Oiniades

Oiniades (Greek: Οινιάδες) is a municipal unit of the municipality Missolonghi, Greece. The municipal unit has an area of 270.899 km².[2] It was named after the ancient town of Oeniadae.

Oiniades Οινιάδες
The ancient shipyard
Oiniades Location within the regional unit
Coordinates: 38°24.7′N 21°11.7′E
Country	Greece
Administrative region	West Greece
Regional unit	Aetolia-Acarnania
Municipality	Messolonghi
• Municipal unit	270.9 km^2 (104.6 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Municipal unit	9,373
• Municipal unit density	35/km^2 (90/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	300 01
Area code(s)	2210
Vehicle registration	ME

History

Ancient Oeniadae (Ancient Greek: Οἰνιάδαι) was a port town on the west bank of the river Achelous and one of the most important towns of ancient Acarnania. Oeniadai was first mentioned in the 5th century BC.[3]

It was situated against a hill in the marshes, which protected it from invaders.[4] Its location has been identified on that of the present village Katochi.

It was an important port on the route to Corfu. It changed its alliances repeatedly in the course of history; at first it was a member of the Peloponnesian League, but in 424 BC it was incorporated in the Delian League. In the Hellenistic period, Oiniadai allied with the Aetolians until 218 BC when Philip V declared it free. From 211-189 BC during the Roman-Macedonian wars the city was again under Aetolian control. In Roman times it lost its strategic importance. However it was still inhabited in the 3rd century AD judging from coin finds.

Archaeology

The city walls are well preserved and several buildings were excavated beginning in 1900-1901:

• a theatre
• a bath complex
• a shipyard.

Municipality

Subdivisions

The municipal unit Oiniades is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):

• Neochori Mesolongiou (Neochori, Magoula, Marmara)
• Gouria
• Katochi
• Lesini
• Mastros (Mastros, Platania)
• Pentalofo

Population

Year	Municipality population
1991	10,686
2001	10,227
2011	9,373

References

1. "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
2. "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.
3. OINIADAI Greece, entry in The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites.
4.  Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Oeniadae". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

External links

• Municipality of Oiniades (in Greek)
• Oiniades (municipality) on GTP Travel Pages
• Ancient Oeniadae on GTP Travel Pages
• Ancient Oeniadae access information
• jstor.org, Oeniadae: I. History and Topography by Benjamin Powell, 1904