Emathia (Greek: Ἠμαθία) was called the plain opposite Thermaikos Gulf when Kingdom of Macedon was formed. With this name was defined the area between the rivers Aliakmon and Loudias, which, because it was the center of the Kingdom was also called Macedonia. Emathia was one of the six earliest provinces of Kingdom of Macedon and was boarded on the west with Orestis, on the north was separated from Bisaltia by river Loudias and on the south was separated from Pieria by river Aliakmon.
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Etymology
According to Solinus and Justin, Emathia was named after the Samothracian king Emathion and not after the local Emathus. The etymology of the name has been related to Homeric Greek amathos and êmathoessa (< PIE *samadh) 'sandy land', i. e. the coastal, swampy land around Axius river, in contrast to mountainous Macedonia, probably also intended as 'meadow land' (cf. PIE *mē-2, *m-e-t- 'to mow, to reap').
Towns
The most important towns of Emathia were:
Alexander the Great with settlers from this area founded Emathia in Syria.