'Stageira' (
Greek: Στάγειρα) was an
ancient Greek city on the
Chalcidice peninsula and is chiefly known for being the birthplace of
Aristotle. The city lies a few kilometres north of the present-day village of
Stagira, close to the city now called Olympias.
Stageira was founded in
655 BC by
Ionian settlers from
Andros.
Xerxes I of Persia occupied it in
480 BC.
The city later joined the
Delian League, lead by
Athens, but left in
424 BC: as a result, the Athenian
demagogue Cleon laid
siege to it in
422 BC. However, Cleon was a poor strategist and his conduct of the siege was very inefficient: so much so that the ancient Greek
comedy writer
Aristophanes satirised him in the play known as ''
The Knights''. Cleon died in the same year, in the
battle of Amphipolis.
Philip II of Macedon later had more success, occupying and destroying the city. As payment for Aristotle's tutoring of his son, who became
Alexander the Great, Philip later rebuilt the city and resettled the old city's inhabitants, who had been
enslaved, there. Many new structures were built at this time, including an
aqueduct, two
shrines to
Demeter and many houses.
Aristotle was born in Stageira in
384 BC.
[1]
References
1.