Αναφορά στην αρχαία Ελληνική πόλη Πέτρα. το σημερινό Πετρίτσι
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Fragment of P. Oxy. 668, with Epitome of Livy XLVII–XLVIII
Όπως αναφέρει ο Δημητσάς ήταν το Ελληνικό Πετρίτσι που σήμερα ανήκει στην Βουλγαρία.
Μετά την κατάκτηση από τους Ρωμαίους η πόλη μετονομάστικε στην λατινική γλώσσα κρατόντας την ονομασία της κι όπως αναφέρει ο Λίβιος, λεγόταν Petram
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Δήμιτσας, Μαργαρίτης Γ : Ἐκ τούτων δὲ ἡ μὲν Πέτρα κειμένη ἐν τῷ μεσημβρι νοανατολικῷ μέρει τῆς Μαιδικῆς ὀλίγον πρὸ τῆς συμβολῆς τοῦ Πόντου μετὰ τοῦ Στρυμόνος διετήρησε τὸ 5- νομα αὑτῆς ἐπὶ τῆς σημερινῆς πόλεως Πετρίτσι, καὶ ὡς ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος δηλοῦται ἦν πόλις Ἑλληνικὴ καὶ λίαν ὀχυρά· διότι Φίλιππος ὁ γ' ἐπανερχόμενος ἐκ τοῦ Σκου μίου όρους μετὰ πολλῆς δυσκολίας ἠδυνήθη νὰ κυριεύσῃ αὐτὴν διὰ στενῆς πολιορκίας (181 π.Χ.)
Μια σπάνια πηγή που αναφέρει την Πέτρα είναι ο Ρωμαίος ιστορικός Τίτος Λίβιος (Titus Livius, 59 π.Χ. - 17 μ.Χ) στο έργο του Ab urbe condita το οπίο έγραψε μεταξύ 27 και 9 π.Χ.
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Ab urbe condita - Book 40, 22
From the Founding of the City (1905)
by Livy, translated by Canon Roberts
Books 31–45 – The Macedonian and other eastern wars from 201 to 167.
Book 40: Perseus and Demetrius
22
Philip's first objective was Maedica. From there he marched across the desolate country between Maedica and the Haemus, and in seven days reached the foot of the mountain range. Here he remained encamped for one day to select those whom he was to take with him, and the next day resumed his march. The first part of the ascent did not involve much labour, but as they gained higher ground the country became more wooded and overgrown; and one part of their route was so dark that, owing to the density of the foliage and the interlacing of the branches, the sky was hardly visible. As they approached the crest, everything was veiled in cloud, an uncommon occurrence at great altitudes, and so dense that they found marching as difficult as at night. At last on the third day they reached the summit. After their descent they said nothing to contradict the popular belief; more, I suspect, to prevent the futility of their march from becoming a subject of ridicule than because the widely separated seas and mountains and rivers could really be seen from one spot. They were all distressed by the hardships of the march, the king most of all, owing to his age. He raised two altars there to Jupiter and the Sun, on which he offered sacrifices, and then commenced the descent, which occupied two days, the ascent having taken three. He was afraid of the cold nights, which, though it was the dog-days, were like the cold in winter.
After all the difficulties he had had to contend against during those five days, he found things just as cheerless in his camp, where they were destitute of everything. This was inevitable in a district surrounded on all sides by uninhabited country. After one day in camp to rest the men whom he had taken with him, he hastened into the Dentheletic country at a speed which resembled a flight. This people were his allies, but owing to lack of food the Macedonians plundered them as though they were on enemy soil. Not content with robbing the homesteads, they devastated some of the villages, and it was with feelings of deep shame that the king heard his allies making fruitless appeals to the gods who watch over treaties and invoking his help and protection. Carrying off a supply of corn he returned to Maedica and made an attempt on a city called Petra. He fixed his camp on a plain which extended to the city and sent Perseus with a small force to approach the place from higher ground. With danger threatening them from all sides the townsmen gave hostages and surrendered the place for the time being, but as soon as the army had withdrawn they forgot all about the hostages, deserted their city and fled to their mountain strongholds. Philip returned to Macedonia with his men worn out to no purpose by labours and hardships innumerable, and with his mind filled with suspicions of his son through the cunning and treachery of Didas.
23
This man, as I stated above, was sent to escort Demetrius. The young prince was incautious and angry, not without reason, at the way his relations treated him. Didas humoured him and pretended to be indignant on his account, and offered, unsolicited, to assist him in every way, and gave him his word of honour to be true to him. In this way he succeeded in eliciting his secret thoughts. Demetrius was meditating flight to the Romans and hoped to get away safely across Paeonia. That the governor of this province should further his project he regarded as a boon from heaven. This design was at once betrayed to his brother, and on his advice communicated to his father. A letter was sent to Philip while he was besieging Petra. On this, Heliodorus, the leading man amongst the friends of Demetrius, was flung into prison and orders were given to keep a secret watch on Demetrius. This more than anything else made the king's journey to Macedonia a very melancholy one. This new charge disturbed him greatly, but he felt that he ought to await the return of those who had been sent to find out everything in Rome. For some months he remained in suspense; at length his envoys returned after having settled beforehand in Macedonia what report they should bring back from Rome. In addition to all their other treachery, they handed to the king a forged letter sealed with a counterfeit of T. Quinctius' seal. The letter deprecated any harsh judgment of Demetrius, and stated that whatever communication the young prince in his eagerness for the crown had had with him, T. Quinctius, he was certain that he would do nothing to injure any of his relatives, nor was the writer a man who could be thought to countenance any unfilial conduct. This letter made Perseus' accusations appear more credible. Heliodorus was at once submitted to torture and died without implicating anyone.
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