Editing Ambracia

{{Short description|Ancient city in Greece}}
{{about|the ancient city|the lake|Lake Amvrakia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} 
{{Infobox ancient site
| name           = Ambracia
| native_name    = Ἀμβρακία
| native_name_lang =
| alternate_name = Arta
| image          = Small theatre of Ambracia 1.jpg
| image_size     = 
| alt            = 
| caption        = Small theater at Ambracia
| map            = {{Location map|Balkans}}
| map_type       = 
| map_alt        = 
| map_caption    = 
| map_size       = 
| mapframe       = <!-- "yes" to show an interactive map -->
| altitude_m     = <!-- Enter a number for altitude in meters (m) -->
| altitude_ref   = 
| relief         = 
| coordinates    = {{coord|39.158|N|20.987|E|display=title,inline|source:eswiki}}
| gbgridref      = 
| map_dot_label  = 
| location       = 
| region         = Epirus
| type           = City
| part_of        = 
| abandoned      = 
| epochs         = Greek, Roman, Byzantine
| cultures       = 
}}
'''Ambracia''' ({{IPAc-en|æ|m|ˈ|b|r|eɪ|ʃ|ə}}; {{langx|grc|Ἀμβρακία}}, occasionally {{lang|grc|Ἀμπρακία}}, ''Ampracia'') was a city of [[ancient Greece]] on the site of modern [[Arta, Greece|Arta]]. It was founded by the [[Ancient Corinth|Corinthians]] in 625 BC and was situated about {{convert|11|km|abbr=on|0}} from the [[Ambracian Gulf]], on a bend of the navigable river [[Arachthos River|Arachthos]] (or Aratthus), in the midst of a fertile wooded plain.<ref name="OCD">{{Citation  | last = Hammond  | first = Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière  | author-link=N. G. L. Hammond  | contribution = Ambracia | year = 1996  | title = [[Oxford Classical Dictionary]]  | editor1-last = Hornblower  | editor1-first = Simon  | editor1-link =Simon Hornblower  | editor2-last = Spawforth  | editor2-first = Anthony  | editor2-link =Anthony Spawforth  | edition = 3rd  | place = Oxford  | publisher = [[Oxford University Press]]  | isbn = 0-19-521693-8}}</ref>

==Name==
It was named after [[Ambracia (mythology)|Ambracia]], who according to some myths was Augeas daughter, while others describe her as [[Apollo]]'s granddaughter and the daughter of [[Melaneus of Oechalia|Melaneus]], king of the [[Dryope]].<ref name="A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Ambracia">[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DA%3Aentry+group%3D18%3Aentry%3Dambracia-bio-1 A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Ambracia]</ref>

According to a different story, the town was named after Ambrax, Thesprotus son and Lycaon's grandson.<ref name="A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Ambracia"/>

==History==
Ambracia was founded between 650 and 625 BC by Gorgus, son of the Corinthian tyrant [[Cypselus]], at which time its economy was based on farmlands, fishing, timber for shipbuilding, and the exportation of the produce of Epirus.<ref name="OCD"/> After the expulsion of Gorgus's son Periander its government developed into a strong democracy.  The early policy of Ambracia was determined by its loyalty to Corinth (for which it probably served as an entrepot in the [[Epirus]] trade), and its consequent aversion to [[Corcyra]] (as Ambracia participated on the Corinthian side at the [[Battle of Sybota]], which took place in 433 BC between the rebellious Corinthian colony of Corcyra (modern Corfu) and [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]]).{{sfn|Caspari|1911}}

Ambraciot politics featured many frontier disputes with the [[Amphilochians]] and [[Acarnanians]].  Hence it took a prominent part in the [[Peloponnesian War]] until the crushing defeat at [[Battle of Idomene|Idomene]] (426), which crippled its resources.{{sfn|Caspari|1911}}

