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[German version] (Ὀφιεῖς/ Ophieîs, Ὀφιονεῖς/ Ophioneîs). One of the three Aetolian sub-tribes living in the highlands of Aetolia in the 5th cent. BC. It disintegrated into smaller associations, among whom the Bomieis and the Callieis are known (Thuc. 3,96,3; 3,100). In 426 BC, the O. were attacked by the Athenians (Thuc. 3,84,4-98,5). After the formation of the Aetolian League in the 4th cent., they formed a member state of the koinon (Str. 10,2,5; 10,3,6; SGDI 1978,3; 1862,2; IG IX 12, 1, 32; 46). Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography P. Funke, Polisgenese und Urbanisierung in Ait…

[German version] (Ταφίων νῆσοι/ Taphíōn nêsoi). Group of islands between Leucas and the Acarnanian coast, the main island of which can probably be identified with modern Meganisi, in ancient sources called Táphos, Taphioûs or Taphioûssa. Carnus [2] (probably modern Kalamos) was considered one of the T. (Scyl. 34; Str. 10,2,14; 20; 24; Plin. HN 4,53; 36,150; Steph. Byz. s. v. Τάφος). In the 'Odyssey', the Taphii are considered seafarers and dreaded pirates (Hom. Od. 1,105; 181; 14,452; 15,427; 16,426). The island group is suppose…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Education / Culture | Boeotia, Boeotians (Ἁλίαρτος, Ἀρίαρτος, Ἁρίαρτος; Halíartos, Aríartos, Haríartos [1. 483]). Boeotian city on the southern edge of Lake Copais, 20 km west of Thebes. The acropolis with archaic Athena sanctuary is located on the hill Kastri Mazíou, which was settled from the Middle Helladic to the Roman period and was adjoined by the fortified lower city. In the 6th cent. BC, H. ─ mentioned by Homer (Il. 2,503) ─ struck coins with the …

[German version] [1] Acarnian town This item can be found on the following maps: Theatre | Aetolians, Aetolia | Acarnanians, Acarnania | Peloponnesian War | Education / Culture (Οἰνιάδαι/ Oiniádai, occasionally Οἰνειάδαι/ Oineiádai). Acarnanian city near the mouth of the Achelous [1] (Thuc. 2,102,2f.; Str. 10,2,21). The city area, located near what is now Katochi, is located on a hill measuring 3 km in length and 2 km in width. Remains of the six-kilometer long city wall have been preserved, along with gate and tower installat…

[German version] (Χορσίαι, Χορσία; Chorsíai, Chorsía). Isolated Boeotian town on the Gulf of Corinth, above the bay of Hagios Sarandi. At first a dependency of Thespiae; independent in the 4th cent. BC. Phocians occupied C. in 347/346 BC, using it as a base for incursions into Boeotia. In 346 BC Philip II gave C. back to the Boeotians, after levelling its walls (sources: Dem. Or. 19,141; Scyl. 38; Diod. Sic. 16,58,1; Plin. HN 4,8; StV 3,565; SEG 22,410). Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography Fossey, 187-196.

[German version] [1] City in north-western Boeotia This item can be found on the following maps: Linear B | Mycenaean culture and archaeology | Natural catastrophes | Oracles | Persian Wars | Aegean Koine | Aegean Koine | Boeotia, Boeotians (Ὀρχομενός/ Orchomenós; Boeotian Ἐρχομενός/ Erchomenós, LSAG 95, no. 17). Freitag, Klaus (Münster) [German version] A. Geography City in north-western Boeotia (Hom. Il. 2,511) at the foot of Mount Acontium on the north-western shore of Lake Copais near modern Skripou, today once more called Orkhomenos. The polis had an extensive hinterland, in…

