BAKRAINA
(“Mopsion”) Thessaly, Greece.
A
city described by Livy as on a hill between Larissa and
Gonnos. it was previously identified by Stählin with
Drachmani (Rachmani), a nameless site whose ruins are
visible E of the road and railroad leading N to the
Vale of Tempe. it is situated on a height at the S end
of the Kalamitsa plain. Failing to find significant remains of a city, Stählin subsequently placed Mopsion at
Bakraina, a double-peaked site connected by a saddle to
Mt. Erimon's farthest S spur. The hill is concave and
much eroded toward the S; the other sides are steep.
There are two walls of primitive construction around the
W peak, the inner quite small in circumference and
linked to the outer by two cross walls. A third wall encloses both peaks in an oval. There are no towers; the
only remaining gate is in the SE corner. The masonry,
possibly 4th c. B.C., is two-faced polygonal with a fill of
rubble.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Strab. 9.5.20,22;
Livy 42.61.11; F. Stählin in
RE 16
1; (1935) 236
P.
M. H. MCALLISTER
