CHAP. 10. (6.)—ARCADIA.
Its interior is occupied for the greater part by Arcadia,
which, remote from the sea on every side, was ori-
ginally called Drymodes[1], and at a later period Pelasgis.
The cities of Arcadia are, Psophis[2], Mantinea[3], Stymphalus[4], Tegea[5], Antigonea[6], Orchomenus[7], Pheneum[8], Palantium[9] (from which the Palatium[10] at Rome derives its
name), Megalopolis[11], Gortyna[12], Bucolium, Carnion, Parrhasia[13], Thelpusa[14], Melænæ[15], Heræa[16], Pylæ[17], Pallene,
Agræ, Epium, Cynæthæ[18], Lepreon of Arcadia[19], Parthe-
nium[20], Alea, Methydrium[21], Enispe, Macistum, Lampia,
Clitorium[22], and Cleonæ[23]; between which two last towns is
the district of Nemea, commonly known as Bembinadia[24].
The mountains of Arcadia are, Pholöe[25], with a town of the
same name, Cyllene[26], Lycæus[27], upon which is the temple of
Lycæan Jupiter; Mænalus[28], Artemisius[29],
Parthenius[30], Lampeus[31], and Nonacris[32], besides
eight others of no note.
The rivers are the Ladon[33], which rises in the marshes of
Pheneus[34], and the Erymanthus[35], which springs from a
mountain of the same name, and flows into the Alpheus.
The other cities of Achaia worthy of mention are those
of the Aliphiræi[36], the Abeatæ[37], the
Pyrgenses[38], the Paro-
reatæ[39], the Paragenitæ, the Tortuni, the Typanei[40], the
Thriasii[41], and the Tritienses[42]. Domitius Nero [the emperor]
granted liberty to the whole of Achaia[43]. The Peloponnesus,
from the Promontory of Malea to the town of Ægium[44] on
the Corinthian Gulf, is 190 miles in length, and 125 miles
across from Elis to Epidaurus; the distance being, from
Olympia to Argos, through Arcadia, sixty-eight miles. The
distance from Olympia to Phlius has been already mentioned[45].
Throughout the whole of this region, as though
nature had been desirous to compensate for the inroads of
the sea, seventy-six mountains raise their lofty heads.
1. From drumwdh\s, "woody," it being filled with groves and
forests.
2. Now called the Khan of Tripotamo.
3. Now called Paleopoli. Here Epaminondas fell, fighting against
the Spartans, B.C. 362.
4. In the N.E. of Arcadia. Its ruins are supposed to be those seen
near the modern Chionia. It was in the vicinity of the lake of the same
name, the scene of one of the labours of Hercules.
5. An important city: the modern Piali marks its site.
6. Built upon the ruins of the ancient Mantinea.
7. An ancient town mentioned by Homer, N.W. of Mantinea. The
modern Kalpaki stands on its site.
8. Or Pheneus, on the N.W. of Arcadia. Phonia stands on its site.
9. Near Tegea; said to have been the birth-place of Evander. On the
foundation of Megalopolis, it was nearly deserted, but was restored by
Antoninus Pius. Its ruins are supposed to be those seen near the
modern village of Thana, according to Ansart.
10. It being said to have been so called in compliment to Evander, a
native, as above stated, of Palantium.
11. Founded by the advice of Epaminondas, after the battle of Leuctra,
B.C. 371, near the frontiers of Messenia. The ruins of its
theatre, once
the largest in Greece, are the only remains of it now to be seen, near the
modern village of Sinano.
12. It contained a famous temple of Æsculapius. Its ruins are to be
seen near the village of Atzikolo. The exact site of Bucolion, which was
near Megalopolis, is probably unknown, though Ansart says that the
spot is called Troupiais. Of Carnion nothing is known.
13. The town of Parrhasia, which is mentioned by Homer, seems to
have given name to the Parrhasian district. Leake thinks it to be the
same as Lycosura.
14. On the river Ladon: its ruins are seen near the modern Vanena.
15. In the west of Arcadia, on the river Alpheus.
16. Or "Juno's Town." It was a place of great importance, situate
on the lower Alpheus. Its remains are to be seen on a hill west of the
village of Aianni, or St. John. They are very inconsiderable. Its wine
was highly esteemed, and still maintains its ancient celebrity.
17. Of Pylæ, Pallene, Agree, and Epium, nothing appears to be known.
18. Or Cynætha, in the north of Arcadia, upon the Aroanian mountains,
beyond the natural boundaries of Arcadia. The modern village of
Kalavryta occupies its site; but there are scarcely any traces of its
remains.
19. Or Lepreum, so called to distinguish it from Lepreum in Elis.
20. Nothing seems to be known of this Parthenium. Alea lay between
Orchomenus and Stymphalus. Its ruins have been discovered in the
dark valley of Skotini, a mile to the N.E. of the village of Buyati.
21. Its site has the modern name of Palæopyrgos. The sites of Enispe,
mentioned by Homer, and Macistum, are unknown.
22. Or Cleitor, a famous town of Arcadia. Its ruins are to be seen on
the plain of Kalzana, or Katzanes. One of the rivulets that ran past it
still retains the name of Clitora.
23. Its ruins, few in number, but testifying its importance, are found
near the modern village of Kleves, not far from Kurtesi. The Nemean
games were celebrated in honour of Hercules in the grove of Nemea,
between Cieonæ and Phlius.
24. From the village of Bembina there, mentioned by Strabo, and on
which Koutzomati probably now stands.
25. Now called Olono. It received its name from the Centaur Pholus,
accidentally slain by one of the poisoned arrows of Hercules.
26. The modern Zyria.
27. Nomiai and Hellenitza are modern names given to this mountain.
28. In the south of Arcadia. It is now called Roinon.
29. Or Artemisium, forming the boundary between Argolis and Arcadia.
It is now called Turniki.
30. The pass by this mountain from Argolis to Tegea is still called
Partheni.
31. Now called Zembi, according to Ansart.
32. The town of Nonacris stood at its foot. The river Styx took its rise
in these mountains.
33. Now called the Landona.
34. The town now called Fonia, already mentioned by Pliny. The
waters of its marshes were discharged by a subterranean passage, said to
have been made by Hercules.
35. Now called the Dogana. The two principal heights of Mount
Erymanthus are Olonos and Kalefoni.
36. The people of Aliphira, a town of Arcadia, in the district of Cynura.
Considerable remains of it are still to be seen on the hill of
Nerovitza.
37. The people of Abea, in Messenia.
38. people of Pyrgos, in Arcadia.
39. The people of Parorea, in Arcadia. Of the two next, nothing appears
to be known.
40. The inhabitants of Typaneæ, in Elis.
41. The people of Thrius, in Elis, near Patræ.
42. The people of Tritia, in Achaia, now Chalanthistra.
43. Nero abolished the institutions of the Roman province of
Achaia, which had been assigned to the Roman senate, and governed by
a proconsul, granting it its liberty. Vespasian, however, again
established the provincial government, and compelled the Greeks to
pay a yearly tribute.
44. Now Vostitza.
45. See p. 281.