Uranopolis
Uranopolis, meaning "City of Heaven," is a historically significant site located on the Athos Peninsula in northern Greece, specifically in the Chalcidice region. It was founded around 316 BC by Alexarchus, a descendant of Antipater and a figure among the successors of Alexander the Great. The settlers, who identified themselves as Uranidae, produced a series of silver coins featuring the goddess Aphrodite Urania and celestial symbols, reflecting their cultural and religious influences. Alexarchus promoted a cosmopolitan vision, encouraging his colonists to adopt a unique language and referring to them as "heliokrateis," or subjects of the sun, indicative of the utopian ideals prevalent during that era.
While the precise fate of ancient Uranopolis remains uncertain, it is believed that the modern town of Ouranoupoli, established in 1923 by refugees from Cappadocia, may not directly correspond to the ancient site. Instead, it likely occupies a different historical township known as Dion. The region's rich history is marked by various cultural exchanges and influences, making it an intriguing topic for those interested in ancient Greek settlements and their legacies.
Subject Terms
Uranopolis
Ouranopolis (`City of Heaven’)
A Greek town in Chalcidice (Macedonia, northern Greece), on the isthmus leading to the peninsula of Acte (Mount Athos). The site of the settlement is uncertain; but it is known to have been founded c 316 BC by Alexarchus, son of Antipater and brother of Cassander, who were among the successors of Alexander the Great.
The settlers, who described themselves as Uranidae, issued a brief series of silver coins depicting the enthroned goddess Aphrodite Urania on one side, and the sun—sometimes associated with the moon and five stars—on the other. Alexarchus assumed the name of `Helios’ (the sun-god), and called his colonists heliokrateis, subjects of the sun, evidently under the influence of Utopian conceptions currently emanating from the legends inspired by Alexander's career. Prompted by the spirit of cosmopolitanism that accompanied such ideas, Alexarchus also endeavored to introduce a special language, of which Athenaeus gives examples. The fate of the settlement is unknown. (The modern Ouranoupoli [Prosfori, Pyrgos], founded by refugees from Cappadocia [central Asia Minor] in AD 1923, in a wide bay dotted with wooded islets, appears to stand on the site not of ancient Uranopolis but of another township named Dion.)