None of the Athenian colonies, which they established expressly for the
purpose of trading with the capital, was of such importance as Amphipolis.
This place was situated at the mouth of the river Strymon, on the borders
of Macedonia. The country in its vicinity was very fertile in wood, and
from it, for a considerable length of time, the Athenians principally
derived timber for building their fleets: they also levied on its
inhabitants a heavy tribute in silver coin. As this city was well situated
for commerce, and the Athenians, wherever they went, or were settled, were
eager in pursuit of gain, their colonists in Amphipolis extended their
trade, on one side into Thrace, and on the other into Macedonia. They were
enabled, in a great measure, to monopolize the commerce of both these
countries, at least those parts of them which were contiguous, from the
situation of their city on the Strymon; of which river they held, as it
were, the key, so that nothing could depart from it without their consent.
The ancients represent this river as frequently exhibiting immense logs of
wood floating down it, which had been felled either on Mount Rhodope, or in
the forests of Mount Hemus. The Athenians retained this important and
valuable colony till the time of Philip, the father of Alexander, by whom
it was taken from them.
The island of Samos may justly be regarded as a Grecian colony; having been
chiefly inhabited by the Iones, to whose confederacy it belonged.
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