Listed 84 sub titles with search on: Monuments reported by ancient authors for wider area of: "ACHAIA Prefecture GREECE" .
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
Hermes, from his close connexion with Apollo, was a god that might be expected to give oracles: this power, however, in the Homeric hymn to Hermes, 552 sqq., is only accorded to him in a limited degree by the more exalted deity. He had an oracle at Pharae in Achaia, where his altar stood in the middle of the market-place. Incense was offered there, oil lamps were lighted before it, a copper coin was placed upon the altar, and after this the question was put to the god by a whisper in his ear. The person who consulted him immediately left the market-place. The first remark that he heard made by any one after leaving the marketplace was believed to imply the answer of Hermes (Pausan. vii. 22, § 2). This mode of oracular disclosure was so much associated with Hermes that he received the name of Kleedonios from it; as we learn from an inscription found at Pitane, near Smyrna (Le Bas et Waddington, Voyage archeol. v. 1724a). Hence it is probable that the Kledonon hieron at Smyrna, mentioned by Pausanias (ix. 11, § 7), was an oracle of Hermes.
This text is from: A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890) (eds. William Smith, LLD, William Wayte, G. E. Marindin). Cited July 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The Earth, as has appeared already, was to the primitive populations almost the chief discloser of the future (thus, originally, at Delphi). The oracle of Earth (gaia) at Aegira in Achaia, mentioned by Pliny (xxviii. § 147), may be a mistake of that writer (cf. Pausan. vii. 25, § 13); but at Patrae, not far from Aegira, Earth, associated with Demeter (i. e. Ge meter) and Persephone, gave oracles respecting the sick. A mirror was let down by a rope into a sacred well, so as to float upon the surface. Prayers were then performed and incense offered, whereupon the image of the sick person was seen in the mirror either as a corpse or in a state of recovery. (Pausan. ii. 24, § 1.)
VOURA (Ancient city) DIAKOPTO
On descending from Bura towards the sea you come to a river
called Buraicus, and to a small Heracles in a cave. He too is surnamed Buraicus,
and here one can divine by means of a tablet and dice. He who inquires of the
god offers up a prayer in front of the image, and after the prayer he takes four
dice, a plentiful supply of which are placed by Heracles, and throws them upon
the table. For every figure made by the dice there is an explanation expressly
written on the tablet.
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
At Pharae there is also a water sacred to Hermes. The name of the spring is Hermes' stream, and the fish in it are not caught, being considered sacred to the god.
DYMI (Ancient city) PATRA
The people of Dyme have a temple of Athena with an extremely ancient image; they have as well a sanctuary built for the Dindymenian mother and Attis.
EGHION (Ancient city) ACHAIA
At Aegium is an ancient sanctuary of Eileithyia, and her image
is covered from head to foot with finely-woven drapery; it is of wood except the
face, hands and feet, which are made of Pentelic marble. One hand is stretched
out straight; the other holds up a torch. One might conjecture that torches are
an attribute of Eileithyia because the pangs of women are just like fire. The
torches might also be explained by the fact that it is Eileithyia who brings children
to the light. The image is a work of Damophon the Messenian.
Near the theater they have a sanctuary of Dionysus with an image of the god as a beardless youth.
In the market-place there is a sanctuary of Artemis, who is represented in the act of shooting an arrow.
By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite.
By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite, and after it one of Poseidon.
By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite, and after it one of Poseidon; there is also one of the Maiden, daughter of Demeter.
By the sea at Aegium is a sanctuary of Aphrodite, and after
it one of Poseidon; there is also one of the Maiden, daughter of Demeter, and
one to Zeus Homagyrius ( Assembler). Here are images of Zeus, of Aphrodite and
of Athena. The surname Assembler was given to Zeus because in this place Agamemnon
assembled the most eminent men in Greece, in order that they might consult together
how to make war on the empire of Priam.
Adjoining Zeus the Assembler is a sanctuary of Demeter Panachaean.
They have also a sanctuary of Safety. Her image may be seen by none but the priests, and the following ritual is performed. They take cakes of the district from the goddess and throw them into the sea, saying that they send them to Arethusa at Syracuse.
EGIRA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The Hyperesians gave their city its present name of Aegeira from the goats ( aiges), and where the most beautiful goat, which led the others, crouched, they built a sanctuary of Artemis the Huntress, believing that the trick against the Sicyonians was an inspiration of Artemis.
The sights of Aegeira worth recording include a sanctuary of Zeus with a sitting image of Pentelic marble, the work of Eucleides the Athenian. In this sanctuary there also stands an image of Athena. The face, hands and feet are of ivory, the rest is of wood, with ornamentation of gilt work and of colors
There is also a sanctuary of Apollo; the sanctuary itself, with
the sculptures on the pediments, are very old; the wooden image of the god also
is old, the figure being nude and of colossal size. None of the inhabitants could
give the name of the artist, but anyone who has already seen the Heracles at Sicyon
would be led to conjecture that the Apollo in Aegeira was also a work of the same
artist, Laphaes the Phliasian.