(Σχοινοῦς/ Schoinoûs, literally '(bul)rushes'). [German version] [1] River in Boeotia River in the area of Thebes in Boeotia (Σχοινεύς/ Schoineús in Steph. Byz. s. v. Σχοινοῦς/ Schoinoûs; Stat. Theb. 7,268; Nonnus, Dion. 13,63; Nic. Ther. 889) which flowed through the region or town of Schoenus (about 9 km from Thebae; modern Muriki) (Str. 9,2,22 or Hom. Il. 2,497) and into Trephia Limne (modern Lake Paralimni). According to  Steph. Byz. loc.cit., S. was derived from one of the sons of the Theban hero Athamas. Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography Fossey, 229-232. [German version] […

(Ἑλικών; Helikṓn). [German version] [1] Mountain range in central Greece Mountain range in central Greece, dividing the Copais Basin and the upper Cephissos Valley from the Gulf of Corinth (cf. Str. 9,2,25; Paus. 9,28,1-31,7). The western part of the H. belonged to Phocis and the eastern part to Boeotia. The highest elevation is the peak of the Palaiovouno (1,748 m). Few passes lead over the H., which is rich in springs and forests and was famed for its herbs. The H. has large areas that were used in anti…

[German version] (Ῥοῦς; Rhoûs). Place near Megara [2] (Paus. 1,41,2; Plut. Theseus 27,8). Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography E. Meyer, s. v. Megara (2), RE 29, 152-205, esp. 163.

[German version] (Ἄσκρα; Áskra). Boeotian village at the north-eastern foot of Mount Helicon in the valley of the Muses, home of  Hesiodus. The acropolis was located on the hill of Pyrgaki ( Ceressus), adjacent to it a settlement area of about 20 ha., extending into the fertile valley (modern Episkopi). Politically, A. was a   kome of Thespia (about 7 km to the north-west), by which it was destroyed in the 7th or 4th cent. BC. A. was inhabited into the 1st cent. BC. Paus. 9,29,1-2 only mentions the ‘tower of A.’. Resettlement com…

[German version] (Θέρμα, Θέρμαι/ Thérma, Thérmai). Town in Corinthia with hot springs (Xen. Hell. 4,5,3; 4,5,8), probably identical to modern Loutraki, near which there are still such springs today. Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography J. Salmon, Wealthy Corinth, 1984, 156 f., 366.

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Linear B | Boeotia, Boeotians (Κρεῦσις). Boeotian port on the  Corinthian Gulf in the bay of Livadostro, belonging to Thespiae (Str. 9,2,25; Liv. 36,21,5; Paus. 9,32,1). Near the coast are the remains of a fortress linked to a quay system. C. had increased importance as a port during the Spartan-Theban conflicts before 371 BC (Xen. Hell. 4,5,10; 5,4,16f.; 6,4,3f.; Xen. Ag. 2,18). In the 2nd and 1st cents. BC C. was an important Roman harbour (Liv. 36,21,5; 42,56,5). Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography Fossey, 157-163 G. Gauv…

[German version] [1] Port of Megara on the Bay of Saronia (Νίσαια/ Nísaia). Port of Megara [2] on the Saronikos Kolpos near modern Páchi [1. 259]. To the east of N. in Antiquity there was the island (now part of the mainland) of Minoa [2. 56-62], connected to the mainland by a bridge (Thuc. 3,51,3). Megara and its citizens are often described in ancient sources as ‘Nisaean’ [3. 156]. In the 6th cent. BC, N. temporarily belonged to Athens (Hdt. 1,59; Plut. Solon 12,3). In 461 BC the Athenians occupied N. a second time (Thuc. 1,103,4) and connected it with the c…

(Ποσείδιον/ Poseídion). [German version] [1] Sanctuary of Poseidon Samios on the coast of Triphylia Sanctuary of Poseidon Samios with a busy harbour on the coast of Triphylia (probably meant in  Hom. Od. 3,4 ff.; Str. 8,3,13; 3,16 f.; 3,20) in the Klidi coastal pass at the foot of the Kaiapha mountains, exact location not known. The P. was once the central sanctuary of Triphylia with a festival of its own. The cult statue of Poseidon at the time of Pausanias (2nd cent. AD) was in Elis [2] (Paus. 6,25,6). Samicum Lafond, Yves (Bochum) Bibliography R. Baladié, Le Péloponnèse de Strabon, 198…

