In the footsteps of Bucephalus

It was late July, and our team had settled into a summer lull. But a phone call from our friend Dimitris Vavliaras set off a photographic alarm! He invited us to visit Aiani and join him in photographing the 3rd Panhellenic Equestrian Gathering of Aiani. The event took place successfully over three days, from Friday, July 31st, through Sunday, August 2nd, 2026. More than 130 horses and riders from all over Greece gathered at region called Agios Dimitrios. The schedule was exceptionally interesting, combining horseback rides, cultural activities, and traditional festivities. In more detail, a 9-kilometer horseback ride through the area’s natural landscape took place, which we had the opportunity to photograph, and in Aiani Square, spectators watched demonstrations featuring Arabian and Spanish horse breeds.
We were impressed by the impeccable organization of the event by the Aiani Equestrian Club “DERDAS,” as well as by the love the residents of Aiani have for horses. Thanks to them, we learned that the Greeks’ relationship with horses dates back centuries. And while the prevailing scientific theory places the first domestication of the horse on the Eurasian steppes, it has not been scientifically ruled out that all horse populations originated exclusively from the migration of people and animals from elsewhere and that there were no early forms of horses in the Greek region. We have learned that as early as the 2000 years B.C., the horse had already become part of societies in the Greek world. That during the Bronze Age, horses appears in numerous archaeological finds, and that during the Geometric and Archaic periods, horseback riding gradually spread and the horse became a symbol of social status.
Finally during the Classical period, horses were fully integrated into the military (cavalry units), and into the organization of cities, with the class of horsemen in Athens and the systematic development of cavalry in Macedonia and Thessaly serving as prime examples. With their horses, the Greeks reached as far as India, as the cavalry played a strategic role in Alexander the Great’s campaigns. Moreover, everyone knows about Bucephalus, Alexander the Great’s horse and one of the most famous horses in world history. Bucephalus would become the horse that accompanied Alexander the Great for 20 years. He loved his horse so much that, when it died of natural causes at the age of 30, shortly after the Battle of Hydaspes, he named a city in Asia after it, calling it Boukefalas. And the Greeks’ relationship with horses did not end in the Hellenistic period but continues to this day. Pixelscape would like to extend its warmest thanks to photographer Dimitrios Vavliaras, the Aiani Equestrian Club “DERDAS,” and the residents and volunteers of Aiani for their invitation and hospitality.
Maria Gatsiou

Aiani Equestrian Club “DERDAS”

Three years ago, it all began as a small group of horse lovers in Aiani, united by a shared passion for horses and tradition. Today, that group has managed to make its dream a reality by establishing a vibrant Equestrian Club. Through passion, volunteerism, and collective effort, the club has established itself as a point of reference, hosting more than 120 horses each year, preserving equestrian traditions, bringing people together, and keeping the region’s values and customs alive.

Who was Derdas?

Derdas ruled Elimiotida during a period when the kingdom was still independent from Macedonia. He was a powerful ally and rival of the Macedonian kings, played a role in the political developments of the era, and is mentioned by Thucydides as one of the most important rulers of Upper Macedonia. His dynasty retained power until the mid-4th century B.C., when Elimiotida was definitively incorporated into the kingdom of Philip II. Of particular significance is the fact that Derdas II minted his own coins bearing the inscription “DERDA,” a clear indication of the political autonomy and power of the kingdom of Elimiotida, with Aiani as its capital. Upper Macedonia, to which Aiani belonged, was already known in the Classical period for horse breeding. The horse served as:
• a symbol of power,
• a military asset,
• a means of hunting,
• a sign of social prestige.

Video: Tάσος Παπαζιός

Later, during the reigns of Philip II of Macedonia and Alexander the Great, the Macedonian cavalry became the most powerful in antiquity. The following have been found at Aiani:

• clay figurines of animals,
• depictions of horsemen,
• objects associated with daily life and religious rituals.

Today’s Aiani still maintains a strong connection to horses through the tradition of the Horsemen of Saint Nikanor. Although this is a more recent custom, the preservation of equestrian culture in the same region creates an interesting cultural continuity, even if we cannot claim that it is a direct continuation of antiquity. The region has maintained an unbroken connection with the horse for many centuries. From the Macedonian horsemen of antiquity to the modern horsemen of Saint Nikanor, the horse continues to be an important element of local identity. This connection is more cultural and symbolic than historically proven, but it offers a particularly interesting narrative about the region’s development.