From the grave it is a journey of about thirty stades to what
is called the Gaeus, a sanctuary of Earth surnamed Broad-bosomed, whose wooden
image is one of the very oldest. The woman who from time to time is priestess
henceforth remains chaste, and before her election must not have had intercourse
with more than one man. The test applied is drinking bull's blood. Any woman who
may chance not to speak the truth is immediately punished as a result of this
test. If several women compete for the priesthood, lots are cast for the honor.
They worship most devoutly the Heavenly Goddess, but human beings must not enter her sanctuary.
But into the sanctuary of the goddess they surname Syrian they enter on stated days, but they must submit beforehand to certain customary purifications, especially in the matter of diet.
ELIKI (Ancient city) EGIALIA
Here used to be situated a city Helice, where the Ionians had
a very holy sanctuary of Heliconian Poseidon. Their worship of Heliconian Poseidon
has remained, even after their expulsion by the Achaeans to Athens, and subsequently
from Athens to the coasts of Asia. There are also passages in Homer referring
to Helice and the Heliconian Poseidon. But later on the Achaeans of the place
removed some suppliants from the sanctuary and killed them.
KERYNIA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In Ceryneia is a sanctuary of the Eumenides, which they say
was established by Orestes. Whosoever enters with the desire to see the sights,
if he be guilty of bloodshed, defilement or impiety, is said at once to become
insane with fright, and for this reason the right to enter is not given to all
and sundry. The images made of wood . . . they are not very large in size, and
at the entrance to the sanctuary are statues of women, made of stone and of artistic
workmanship. The natives said that the women are portraits of the former priestesses
of the Eumenides.
KLITOR (Ancient city) KALAVRYTA
The most celebrated sanctuaries of the Cleitorians are those of Demeter, Asclepius and, thirdly, Eileithyia . . . to be, and gave no number for them.
Cleitor has also, at a distance of about four stades from the city, a sanctuary of the Dioscuri, under the name of the Great Gods. There are also images of them in bronze.
KYNETHA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The most notable things here include a sanctuary of Dionysus, to whom they hold a feast in the winter, at which men smeared with grease take up from a herd of cattle a bull, whichever one the god suggest to them, and carry it to the sanctuary. This is the manner of their sacrifice.
LOUSSES (Ancient city) KALAVRYTA
Well, the daughters of Proetus were brought down by Melampus to Lusi, and healed of their madness in a sanctuary of Artemis. Wherefore this Artemis is called Hemerasia (She who soothes) by the Cleitorians.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
On the acropolis of Patrae is a sanctuary of Artemis Laphria. The surname of the goddess is a foreign one, and her image too was brought in from elsewhere.
The Ionians who lived in Aroe, Antheia and Mesatis had in common a precinct and a temple of Artemis surnamed Triclaria.
The surname of the god inside the chest is Aesymnetes ( Dictator),
and his chief attendants are nine men, elected by the people from all the citizens
for their reputation, and women equal in number to the men. On one night of the
festival the priest carries the chest outside. Now this is a privilege that this
night has received, and there go down to the river Meilichus a certain number
of the native children, wearing on their heads garlands of corn-ears. It was in
this way that they used to array of old those whom they led to be sacrificed to
Artemis.
On the way to the lower city there is a sanctuary of the Dindymenian Mother, and in it Attis too is worshipped. Of him they have no image to show; that of the Mother is of stone.
Beyond the Olympian is an image of Hera and a sanctuary of Apollo. The god is of bronze, and naked. On his feet are sandals, and one foot stands upon the skull of an ox. That Apollo takes great pleasure in oxen is shown by Alcaeus in his hymn to Hermes.
Near this precinct the people of Patrae have other sanctuaries. These are not in the open, but there is an entrance to them through the porticoes. The image of Asclepius, save for the drapery, is of stone.
Near this precinct the people of Patrae have other sanctuaries. These are not in the open, but there is an entrance to them through the porticoes. Athena is made of ivory and gold.
In this part of the city is also a sanctuary of Dionysus surnamed Calydonian, for the image of Dionysus too was brought from Calydon.
As you go lower down from the Dictator there is another sanctuary with an image of stone. It is called the sanctuary of Recovery, and the story is that it was originally founded by Eurypylus on being cured of his madness.
In Patrae, not far from that of Poseidon, are sanctuaries of Aphrodite. One of the two images was drawn up by fishermen in a net a generation before my time.
Next to the grove is a sanctuary of Demeter; she and her daughter
are standing, but the image of Earth is seated. Before the sanctuary of Demeter
is a spring. On the side of this towards the temple stands a wall of stones, while
on the outer side has been made a descent to the spring. Here there is an infallible
oracle, not indeed for everything, but only in the case of sick folk. They tie
a mirror to a fine cord and let it down, judging the distance so that it does
not sink deep into the spring, but just far enough to touch the water with its
rim. Then they pray to the goddess and burn incense, after which they look into
the mirror, which shows them the patient either alive or dead.
There is also at Patrae a sanctuary of Asclepius. This sanctuary is beyond the acropolis near the gate leading to Mesatis
PSOFIS (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In Psophis there is a sanctuary of Aphrodite surnamed Erycine; I found only ruins of it remaining, but the people said that it was established by the sons of Psophis.
