Astakos
{{about|the modern city|the ancient town nearby|Astacus (Acarnania)|the ancient city near modern-day İzmit, Turkey, also called Astacus or Astakos|Astacus in Bithynia}}
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
|name = Astakos
|name_local = Αστακός
|type = municipal unit
|image_map = DE Astakou.svg
|map_caption = Location within the regional unit
|periph = West Greece
|periphunit = Aetolia-Acarnania
|municipality = Xiromero
|pop_municunit = 5719
|pop_community = 2617
|population_as_of = 2021
|area_municunit = 345.1
|elevation = 10
|coordinates = {{coord|38|32|N|21|5|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code = 300 06
|area_code = 26460
|licence = AI
|website =
|image_skyline = Astakos0197.jpg
|caption_skyline =
|city_flag =
|city_seal =
|districts =
}}
Astakos ({{langx|el|Αστακός}}, meaning "lobster") is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Xiromero, of which it is a municipal unit.[http://www.kedke.gr/uploads2010/FEKB129211082010_kallikratis.pdf Kallikratis law] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141917/http://www.kedke.gr/uploads2010/FEKB129211082010_kallikratis.pdf |date=2018-06-12 }} Greece Ministry of Interior {{in lang|el}} The municipal unit has an area of 345.099 km2.{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archivedate=2015-09-21 }} It is located on a bay on the eastern shore of the Ionian Sea, near the southern end of the Acarnanian Mountains. It takes its name from the ancient Acarnanian town Astacus ({{langx|grc|Ἄστακος}} - Astakos),{{cite DGRG|title=Astacus}} and was named Dragamesti in the Middle Ages. It is speculated to be the site of ancient Dulichium.
It is 16 km southeast of Kalamos (island), 30 km southwest of Agrinio, 35 km northwest of Missolonghi and 55 km southeast of Preveza.
Subdivisions
The municipal unit Astakos is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
- Agrampela
- Astakos (Astakos, Valti)
- Bampini
- Karaiskakis
- Machairas
- Chrysovitsa
- Palaiomanina
- Prodromos
- Skourtou
- Strongylovouni (Strongylovouni, Manina Vlizianon)
- Vasilopoulo
- Vliziana
Economy
The city has a port able to hold ferries. The countryside mainly produces wheat, corn and few grapes. Fishing is an important source of income.
Historical population
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Year | Community | Municipal unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 2,724 | - |
| 1991 | 2,459 | 8,210 |
| 2001 | 2,560 | 7,330 |
| 2011 | 2,732 | 6,578 |
| 2021 | 2,617 | 5,719 |
Noteworthy persons
- Leo Leandros (b. 1926), singer and composer
In popular culture
- Astakos is also the birthplace of the fictional characters Xeones and Diomache in Steven Pressfield's novel Gates of Fire. Cousins Xeones and Diomache both survive the sack of Astakos by Argos (cir. 500 BC); Xeones later becomes a perioikoi of Sparta and serves at the Battle of Thermopylae as a squire to the Spartiate Dienekes.{{cite book | last =Pressfield | first =Steven | author-link =Steven Pressfield | title =Gates of Fire : An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae | year =1998 | publisher = Bantam | location =New York | isbn = }}
See also
External links
- [http://www.dhmosastakou.gr/ Municipality of Astakos] {{in lang|el}}