Filiates

Filiates Φιλιάτες
Filiates
Location within the region
Coordinates:
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Epirus
Regional unit	Thesprotia
Area
• Municipality	590.6 km2 (228.0 sq mi)
• Municipal unit	495.7 km2 (191.4 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Municipality	7,710
• Municipality density	13/km2 (34/sq mi)
• Municipal unit	5,970
• Municipal unit density	12/km2 (31/sq mi)
Community
• Population	2639
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Vehicle registration	ΗΝ

Filiates (Greek: Φιλιάτες) is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the regional unit, bordering western Ioannina regional unit and southern Albania.

Municipality

The present municipality Filiates was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 2 former municipalities, that became municipal units (constituent communities in brackets):

• Filiates (Achladea, Aetos, Agios Nikolaos, Agioi Pantes, Ampelonas, Anavryto, Charavgi, Faneromeni, Filiates, Foiniki, Gardiki, Giromeri, Gola, Kallithea, Kato Xechoro, Kefalochori, Keramitsa, Kerasochori, Kokkinia, Kokkinolithari, Kouremadi, Kryoneri, Kyparisso, Leptokarya, Lia, Lista, Malouni, Milea, Palaiochori, Palaiokklisi, Palampas, Pigadoulia, Plaisio, Platanos, Raveni, Rizo, Sideri, Trikoryfo, Tsamantas, Vavouri, Vrysella, Xechoro)
• Sagiada (Asprokklisi, Kestrini, Ragi, Sagiada, Smertos)

Province

The province of Filiates (Greek: Επαρχία Φιλιατών) was one of the provinces of Thesprotia. It had the same territory as the present municipality. It was abolished in 2006.

Geography

Filiates is located in a largely mountainous area. The Mourgana mountains lie to the north, on the border with Albania. Filiates is located southwest of Konitsa, west of Ioannina, northeast of Igoumenitsa and southeast of Sarandë, Albania. The Greek National Road 6 (Larissa - Ioannina - Igoumenitsa) and the Egnatia Odos motorway (Alexandroupoli - Thessaloniki - Ioannina - Igoumenitsa) pass south of the municipal unit.

The municipal unit Filiates has a land area of 495.727 km² and a population of 8,288 (2001 census). The population of the town Filiates, one of the biggest towns in the area, was 2,246 and the community population was 2,344. The largest other communities in the municipal unit are Keramítsa (pop. 309), Palaiochóri (291), Vrysélla (277), Leptokaryá (276), Trikóryfon (245), Ampeló (222), Kerasochóri (211), and Kokkiniá (205). The municipal unit has a total of 42 communities.

Because of its high altitude (~850m) location on a west-facing slope, Filiates has one of the wettest climates in Greece.

History

Ancient history

Epirus in antiquity

In antiquity, the area of Filiates was inhabited by the Epirot Greek tribe of the Chaonians. In antiquity the city was known as Cestrine (or Kestrine) (Greek: Κεστρίνη), separated from Thesprotia by the River Thyamis. In the past, the city was also known as Cammania, Cestria, Filiates, Ilion, Epirus, Troy, Epirus and Troia, Epirus. According to Pausanias (Description of Greece), Cestrine took its name from Cestrinus, the son of Helenus, having previously borne the appellation of Cammania.

Modern history

Albanian school of Filiates in 1942-44.

Traditional Greek costume of Agioi Pantes, Filiates municipality (PFF's collection).

In 15th century Filiates came under Ottoman rule and became part of Sanjak of Ioannina. During 17th and 18th century Ottoman rule a significant part of the town's population converted to Islam. In 1911 during the period of the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, Albanians of Filiates formed çetes, armed guerilla groups fighting for autonomy from the Ottoman Empire. On the other hand, the local Greek population displayed tolerance towards actions by the Albanians that didn't reveal chauvinist inclinations.

During the Greek-Italian War the town of Filiates was burned by collaborationist Cham Albanian bands (October 28-November 14, 1940). Filiates region was until 1944, home to a Cham Albanian community. Almost the entire population of them fled during the liberation of Greece, because a large part of the community collaborated with Nazi forces. In June 1945 a great part of Filiates was burned by Greek bands during the expulsion of Cham Albanians. Almost all Cham Albanian monuments of Filiates were destroyed during WWII.

Population

Year	Village	Community	Municipal unit	Municipality
1981	2,439	-	-	-
1991	2,591	-	-	-
2001	2,246	2,344	8,288	-
2011	2,512	2,639	5,970	7,710

Notable people

• Anthimus VII of Constantinople (1835–1913), Ecumenical Patriarch.
• Aziz Çami, officer of the Albanian army and Balli Kombëtar commander.
• Qamil Çami, teacher and poet of era of the Albanian National Awakening.
• Ali Demi, Albanian resistance fighter (World War II).
• Musa Demi, revolutionary and important figure of the Albanian National Awakening.
• Niazi Demi, minister of trade of Albania.
• Rexhep Demi, leading member of the Albanian independence movement and signatory of the Albanian Declaration of Independence.
• Tahir Demi, high-ranking member of the Party of Labour of Albania and representative of Albania at Comecon.
• Stavroula Dimitriou, author and poet.
• Nicholas Gage, Greek American author and investigative journalist.
• Vasiliki Kontaxi, wife of Ali Pasha and member of the patriotic organization Filiki Eteria
• Fanis Moulios, Greek poet and writer.
• Ioannis Papacostas, Greek revolutionary and participant of Second Boer War, Balkan Wars and the autonomist struggle of Northern Epirus.

See also

• List of cities in ancient Epirus

References

A Survey of the Turkish Empire p. 389, 1799 http://books.google.com/books?id=fjMOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA389&dq=eton+speak+greek+effeminate&hl=en&sa=X&ei=eNZRU9zSBIybyAS9xIKgBA&ved=0CE8Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=eton%20speak%20greek%20effeminate&f=false

External links

• Official website (English) (Greek)