Boeotia

A region northwest of Attica, and north of the isthmus. The Cithaeron Mountains were located in the northwest, marking the boundary of Phocis and Locris. In the west was Mount Helicon and in the centre was Lake Copais.

In northern Boeotia, the region around Orchomenus was originally called Andreïs, after Andreus, son of the Thessalian river god Peneius.

The principal cities of Boeotia were:

The town of Plataea was only important during the classical period, where the site outside of the town became one of the most important battles in Greek history: the Battle of Plataea. During the Persian Wars Boeotia, except Thebes, helped the Greek city-states in a coalition led by Sparta and Athens, which defeated the Persians. During the Peloponnesian War, Plataea sided with Athens against Sparta and Thebes, and the town fell in a three-year siege (429-427 BC).

Read the Aeolids in Boeotia for the history of Boeotia.