Portitsa

PORTITSAand 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) 337ffI; id. in AthMitt 37 (1912) 73ffI; F. Stählin, Das hellenische Thessalien (1924) 128ff; id., “Metropolis,” RE XV 1491ff; A. Philippson & E. Kirsten, GL (1950) 161, 261, 291.

G. S. KORRÈS