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Polykastro
Polykastro (Greek: Πολύκαστρο, before 1928 Καρασούλι, Karasoúli;) is a town and a former municipality in Kilkis regional unit of Central Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Paionia, of which it is a municipal unit, and the seat. The municipal unit has an area of 312.717 km2, the municipal unit 45.775 km2. The municipal unit of Polykastro has 12,000 inhabitants, and includes Polykastro and 23 villages. It is built near the Axios River, on the road and railway from Thessaloniki to Belgrade. It was formerly known as Karasuli (Turkish), Mavrosuli or Rugunovec (Macedonian and Bulgarian: Ругуновец).
The area is inhabited since the Neolithic Era. There are two settlements from that era: in Axiochorion (Amydon) and in Limnotopos (Carabia). In the Bronze Age, 3500 to 3000 BC, Paeonians moved into the area. In Axiochorion was the capital of Paeonia, Amydon. Paeonians from Amydon took part in the Trojan War as Trojan allies, with King Pyraechmes and Asteropaeus. King Pelegon was the one who led Paeonians from the northern valley of the Axios river to the southern valley, now called Amphaxitis. Paeonians also, founded the town Chaetae in Tsaousitsa, near Pontoiraklia. In the 19th century BC, there was an invasion from the east. The invaders were Pelasgians, later known as Crestonians, as they inhabited Krestonia, east of Amphaxitis. In the 12th century BC Phrygians came in the area. Amydon became the first place of iron treatment in Southeast Europe. Phrygians founded the town Baerus or Vairos near the village Kastro. In the 5th century B.C. Macedonians conquered Amphaxitis and by that time, the Area of Polykastro followed the rest of Greece.
In Roman times, Amydon was completely destroyed. The settlement in the region was called Tauriana and belonged in 2nd Division of Macedonia, with Thessaloniki as the capital. During Roman times, 2nd century BC to 4th century AD, Gauls, Goths and Germans made incursions. In Byzantine times there were many wars with the northern tribes, as Avars, Vardars, Bulgars and Slavs and the area was severely affected. In the 13th century, the Byzantine Emperors rebuilt the fortress of Vairos in order to face the northern enemies.
In 1397 the area was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and Ottomans started a program of Islamification. Many people left the area to live in the mountains.
The Ottomans called the town Karasouli. That name comes from the Turkish words "kara"=black and "suli"=swamp. Another interpretation of the name is that the Ottomans named it after a local man who had dark skin and was originally from Souli, Epirus.
According to Ottoman traveller Hadji Khalfa, the area was populated only by Greeks and Turks.[citation needed] After the 15th century the area relied on its agricultural economy. Many farm workers came from other places of the Ottoman Empire, in order to work because many locals refused to work in Ottoman owned farms. After the 16th century, many Sarakatsani arrived in the area from Epirus. During 17th and 18th centuries, Vlachs came also in the area, from Western Macedonia, removed because of Turkish/Albanian loots. It is remarkable that in the villages Evzoni and Korona, people used to speak a Romance dialect, called Megleno-Romanian.[citation needed] There are such speakers even nowadays. Researcher Maria Papageorgiou claims that a lot of plays of ancient Greek tragic poets, not preserved nowadays, were kept verbally, in this dialect, as tales.
During the Greek War of Independence, people of Polykastro fought against the Ottomans in the revolutionary movement of Bogdanci, but were unsuccessful. The revolution continued in southern Greece. Many fighters from Polykastro and nearby villages (such as Gevgelija, Bogdanci, etc.) went in Southern Greece to contribute. During the first provisional Greek government, a committee was established, called "Committee of North Macedonians", consisted of three members. One of the three members was from Bogdanci.
After 1850, five Greek communities had been established in the region; in Polykastro, Axiochori, Aspros, Evzonoi and Metamorfossis and four Greek schools; in Polykastro, Aspros, Axiochori and Evzonoi. Two Greek churches and one school were built in the village, they are known as Agii Anargyri (Taxiarches nowadays) and Agios Athanassios. In 1870 the railway station of Karasouli was established.
