this time the Boeotian League comprised eleven Sacred War against Phocis (356-346); while in the dealgroups of sovereign cities and associated townships, each ings with Philip of Macedon the cities merely followed

7 ADMINISTRATION

Thebes.
The federal constitution was also brought into accord with
the democratic governments now prevalent throughout
the land. Sovereign power was vested in the popular assembly, which elected the Boeotarchs (between seven and
twelve in number), and sanctioned all laws. After the
Battle of Chaeroneia, in which the Boeotian heavy infantry once again distinguished itself, the land never again
rose to prosperity.[8]

4.4

Hellenistic period
Ancient theatre of Orchomenus.

The destruction of Thebes by Alexander the Great (335)

destroyed the political energy of the Boeotians. They
never again pursued an independent policy, but followed
the lead of protecting powers. Though military training and organization continued, the people proved unable to defend the frontiers, and the land became more
than ever the dancing-ground of Ares. Though enrolled
for a short time in the Aetolian League (about 245 BC)
Boeotia was generally loyal to Macedon, and supported
its later kings against Rome. Rome dissolved the league,
but it was revived under Augustus, and merged with the
other central Greek federations in the Achaean synod.
The death-blow to the countrys prosperity was dealt by
the devastations during the First Mithridatic War.[8]

4.5

6 Pejorative term
The Boeotian people, although they included great
men like Pindar, Hesiod, Epaminondas, Pelopidas and
Plutarch, were portrayed as proverbially dull by the Athenians (cf. Boeotian ears incapable of appreciating music or poetry and Hog-Boeotians, Cratinus.310). Probably for this reason, Boeotia came to be proverbial for the
stupidity of its inhabitants (OED).[12]

7 Administration

Middle Ages and later

Save for a short period of prosperity under the

Frankish rulers of Athens (12051310), who repaired the
katavothra and fostered agriculture, Boeotia long continued in a state of decay, aggravated by occasional barbarian incursions. The rst step towards the countrys recovery was not until 1895, when the outlets of Copais were
again put into working order.

5
5.1

Archaeological sites
Orchomenus (Boeotia)

View of Livadeia town.

In 188086, Heinrich Schliemann's excavations at The regional unit Boeotia is subdivided into 6 municipalOrchomenus (H. Schliemann, Orchomenos, Leipzig ities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):[13]
1881) revealed the tholos tomb he called the Tomb
of Minyas", a Mycenaean monument that equalled the
Aliartos (2)
Tomb of Atreus at Mycenae itself. In 1893, A. de Ridder excavated the temple of Asklepios and some buri Distomo-Arachova-Antikyra (3)
als in the Roman necropolis. In 190305, a Bavarian
Livadeia (1)
archaeological mission under Heinrich Bulle and Adolf
Furtwngler conducted successful excavations at the site.
Orchomenos (5)
Research continued in 197073 by the Archaeological
Service under Theodore Spyropoulos, uncovering the
Tanagra (6)
Mycenaean palace, a prehistoric cemetery, the ancient
amphitheatre, and other structures.
Thebes (Thiva, 4)

7.1

Prefecture

Greek National Road 3, S, E, Cen., W, NW

Greek National Road 27, W, SW
Greek National Road 44, E
Greek National Road 48, W

9 Natives of Boeotia
Bakis
Corinna
Epaminondas
Gorgidas
Hesiod
Luke the Evangelist (traditionally location of his
death)
Narcissus (mythology)
Pelopidas
Pindar
Plutarch

The lion of Chaeronea.

Boeotia was created as a prefecture in 1899 (Greek: ), and again in 1943 out of the Attica and
Boeotia Prefecture. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Boeotia was created out
of the former prefecture Boeotia. The prefecture had the
same territory as the present regional unit. At the same
time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to
the table below.[13]

7.2

Provinces

10 See also
Boeotian helmet
Minyans
Ogyges
Aeolic Greek
List of settlements in Boeotia
Graea
Grake

The provinces were:

Livadeia Province - Livadeia
Thiva Province - Thiva (Thebes)

Economy

Boeotia is the home of the third largest pasta factory in

Europe, built by Misko, a member of Barilla Group.[14]

8.1

Transport

Greek National Road 1/E75, SE, E, NE

11 References
[1] Pausanias.Description of Greece 7.3.6
[2] Bibliotheke 2.4.11 records the origin of the Theban tribute
as recompense for the mortal wounding of Clymenus, king
of the Minyans, with a cast of a stone by a charioteer of
Menoeceus in the precinct of Poseidon at Onchestus; the
myth is also reported by Diodorus Siculus, 4.10.3.
[3] Cambitoglou & Descudres 1990, p. 7 under Excavations in the Region of Pylos by George S. Korrs.
[4] Sylvain Auroux. History of the language sciences: an international handbook on the evolution.

13

[5] L. H .Jeery (1976). Archaic Greece. The Greek citystates 700-500 BC. Ernest Benn Ltd. London & Tonbridge. pp. 71, 77 ISBN 0-510-03271-0
[6] The Parian marble. Entry No 5: When Amphictyon son
of Hellen became king of Thermopylae brought together
those living round the temple and named them Amphictyones; Entry No 6: Graeces-Hellenes
[7] L. H . Jeery (1976). Archaic Greece. The Greek city
states c. 700-500 B.C. Ernest Benn Ltd. London & Tonbridge pp. 72, 73 ISBN 0-510-03271-0
[8]

One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Boeotia". Encyclopdia
Britannica 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp.
114115. This cites as authorities:
Thucydides iv. 76-101
Xenophon, Hellenica, iii.-vii.
Strabo, pp. 400-412
Pausanias ix.
Theopompus (or Cratippus) in the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, vol v. (London, 1908, No. 842, col 12
W. M. Leake, Travels in Northern Greece, chs. xi.xix. (London, 1835)
H. F. Tozer, Geography of Greece (London, 1873),
pp. 233-238
W. Rhys Roberts, The Ancient Boeotians (Cambridge, 1895)
E. A. Freeman Federal Government (ed. 1893,
London), ch. iv. 2
B. V. Head, Historia Nomorum, pp. 291 sqq. (Oxford, 1887)
W. Larfeld, Sylloge Inscriptionum Boeoticarum
(Berlin, 1883). (See also Thebes.)

[9] Fine, John VA (1983). The Ancient Greeks: A Critical

History. Harvard University Press. pp. 354355.
[10] Thucydides (v. 38), in speaking of the four councils of
the Boeotians, is referring to the plenary bodies in the
various states. (Chisholm 1911)
[11] Nick Sekunda, The Ancient Greeks, p.27
[12] The Merriam-Webster New Book of Word Histories,
Merriam-Webster, 1 Jan 1991, p.360
[13] Kallikratis reform law text PDF
[14] http://www.miskocareers.gr/

Larson, Stephanie L. Tales of epic ancestry: Boiotian collective identity in the late archaic and early
classical periods (Historia Einzelschriften, 197).
Stuttgart: Franz Steiner, 2007. 238 p.

EXTERNAL LINKS

12 Sources
Victor Davis Hanson (1999). The Soul of Battle.
New York: Simon & Schuster.

13 External links
Boeotia digital cultural encyclopedia. Foundation
of the Hellenic World. Retrieved 9 July 2012.

14
14.1

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