Casthanaea

39°35′11″N 22°55′30″E

Map showing ancient Thessaly. Casthanaea is shown on the coast of Magnesia.

Casthanaea or Casthanea or Kasthanaia or Kasthaneia (Greek: Κασθαναία)^[1] or Castanea or Kastanaia (Κασταναία)^[2] was a town and polis (city-state)^[3] of Ancient Magnesia, at the foot of Mount Pelium, with a temple of Aphrodite Casthanitis. It is mentioned by Herodotus in his account of the terrible storm which the fleet of Xerxes I experienced off this part of the coast.^[4] and by Pliny.^[5] It was from this town that the chestnut tree, which still abounds on the eastern side of Mt. Pelium, derived its name in Greek and the modern languages of Europe.^[6] Its location is below the modern village of Keramidi.^[7][8]