A Handy-Dandy Map

To see the full-size version of this map (including such Golden Mean settings as Stageira, Pella, Mieza, and Aegeae), please click here.

The Ancient City of Pella

Pella, the capital of ancient Macedon, was in Aristotle's time at the mouth of a delta. The delta has silted up over the past couple of thousand years; the archaeological site you can visit today is well inland. Aristotle lived in and around Pella for the seven years he spent tutoring the young Alexander the Great. There's speculation, too, that he might have spent time there as a child or teen, after his father was appointed personal physician to the king at that time, Amyntas.

Pella was a wealthy, modern city for its time. In addition to being a political centre, Pella was a significant commercial hub and featured an enormous marketplace surrounded by arcades and workshops. Here's a look at the archeological remains: