Ruins of the ancient city of Edessa in central Macedonia with remains of a Byzantine fortification.

This is not the mighty medieval castle of Vodena which does not exist today, but part of the ancient city which was inhabited until the beginning of the 7th century AD.

History

The ancient city of Edessa consisted of two parts: the acropolis high on the rock (where the modern town is) and the lower city at the foot of the rock. The lower city which is named Loggos is the only part of the ancient and medieval city that is preserved to some degree until today.

Edessa developed in the Hellenistic and the Roman period. Its fortification (both in the acropolis and in the lower city) was reconstructed in the 3rd century when various barbarians (Goths and others) started to raid the southern Balkans.

The acropolis, known as the castle of Vodena has been one of the mightiest castles in Macedonia.

The last reinforcement of the walls of Loggos took place in the 5th century (when the Huns were pillaging mainland Greece) or the 6th century (the latest). In the 6th century or the beginning of the 7th century Loggos was abandoned either because of a natural disaster (flood or earthquake) or because its position was vulnerable in a period of frequent raids by Avars and Slavs. The population moved to the acropolis and the area on the rock around it forming a typical medieval fortress-state.

Edessa was captured by the Ottomans in 1385 and the castle was severely damaged. The final destruction came in 1395 after a strong earthquake that destroyed completely the acropolis and the medieval city.

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