Farsala

Infobox Greek Dimos
name = Farsala
name_local = Φάρσαλα
periph = Thessaly
prefec = Larissa
population = 10812
population_as_of = 2001
area =
elevation = 160
lat_deg = 39
lat_min = 18
lon_deg = 22
lon_min = 23
postal_code = 403 00
area_code = 24910
licence = ΡΙ
mayor =
website = [http://www.farsala.gov.gr/ www.farsala.gov.gr]


caption_skyline =
city_

city_

districts =
party =
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elevation_max =

Farsala or Pharsala ( _el. Φάρσαλα), known in Antiquity as Pharsalus, is a city in southern Thessaly, in Greece. Pharsala is located in the southern part of Larissa Prefecture, and is one of its largest cities. The city is linked with GR-3, the old highway linking Larissa and Lamia and is also accessed by GR-30 linking Karditsa and Volos. The GR-1/E65 and E75 superhighway runs to the east of the city. Several mountain ranges lie to the South, while the Thessalian Plain lies to the North, some hills to the East and the Pharsalian Fields in the central part. Pharsala is located SE of Karditsa, S of Larissa, W of Volos and N of Lamia.

The area is an economic and agricultural centre of the province. The population are mainly rural especially with cotton production and breeding, one of the many are in local production units in agricultural production as well as clothing and textile industries. Pharsala is famous for its distinctive halva. The population (2006) is about 13,500. The population in 1981 was 7,094, in 1991 8,413 and in 2001 9,801.

History

Ancient Pharsalus

Pharsalus (Greek: Φάρσαλος) was built over a hillside of the Narthacius mountains at an elevation of some 160 m. In the Mycenaean period, the city was grouped with the Homeric Phthia, capital of the Kingdom of the Myrmidons and of Peleus, father of Achilles. The Cyclopean Wall still exists today which protected the city. A vaulted tomb existed from that period.

In the historic era, the city was known as Pharsalus and was one of the main cities in Thessaly and was the capital of the Phthian tetrarch. In the Persian Wars, it battled with the Athenians. A distinctive tribe of the city were the tribes of Echecratidon. In the early-4th century BC, the city was a part of the Thessalian Commons. Later, it joined the Macedonian Kingdom under Philip II. The beautiful area became a theatre where the Aetolians and the Thessalians clashed with the Macedonians, especially during the Second and the Third Macedonian Wars. After the end of the Macedonian Kingdom, Pharsala and the whole area became a part of the Roman Republic. The whole area suffered great destruction during the Roman Civil War. The Battle of Pharsalus took place in 48 BC in the fields near the city, where Julius Caesar defeated Pompey.

Modern Pharsala

Pharsala was liberated from the Ottoman Empire in 1881 and together with the rest of Thessaly became part of the Hellenic Kingdom. During the first Greco-Turkish War (1897), a major battle took place in the vicinity of Pharsala.

ubdivisions

*Stathmos Farsalon (Pharsala Train Station) - located near Pharsala
* Achileio - located near Farsala
* Vrusia - located near Farsala

Historical population

Books

Hilari Bell has written a series of three books called;Fall of a Kingdom, Rise of a Hero and Forging the Sword, which take place in a fictional location called Farsala.

ee also

*List of communities of Larissa

References

External links

*CathEncy|wstitle=Pharsalus
* [http://www.farsala.gov.gr/ The official site of Farsala.] el icon
* [http://www.livius.org/pha-phd/pharsalus/pharsalus.html Livius.org: Pharsalus] (in antiquity)

*Coordinates: coord|39|17|32|N|22|23|11|E|region:GR