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Polykastro
Polykastro (Greek: Πολύκαστρο, before 1928 Καρασούλι, Karasoúli;) is a town and a former municipality in Kilkis regional unit of Central Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Paionia, of which it is a municipal unit, and the seat. The municipal unit has an area of 312.717 km2, the municipal unit 45.775 km2. The municipal unit of Polykastro has 12,000 inhabitants, and includes Polykastro and 23 villages. It is built near the Axios River, on the road and railway from Thessaloniki to Belgrade. It was formerly known as Karasuli (Turkish), Mavrosuli or Rugunovec (Macedonian and Bulgarian: Ругуновец).
The area is inhabited since the Neolithic Era. There are two settlements from that era: in Axiochorion (Amydon) and in Limnotopos (Carabia). In the Bronze Age, 3500 to 3000 BC, Paeonians moved into the area. In Axiochorion was the capital of Paeonia, Amydon. Paeonians from Amydon took part in the Trojan War as Trojan allies, with King Pyraechmes and Asteropaeus. King Pelegon was the one who led Paeonians from the northern valley of the Axios river to the southern valley, now called Amphaxitis. Paeonians also, founded the town Chaetae in Tsaousitsa, near Pontoiraklia. In the 19th century BC, there was an invasion from the east. The invaders were Pelasgians, later known as Crestonians, as they inhabited Krestonia, east of Amphaxitis. In the 12th century BC Phrygians came in the area. Amydon became the first place of iron treatment in Southeast Europe. Phrygians founded the town Baerus or Vairos near the village Kastro. In the 5th century B.C. Macedonians conquered Amphaxitis and by that time, the Area of Polykastro followed the rest of Greece.
In Roman times, Amydon was completely destroyed. The settlement in the region was called Tauriana and belonged in 2nd Division of Macedonia, with Thessaloniki as the capital. During Roman times, 2nd century BC to 4th century AD, Gauls, Goths and Germans made incursions. In Byzantine times there were many wars with the northern tribes, as Avars, Vardars, Bulgars and Slavs and the area was severely affected. In the 13th century, the Byzantine Emperors rebuilt the fortress of Vairos in order to face the northern enemies.
In 1397 the area was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and Ottomans started a program of Islamification. Many people left the area to live in the mountains.
The Ottomans called the town Karasouli. That name comes from the Turkish words "kara"=black and "suli"=swamp. Another interpretation of the name is that the Ottomans named it after a local man who had dark skin and was originally from Souli, Epirus.
According to Ottoman traveller Hadji Khalfa, the area was populated only by Greeks and Turks.[citation needed] After the 15th century the area relied on its agricultural economy. Many farm workers came from other places of the Ottoman Empire, in order to work because many locals refused to work in Ottoman owned farms. After the 16th century, many Sarakatsani arrived in the area from Epirus. During 17th and 18th centuries, Vlachs came also in the area, from Western Macedonia, removed because of Turkish/Albanian loots. It is remarkable that in the villages Evzoni and Korona, people used to speak a Romance dialect, called Megleno-Romanian.[citation needed] There are such speakers even nowadays. Researcher Maria Papageorgiou claims that a lot of plays of ancient Greek tragic poets, not preserved nowadays, were kept verbally, in this dialect, as tales.
During the Greek War of Independence, people of Polykastro fought against the Ottomans in the revolutionary movement of Bogdanci, but were unsuccessful. The revolution continued in southern Greece. Many fighters from Polykastro and nearby villages (such as Gevgelija, Bogdanci, etc.) went in Southern Greece to contribute. During the first provisional Greek government, a committee was established, called "Committee of North Macedonians", consisted of three members. One of the three members was from Bogdanci.
After 1850, five Greek communities had been established in the region; in Polykastro, Axiochori, Aspros, Evzonoi and Metamorfossis and four Greek schools; in Polykastro, Aspros, Axiochori and Evzonoi. Two Greek churches and one school were built in the village, they are known as Agii Anargyri (Taxiarches nowadays) and Agios Athanassios. In 1870 the railway station of Karasouli was established.
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