1

Abantes
JESSICA PRIESTLEY

Abantes is the name used by HOMER and Hesiod

for the inhabitants of EUBOEA (Il. 2.5369; Hes.
fr. 204.523 West, cf. Hes. fr. 296) and by later
writers referring to the early Euboeans. The
Abantes in Homer sent forty ships to Troy
under the leadership of Elephenor, and are
described as long-haired at the back and
eager spearmen (Il. 2.53645). It was later
explained that their hair was kept short at the
front to prevent opponents holding it when
fighting at close-quarters (Plut. Thes. 5.24).
The Abantes reputation for close fighting has
been highlighted as a possible reflection of
martial practices in Euboea around the time
of the LELANTINE WAR (Archil. fr. 3 West; Strabo
10.1.12; Donlan 1970, cf. Wheeler 1987).
Strabo credits Aristotle with the view that
the Abantes were Thracians from Phokian Aba
who settled Euboea, but adds that others derive
the name from a hero (Strabo 10.1.3; cf. Steph.
Byz. s.v. Abantis). Although not Ionian,
they were said to have participated in the
Ionian migration (Hdt. 1.146.1; Paus. 7.2.4).
Pausanias relates a tradition that a group of
Abantes returning from Troy founded the city
of Thronion in Thesprotia (Paus. 5.22.4; SEG
15.251; cf. [Scymn.] 4413; Malkin 1998:
7880; 2001: 1914). Another tradition connects the Abantes with Chios: some Carians

and Abantes came to the island during the

reign of Oinopion, but both groups were later
killed or forced to depart (Paus. 7.4.910).
In historical times there is a record of a phyle
in Chalcis called Abantis (CIL XII 9, 946).
Pausanias also records a monument and
inscription (ca. 450 BCE) commemorating the
victory of the Apollonians at the limits of
the land Abantis (Paus. 5.22.3), apparently
referring to the Bay of Valona region (where
Thronion was situated), which was perhaps
settled by Euboeans in the mid-eighth century
BCE (Malkin 1998: 7880; 2001: 1914).
SEE ALSO:

Eretria; Ionian migration.

REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS

Donlan, W. (1970) Archilochus, Strabo and the
Lelantine War. Transactions of the American
Philological Association 101: 13142.
Kirk, G. S. (1985) The Iliad: a commentary, books
14. Cambridge.
Malkin, I. (1998) The Returns of Odysseus.
Berkeley.
Malkin, I. (2001) Greek ambiguities: between
Ancient Hellas and Barbarian Epirus. In
I. Malkin, ed., Ancient perceptions of Greek
ethnicity: 187212. Cambridge, MA.
Visser, E. (1997) Homers Katalog der Schiffe.
Stuttgart.
Wheeler, E. L. (1987) Ephorus and the prohibition
of missiles. Transactions of the American
Philological Association 117: 15782.

The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition. Edited by Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine,
and Sabine R. Huebner, print page 1.
2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Published 2013 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
DOI: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah02001