[German version] (Πηλώδης λιμήν; Pēlṓdēs limḗn), the modern Liqeni i Butrintit. A lake in the vicinity of Buthrotum (the modern Butrint). Rich in fish, the PL is connected by a narrow strait to the Ionios Kolpos. Sources: Str. 7,7,5; Ptol. 3,14,4. Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography R. Hodges et al., Late-Antique and Byzantine Butrint: Interim Report on the Port and its Hinterland (1994-95), in: Journal of Roman Archaeology 10, 1997, 207-234.

[German version] (Πρόσχιον/ Próschion, ethnikon Πρόσχειος/ Próscheios). Settlement in Aetolia, to the west of Pleuron in the vicinity of Achelous [1] (Thuc. 3,102,5; 106,1). According to Str. 10,2,6, the Aetolians relocated Pylene to a higher situation, and renamed it P. (Ath. 9,411a). P. may have been nearby the present-day Etoliko, but its location cannot be pinpointed with certainty. Inhabitants are mentioned in Hellenistic inscriptions: IG IV2 1,95,38; IG IX 12 1,11; 137; IG XI 4, 1075. SEG 41, 528; FdD III 4, 213; 362; BCH 85, 1961, 79. Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography C. Ant…

[German version] [1] Daughter of Creon (Μεγάρα/ Megára, Μεγάρη/ Megárē). Daughter of Creon [1] of Thebes, wife of Heracles [1] (Hom. Od. 11,269-270), who had received her hand in thanks for the liberation of Thebes from tribute to Erginus, and mother of some of the Heraclidae. Whereas the Thebans according to Paus. 9,11,2 tell of the insane Heracles' infanticide (on his insanity Cypria p. 40,28f. PEG) as nothing other than what Stesichorus (= 230 PMGF) and Panyassis (= fr. 1 PEG) relate, the version of P…

[German version] [1] City in Boeotia (Νῖσα/ Nîsa). City in Boeotia, mentioned only in the Homeric catalogue of ships (Hom. Il. 2,508). In Antiquity, it was identified (Paus. 1,39,4-6) with Megara [2], the main port of which was called Nisaea, but this is unlikely. Evidence: Str. 9,2,14; Dionysius Calliphontus 102; schol. Theocr. 12,27; schol. Hom. Il. 2,508. Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography E. Visser, Homers Katalog der Schiffe, 1997, 279f. [German version] [2] City and fortress complex in Turkmenistan This item can be found on the following maps: Graeco…

[German version] (Σιδοῦς/ Sidoûs). Fortified place in the territory of Corinth near the Isthmus on the Saronic Gulf, modern Sousaki. According to Steph. Byz. s. v. Σ., either a Corinthian kṓmē (cf. Hsch. s. v. Σιδουντιάς) or a Megaran epíneion/'anchorage' (cf. also Scyl. 55; Plin. HN 4,23). Because of its location, S. had strategic significance, as in the Corinthian War in 392/1 BC (Xen. Hell. 4,4,13; 4,5,19). S. was famous for the quality of its apples (Ath. 3,82a-c). Freitag, Klaus (Münster) Bibliography J. Wiseman, The Land of the Ancient Corinthians, 1978, 19 f.

[German version] (γένος; génos, pl. γένη/ génē). The term has been used commonly in archaic Greece with the meaning ‘of aristocratic origin’, in addition in the sense of house, family, generation, species etc. [1]. In the research Attic génē were for a long time regarded as exclusive noble clans whose former dominance was still demonstrated in the later privileges (supervision of admission to the phratria and exclusive holding of positions as priests). According to the investigation by [2] and [3], the génē are today regarded as local village communities which arose in archa…