Thessalien

Thessalien is the German name for Thessaly, a historical and geographical region in central Greece. The term Thessalian can also refer to a person from Thessaly, or to things associated with the region. In antiquity, Thessaly was inhabited by the Thessalians, a group of tribes organized into a number of districts and leagues. The region was renowned for its cavalry and horses, and in myth Thessaly is linked to centaurs and heroes such as Jason and Achilles.

Geography and subdivisions form a key part of the modern identity of Thessally. The region sits in central Greece, bordered by the Pindus mountains to the west and north, the Pindus and Ossa ranges to the south and east, and the Aegean coast along the Pagasetic Gulf. It contains the Thessalian Plain, Greece’s largest fertile plain, and is traversed by rivers such as the Pinios. The landscape includes the Pelion and the Ossa mountains, with the coastal Magnesia region around Volos.

Historically, Thessaly passed through several powers, including ancient Greek city-states, the Macedonian kingdom, the Roman and Byzantine empires, and later the Ottoman Empire, before becoming part of the modern Greek state in the 19th century. In contemporary administration, Thessaly (Thessalia) is one of Greece’s thirteen regions, divided into four regional units: Larissa, Magnesia, Trikala, and Karditsa. The regional capital is Larissa; major urban centers include Volos, Trikala, Karditsa, and the surrounding rural areas that sustain agriculture, industry, and tourism.

See also: Thessaly, Thessalian League, Pelion, Pindus Mountains.