SCOTUSSA
SCOTUSSA (
Σκοτοῦσσα or
Σκοτοῦσα: Eth.
Σκοτουσσαῖος), an ancient town of Pelasgiotis in Thessaly, lying between Pherae and Pharsalus, near the frontiers of Phthiotis. Scotussa is not mentioned in Homer, but according to some accounts the oracle of Dodona in Epeirus originally came from this place. (
Strab. vii. p.329.) In B.C. 394 the Scotussaei joined the other Thessalians in opposing the march of Agesilaus through their country. (
Xen. Hell. 4.3. 3) In B.C. 367 Scotussa was treacherously seized by Alexander, tyrant of the neighbouring town of Pherae. (
Diod. 15.75.) In. the territory of Scotussa were the hills called Cynoscephalae, which are memorable as the scene of two battles, one fought in B.C. 364, between the Thebans and Alexander of Pherae, in which Pelopidas was slain, and the other, of still greater celebrity, fought in B.C. 197, in which the last Philip of Macedonia was defeated by the Roman consul Flamininus. (
Plut. Pel. 32;
Strab. ix. p.441;
Plb. 18.3, seq.;
Liv. 33.6, seq.) In B.C. 191 Scotussa surrendered to Antiochus, but was recovered shortly afterwards, along with Pharsalus and Pherae, by the consul Acilius. (
Liv. 36.9,
14.)
The ruins of Scotussa are found at
[p. 2.934]Suplí. The city was about two or three miles in circumference; but of the walls only a few courses of masonry have been preserved.
The acropolis stood at the south-western end of the site, below which, on the east and north, the ground is covered with foundations of buildings, heaps of stones, and fragments of tiles and pottery. (Leake,
Northern Greece, vol. iv. p. 454, seq.)
