Makra Kome
A city N of Spercheios, NE of the modern village of Varibopi (less than an hour on foot), and S of Platystomon. It is mentioned by Livy (30.13.10-14) when he tells how the Aitolians invaded Thessaly, which had been abandoned by Philip V in 198 after his defeat on the Aoos. The city was destroyed at this time.
The acropolis, which is elongated in shape, measures 620 m in the NS axis and 280 m in the WE axis and has a total perimeter of 1550 m (ca. 8 stadia or 185 m). It is protected by a rampart that follows the outer curve exactly at a constant level of 440 m. Well preserved to N and S with two to four courses in elevation, the wall is flanked by square towers 5 m each side, spaced 20-29 m apart. There may have been a gate to the W and another one symmetrical to it to the E. Inside the rampart are several walls of unknown purpose; halfway up the hillside are the remains of a necropolis. The city spread out on the NE side of the hill; four inscriptions, one of which is a dedication to Isis, have been found on its outskirts. The fortress had strategic value and overlooked the approach to the valley. From it one can see as far as Hypata.
BIBLIOGRAPHYF. Stählin, Das hellenische Thessalien (1924) 224; Pauly-Wissowa, RE s.v., col. 808; Y. Béquignon in BCH 52 (1928) 450-52I; id., La valée du Spercheios (1937) 316-22MPI; G. Roux in BCH 78 (1954) 89-94PI; E. Meyer in Kl. Pauly s.v.
Y. BEQUIGNON