Pelinna
Encyclopedia
Pelinna was an ancient Greek
city
with a celebrated temple
of Zeus
Pelinnaeus, in Estiaeotis, ancient Thessaly
. Pelinna was situated between Tricca
and Pharcadon, near modern Palaiogardiki (Trikala prefecture
). The city gained particular prominence in the fourth century BC through its alliance with Philip II of Macedon
. Among other archaeological evidence of the religious significance of Pelinna are two Orphic gold tablets (lamellae
) found in 1985 on the site of Petroporos, dating to the late 4th century BC.
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
city
Polis
Polis , plural poleis , literally means city in Greek. It could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. In modern historiography "polis" is normally used to indicate the ancient Greek city-states, like Classical Athens and its contemporaries, so polis is often translated as "city-state."The...
with a celebrated temple
Greek temple
Greek temples were structures built to house deity statues within Greek sanctuaries in Greek paganism. The temples themselves did usually not directly serve a cult purpose, since the sacrifices and rituals dedicated to the respective deity took place outside them...
of Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
Pelinnaeus, in Estiaeotis, ancient Thessaly
Ancient Thessaly
Ancient Thessaly or Thessalia was one of the traditional regions of Ancient Greece. During the Mycenaean period, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, a name which continued to be used for one of the major tribes of Greece, the Aeolians, and their dialect of Greek, .-History:Thessaly was home to an...
. Pelinna was situated between Tricca
Tricca
Tricca was an ancient city in Thessaly, Greece. It corresponds to modern Trikala.It was an ancient city, near the Peneius River and on the Lethaeus River. It is mentioned in Homer as the Kingdom of Machaon and Podaleirius, sons of Aesculapius and physicians of the Greek army. It possessed the...
and Pharcadon, near modern Palaiogardiki (Trikala prefecture
Trikala Prefecture
Trikala is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Thessaly. Its capital is the town of Trikala. The regional unit includes the town of Kalampaka and the Meteora monastery complex.-Geography:...
). The city gained particular prominence in the fourth century BC through its alliance with Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...
. Among other archaeological evidence of the religious significance of Pelinna are two Orphic gold tablets (lamellae
Totenpass
Totenpass is a German term sometimes used for inscribed tablets or metal leaves found in burials primarily of those presumed to be initiates into Orphic, Dionysiac, and some ancient Egyptian and Semitic religions...
) found in 1985 on the site of Petroporos, dating to the late 4th century BC.