Malians (Greek tribe)

In the town of Anthele, the Malians had an important temple of Demeter; an early centre of the Delphinian Amphictiony.

[1] According to Herodotus, the Malian Ephialtes of Trachis betrayed the Spartans and their allies in the Battle of Thermopylae, helping the Persians surround the Greek army.

In 426 BCE, the Malians asked Sparta for help in their war against the Oetaeans.

In this war, they lost their land south of the Spercheios, Herakleia Trachis was given to the Oitaians, and Lamia became the new capital of the Malians.

In 189 BCE, they became part of Achaea Phthiotis, and since that time the Malians were regarded as Thessalians.