2 stops in walking order

Historic Site

Amphanae or Amphanai was the southernmost city on the east coast of the district of Pelasgiotis, Ancient Thessaly, near the border between the Pelasgiotis and Achaea Phthiotis forming promontory Pyrrha. Its location is doubtful, and several locations have been proposed, including Soros in the municipality of Volos, Damari, Paleo Alikes in the municipality of Volos, and the palaiokastro (old fort) of Sesklou. The identification with Soros is accepted by the editors of the Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, and tentatively accepted by the editors of the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. However, the most recent excavations seem to indicate that Soros is more likely to be identified with Pagasas. Referencing Hecataeus of Miletus, Stephanus of Byzantium distinguishes a Doric Amphanai, this seems to be based on a mistake; probably this Thessalian city was founded by Dorians is meant, and therefore Hekataios thus labelled it as a "Doric city" rather than a "city in Doris".

~20 min at this stop

Historic Site

Pagasae or Pagases, also Pagasa, was a town and polis (city-state) of Magnesia in ancient Thessaly, currently a suburb of Volos. It is situated at the northern extremity of the bay named after it. Pagasae is celebrated in mythology as the port where Jason built the ship Argo, and from which he sailed upon his adventurous voyage: hence some of the ancients derived its name from the construction of that vessel, (from πήγνυμι), but others from the numerous and abundant springs which were found at this spot. Apollonius of Rhodes describes the setting vividly in the first book of his Argonautica. Pagasae was conquered by Philip II of Macedon after the defeat of Onomarchus; in Diodorus's report the place is spelt Παγαί - Pagaí. On the foundation of Demetrias in 290 or 293 BCE, Pagasae was one of the towns whose inhabitants were transferred to the new city; but after the Roman conquest Pagasae was restored, and again became an important place. In the time of Strabo it was the port of Pherae, which was the principal city in this part of Thessaly. Pagasae was 90 stadia from Pherae, and 20 from Iolcos.

~20 min at this stop