The Acheloos – The fluid border between Aitolia and Akarnania

Peter Funke University of Münster

Strabo’s characterisation of the river Acheloos as a quasi ‘natural’ border between Aitolia and Akarnania has had a lasting influence on the classical scholars’ view of the political geography of Central Greece. The lecture will trace the changeful history of the border between the two federal states in Classical and Hellenistic times, which was only very rarely identical with the course of the Acheloos. After a brief description of the basic physiogeographical conditions, the situation in the 5th and 4th century will be outlined briefly, and then, based on a revaluation of the few and very disparate historiographical and epigraphic sources, the developments in the 3rd century will be discussed in detail. The federal structures of the Aitolian, Akarnanian and also the Epeirote Koinon apparently favoured the frequent and rapid changes in the territorial borders and political belonging.