In the 4th century BC, it continued its traditional policy but in 338 was besieged by [[Philip II of Macedon]]. With the assistance of Corinth and Athens, it escaped complete domination at Philip's hands but was nevertheless forced to accept a Macedonian garrison.<ref name="OCD"/>  In 294 BC, after forty-three years of semi-autonomy under [[Macedon]]ian suzerainty, Ambracia was given by the son of [[Cassander]] to [[Pyrrhus of Epirus|Pyrrhus]], king of [[Epirus (ancient state)|Epirus]], who made it his capital and adorned it with palaces, temples, and theatres.  In the wars of [[Philip V of Macedon]] and the Epirotes against the [[Aetolian League]] (220–205), Ambracia passed from one alliance to the other but ultimately joined the latter confederacy.  During the struggle of the Aetolians against [[Roman Republic|Rome]], it withstood a stubborn [[siege]],{{sfn|Caspari|1911}} including the first known use of [[poison gas]] against the Romans' [[Tunnel warfare|siege tunnels]].<ref>[[Polybius]] 21.28</ref> There was an ancient book, titled ''Ambrakika'' (Ἀμβρακικά), by the writer [[Athanadas]], that detailed the history of Ambracia. No copies of the work survive, but it was referred to by later writers such as [[Antoninus Liberalis]] as an authority on the subject.

Ambracia was captured and plundered by [[Marcus Fulvius Nobilior (consul 189 BC)|Marcus Fulvius Nobilior]] in 189 BC, after which it was declared by Rome a "free city" and gradually fell into insignificance.<ref name="OCD"/>{{sfn|Caspari|1911}}  The foundation by [[Augustus Caesar|Augustus]] of [[Nicopolis]], into which the remaining inhabitants were drafted, left the site desolate.  In [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] times a new settlement took its place under the name of [[Arta, Greece|Arta]]. Some fragmentary walls of large, well-dressed blocks near this latter town indicate the early prosperity of Ambracia.{{sfn|Caspari|1911}}

==Ambraciotes==

===Artists===
*[[Epigonus of Ambracia]], 6th BC musician
*Nicocles, [[auletes]]
*Hippasus, tragic actor
*[[Epicrates of Ambracia]], c. 4th BC comic poet<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=HrPd7zRmDu0C&pg=PA204&dq=Epicrates+comic+poet biographical sketch online].</ref>

===Athletes===
*Sophron, [[Stadion (running race)|Stadion]] [[Ancient Olympic Games|Olympics]] 432 BC<ref>{{cite web | title=The Bibliographical Miscellany | website=Google |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sm5IoZHdA08C&dq=Sophron+of+Ambracia&pg=PT36 | last1=Clarke | first1=Adam | year=1806 }}</ref>
*Tlasimachus, [[Chariot racing|Tethrippon]] and [[Synoris]] Olympics  296 BC<ref>{{cite web | title=Tlasimachus | website=Google Search | url=https://www.google.com/search?q=Tlasimachus | access-date=25 June 2023 }}</ref>
*Andromachus, Stadion Olympics 60 BC<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=++180th+%5B60+B.C.%5D+-+Andromachus+of+Ambracia+|title=180th [60 B.C.] - Andromachus of Ambracia - Google Search|website=www.google.com|accessdate=25 June 2023}}</ref>

===Various===
*[[Silanus of Ambracia]], 5th BC seer
*Cleombrotus of Ambracia, student of [[Plato]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Screech |first=M. A. |url=http://archive.org/details/montaignemelanch00scre |title=Montaigne & melancholy |date=2000 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-7425-0863-7}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of cities in ancient Epirus]]
*[[List of ancient Greek cities]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

'''Attribution:'''
*{{EB1911|first=Max Otto Bismarck |last=Caspari|wstitle=Ambracia|volume=1|pages=797-798}}

{{Commons category|Ambracia}}

[[Category:Cities in ancient Epirus]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 7th century BC]]
[[Category:Corinthian colonies]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Greece]]
[[Category:Populated places in ancient Acarnania]]
[[Category:Populated places in ancient Epirus]]
[[Category:Pyrrhus of Epirus]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Epirus (region)]]
[[Category:Arta, Greece]]