Axioupoli 2.37

Axioupoli, known until 1927 as Boymitsa, is a small town and a former municipality in the former Paionia Province of Kilkis regional unit, Greek Macedonia. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Paionia, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 284.406 km2. In 2011 the town had a population of 2,897, and the municipal unit 5,619.NameIts ancient name was Atalanti and it was established in prehistoric times. Atalanti was conquered by Bottieans who came into the area in the 12th century BC. In the 5th century BC Atalanti was annexed in the Macedonian kingdom and by that time it followed the Greek history. The Bulgarian and Macedonian name is Boymitsa/Bojmica (Cyrillic: Боймица/Бојмица) by which the town was known until the name was changed in 1927. There have been suggestions that its former name was obtained during the era of Byzantine Empire and its transliteration means strong. Slavic tribes, who entered the area in the 7th century AD, named the area Boymitsa, which means 'little Boymia', because the valley of Axios looks like the Valley of Bohemia (although during the Ottoman era the valley of Axios river used to be called Roumlouki, meaning 'Valley of Greeks'). The town was renamed Axioupoli on 1 January 1927, after the river Axios in its vicinity.