PORTITSA
and VOUNESI Thessaly, Greece.
Two small fortresses 9.6 km W of Karditsa, on the N
slopes of Mt. Korona (131.4 m). They form the SW part
of the extensive fortification wall of the ancient town of
Metropolis, whose fortification comprised the SE end
of the four fortifications of Thessalian Hestiaiotis. Ruins
of this surrounding wall can be followed partly for 5 km
as far as Gralista, Pyrgos, Portitsa, and Vounesi, up the
river Lapardas, where a part of the wall was excavated.
The wall at this point was built into a series of projecting
and recessed portions. On Mt. Koutra was situated the
highest part of the acropolis of Metropolis. The fortress
near Portitsa is called Stephane (wreath) because of its
round shape.
(See also Metropolis.)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
B. V. Head,
HN (2d ed. 1911) 302; A. S.
Arvanitopoulos in
Praktika (1911) 337ff
I; id. in
AthMitt
37 (1912) 73ff
I; F. Stählin,
Das hellenische Thessalien
(1924) 128ff; id., “Metropolis,”
RE XV 1491ff; A. Philippson & E. Kirsten,
GL (1950) 161, 261, 291.
G. S. KORRÈS
