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Astakos Αστακός
Municipal unit
AstakosLocation within the regional unit
Coordinates: 38°32′N 21°5′E / 38.533°N 21.083°E / 38.533; 21.083
Country	Greece
Administrative region	West Greece
Regional unit	Aetolia-Acarnania
Municipality	Xiromero
Area
• Municipal unit	345.1 km (133.2 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population
• Municipal unit	5,719
• Municipal unit density	17/km (43/sq mi)
• Community	2,617
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	300 06
Area code(s)	26460
Vehicle registration	AI

Astakos (Greek: Αστακός, meaning "lobster") is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Xiromero, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 345.099 km. It is located on a bay on the eastern shore of the Ionian Sea, near the southern end of the Acarnanian Mountains. It takes its name from the ancient Acarnanian town Astacus (Ancient Greek: Ἄστακος - Astakos), and was named Dragamesti in the Middle Ages. It is speculated to be the site of ancient Dulichium.

It is 16 km southeast of Kalamos (island), 30 km southwest of Agrinio, 35 km northwest of Missolonghi and 55 km southeast of Preveza.

Subdivisions

The municipal unit Astakos is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):

• Agrampela
• Astakos (Astakos, Valti)
• Bampini
• Karaiskakis
• Machairas
• Chrysovitsa
• Palaiomanina
• Prodromos
• Skourtou
• Strongylovouni (Strongylovouni, Manina Vlizianon)
• Vasilopoulo
• Vliziana

Economy

The city has a port able to hold ferries. The countryside mainly produces wheat, corn and few grapes. Fishing is an important source of income.

Historical population

Noteworthy persons

• Leo Leandros (b. 1926), singer and composer

In popular culture

• Astakos is also the birthplace of the fictional characters Xeones and Diomache in Steven Pressfield's novel Gates of Fire. Cousins Xeones and Diomache both survive the sack of Astakos by Argos (cir. 500 BC); Xeones later becomes a perioikoi of Sparta and serves at the Battle of Thermopylae as a squire to the Spartiate Dienekes.

See also

• List of settlements in Aetolia-Acarnania
• List of cities in ancient Acarnania

External links

• Municipality of Astakos (in Greek)

References

1. "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
2. Kallikratis law Archived 2018-06-12 at the Wayback Machine Greece Ministry of Interior (in Greek)
3. "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
4.  Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Astacus". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
5. Pressfield, Steven (1998). Gates of Fire : An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae. New York: Bantam.

• Populated places in Aetolia-Acarnania
• Xiromero
• Acarnania