Agrianes

The Agrianians (Ancient Greek: Ἀγρίανες,Agrianes) were a Paeonian-Thracian tribe whose country was centered at Upper Strymon, in present-day westernmost Bulgaria, and also held areas of southeasternmost Serbia, at the time situated south of the Triballi and north of the Maedi. In the times of Philip II, the territory of the Agrianes was administered by Pella. They were crack javelin throwers and an elite unit of Alexander the Great's light infantry, who fought under the command of General Attalus.

They fought light; they carried a bundle of javelins into battle and wore no armor or helmets, perhaps not even shields. Alexander made heavy use of them and every time he dispatched a flying column, the Agrianians were always included. They were expert fighters in mountainous terrain where the phalanx was impracticable and mobile enough to use when speed was essential. Being an elite unit of the light infantry, they often formed up with the hypaspists battalion and the companion cavalry on the right wing of the army.

Ergene

Ergene (Turkish: Ergene Nehri, Ancient Greek: Ἀγρίανες Agrianes) is a major left tributary of the Maritsa (Meriç) river, flowing entirely in the East Thrace region of Turkey.

The river rises from the southern part of Strandzha mountain, not far from the Black Sea and flows for 281 km before entering the Maritsa near the Turkish city of İpsala, with part of its lower course canalized. Its drainage basin has an area of 17,323 km².

Major settlements along the river include Uzunköprü, Pehlivanköy, Çerkezköy and Muratlı.

References

Coordinates: 41°01′34″N 26°21′37″E / 41.0261°N 26.3603°E / 41.0261; 26.3603