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Modern Description: A city on the coast of Pieria, it is distinguished from other cities of the same name by being called 'Methone of Macedonia'; (Dem. 50.46) but more usually 'Thracian Methone'; or 'the one in Thrace'; since in Classical times the N shore of the Aegean up to the Thermaic gulf was still called Thrace, whence Thracian tribute, etc. According to Plutarch (Mor. 293B) it was colonized by the Eretrians, but the site had an earlier founder, Methon, 'ancestor of Orpheus,'; which indicates an original foundation by Thracians who were driven from here by the Macedonians (see Edessa). Methone was a member of the first Athenian Alliance, included in the Thracian tribute lists. It was under pressure from the kings of Macedonia until 354 B.C. when Philip II destroyed it and distributed its land among his Macedonians. During this siege Philip lost his right eye. Methone thereafter is not heard of as a flourishing city, although it is mentioned by later writers (Skyl. 66; Strab. 7. frag. 20, 22). They place Methone generally N of Pydna, at 40 stades distance, according to Strabo. Travelers and archaeologists locate it near modern Eleutherochori. There have never been any systematic excavations. Some surface discoveries and small finds have been made in the area, but not sufficient to settle the question indisputably. Among the finds are inscriptions referring to the tomb of Olympias. The small finds are in the Thessalonika Museum and in the Archaeological Collection of Katerini. (PH. M. PETSAS)

Info: Princeton Encyclopedia

(Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, from Perseus Project)

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