Strabo concerning Thessalonica
Posted: October 5th, 2016, 12:15 pm
I was unsure where to put this question. I decided to put it here as an etymology question: what do we think Strabo meant with these words about Thessalonica?
Strabo 7.fragments.20 "μέση δ᾽ οὖσα ἡ Μεθώνη τῆς μὲν Πύδνης ὅσον τετταράκοντα σταδίων ἀπέχει, τῆς Ἀλώρου δὲ ἑβδομήκοντα. ἔστι δ᾽ ἡ Ἄλωρος τὸ μυχαίτατον τοῦ Θερμαίου κόλπου: λέγεται δὲ Θεσσαλονίκεια διὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν." Admitting I have no idea where Aloros was and ignoring the fact that Strabo seems to be calling Thessalonica Aloros, what did he mean by the phrase "λέγεται δὲ Θεσσαλονίκεια διὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν."? Is it fair to assume that he is recounting a tradition of an epiphany of Apollo around the time of the the Battle of Crocus field, or perhaps that Philip was his avatar?
On the Battle of Crocus Field: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Crocus_Field
Strabo 7.fragments.20 "μέση δ᾽ οὖσα ἡ Μεθώνη τῆς μὲν Πύδνης ὅσον τετταράκοντα σταδίων ἀπέχει, τῆς Ἀλώρου δὲ ἑβδομήκοντα. ἔστι δ᾽ ἡ Ἄλωρος τὸ μυχαίτατον τοῦ Θερμαίου κόλπου: λέγεται δὲ Θεσσαλονίκεια διὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν." Admitting I have no idea where Aloros was and ignoring the fact that Strabo seems to be calling Thessalonica Aloros, what did he mean by the phrase "λέγεται δὲ Θεσσαλονίκεια διὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν."? Is it fair to assume that he is recounting a tradition of an epiphany of Apollo around the time of the the Battle of Crocus field, or perhaps that Philip was his avatar?
On the Battle of Crocus Field: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Crocus_Field