Olynthus

Greek Town Planning

Adhiraj Bhattacharya
Physical Planning VII
1RV13AT003

oduction
Olynthus is an ancient city located in
Macedonia, an area of northern Greece to
the north of Athens. A small town had
existed there since the 7th century BCE,
but in the Classical period, in 432 BCE,
the town was vastly expanded -- more
than doubled in size. The new portion
was laid out in the checkerboard form that
is called the Hippodamian plan, after the
Greek planner Hippodamus.
The expanded city, probably having a
population of at least 10,000, was shortlived -- less than a century old when it
was destroyed by King Philip of Macedon
in 348 BCE. This short history makes the
site of great use to archaeologists, as it
does not have the alterations, additions,
and rebuilding that are typical of sites
inhabited for centuries. The foundations
of over 100 houses were excavated here,
giving us a unique and detailed glimpse of
residential life in ancient Greece.

Geography
Olynthus is located on a peninsula
that extends into the north
Aegean Sea. It lies on two flattopped hills, next to the Sandanus
River, which empties into the sea
2.5 km to the south.
The Greeks often chose to locate a
city near a seaport for trade
reasons, but inland far enough to
provide security from invasion.
The surrounding land is gently
rolling, but marshland extends to
the south, and the large hills rise
to the north. The region is wellwooded in the hills, and has plenty
of pasture land and fertile soil for
growing crops. Other ancient
towns were within a few
kilomenters.
Olynthus was not a large polis and
probably controlled little more
than 50 square kilometers of

History
Olynthus and a number of other towns
in Macedonia were controlled by the
Chalcidian people. The Chalcidians were
allied with enemies of Athens, the most
powerful of the Greek city-states. In 432
BCE the Macedonian king Perdiccas, also
an enemy of Athens, persuaded the
Chalcidians to form a league and
strengthen their position by moving
together into a single town.
At this time, the new portion of Olynthus
was planned and built on the North Hill
to accommodate this influx of peoples.
Eventually, 80 years later, the
Chalcidians made peace with Athens.
However, Philip was now king of
Macedon and was still at war with
Athens. The Chalcidian turnabout
angered him, but an even greater
affront was committed three years later
when Olynthus sheltered Philip's halfbrothers who wanted to usurp the
Macedonian throne.
Some Olynthians were taken captive,
and many, no doubt, were exiled to
other parts of Macedonia. The town,
looted and damaged, was largely
abandoned to the natural forces that

Town Layout
The South Hill was inhabited
briefly in Neolithic times, and
then re-occupied beginning
in the 7th century BCE.
After 432 BCE the larger
North Hill was almost
completely built over with
rectangular blocks of houses
and surrounded by a city
wall.
To the east the land slopes to
a plain where the residential
Villa Section is located. The
excavators dubbed the
houses here villas, as they
are away from the center of
town and seem to belong to
wealthier residents.

Typical Greek House