TRITEA (Ancient city) PATRA
In Triteia is a sanctuary of the gods called Almighty, and their images are made of clay. In honor of these every year they celebrate a festival, exactly the same sort of festival as the Greeks hold in honor of Dionysus.
VOURA (Ancient city) DIAKOPTO
Isis too has a sanctuary.
ZAROUCHLA (Village) KALAVRYTA
On Mount Crathis is a sanctuary of Artemis Pyronia (Fire-goddess), and in more ancient days the Argives used to bring from this goddess fire for their Lernaean ceremonies.
EGHION (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In a building right in front of the entrance are images, of
bronze like the others, representing Poseidon, Heracles, Zeus and Athena. They
are called gods from Argos. The Argives say it is because they were made in Argos;
the people of Aegium themselves say that the images were deposited by the Argives
with them on trust. They say further that they were ordered to sacrifice each
day to the images. But bethinking themselves of a trick they sacrificed a vast
number of animals, but the victims they ate up at public feasts, so that they
were not put to any expense. At last the Argives asked for the images to be returned,
whereupon the people of Aegium asked for the cost of the sacrifices. As the Argives
had not the means to pay, they left the images at Aegium.
There are at Aegium other images made of bronze, Zeus as a boy
and Heracles as a beardless youth, the work of Ageladas of Argos. Priests are
elected for them every year, and each of the two images remains at the house of
the priest. In a more remote age there was chosen to be priest for Zeus from the
boys he who won the prize for beauty. When his beard began to grow the honor for
beauty passed to another boy. Such were the customs.
EGIRA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
There are in a temple standing images of Asclepius, and elsewhere images of Serapis and of Isis, these too being of Pentelic marble.
I remember observing at Aegeira a building in which was an image of Fortune carrying the horn of Amaltheia. By her side is a winged Love, the moral of which is that even success in love depends for mankind on fortune rather than on beauty.
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
The market-place of Pharae is of wide extent after the ancient fashion, and in the middle of it is an image of Hermes, made of stone and bearded. Standing right on the earth, it is of square shape, and of no great size. On it is an inscription, saying that it was dedicated by Simylus the Messenian. It is called Hermes of the Market, and by it is established an oracle. In front of the image is placed a hearth, which also is of stone, and to the hearth bronze lamps are fastened with lead. Coming at eventide, the inquirer of the god, having burnt incense upon the hearth, filled the lamps with oil and lighted them, puts on the altar on the right of the image a local coin, called a "copper", and asks in the ear of the god the particular question he wishes to put to him. After that he stops his ears and leaves the marketplace. On coming outside he takes his hands from his ears, and whatever utterance he hears he considers oracular. There is
a similar method of divination practised at the sanctuary of Apis in Egypt.
KYNETHA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
These Cynaetheans live more than forty stades from . . . and in their marketplace have been made altars of the gods and a statue of the Emperor Hadrian.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
On the market-place, in the open, is an image of Athena.
Next to the market-place is the Music Hall, where has been dedicated an Apollo well worth seeing. It was made from the spoils taken when alone of the Achaeans the people of Patrae helped the Aetolians against the army of the Gauls.
As you leave the market-place of Patrae, where the sanctuary of Apollo is, at this exit is a gate, upon which stand gilt statues, Patreus, Preugenes, and Atherion; the two latter are represented as boys, because Patreus is a boy in age.
Near to the theater there is a precinct sacred to a native lady. Here are images of Dionysus, equal in number to the ancient cities, and named after them Mesateus, Antheus and Aroeus. These images at the festival of Dionysus they bring into the sanctuary of the Dictator.
There are also quite near to the harbor two images of bronze, one of Ares and the other of Apollo.
DYMI (Ancient city) PATRA
The people of Dyme have a temple of Athena with an extremely ancient image.
EGHION (Ancient city) ACHAIA
At Aegium you find a temple of Athena and a grove of Hera. Of Athena there are two images of white marble.
At Aegium you find a temple of Athena and a grove of Hera. The image of Hera may be seen by nobody except the woman who happens to hold the office of priestess to the goddess.
By the market-place at Aegium is a temple shared by Apollo and Artemis in common.
EGIRA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
There is also a temple of Artemis, with an image of the modern style of workmanship. The priestess is a maiden, who holds office until she reaches the age to marry. There stands here too an ancient image, which the folk of Aegeira say is Iphigeneia, the daughter of Agamemnon. If they are correct, it is plain that the temple must have been built originally for Iphigeneia.
KLITOR (Ancient city) KALAVRYTA
There is also built upon a mountain-top, thirty stades away from the city, a temple of Athena Coria will, an image of the goddess (Paus. 8,21,4). According to some inscriptions found the feast Corasia or Coriasia took place at that temple (Ekd. Athinon, Pausaniou Periegissis, vol. 4, p. 258, note of the left column).
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
Within the precincts of Laphria is a temple of Athena surnamed Panachaean. The image is of ivory and gold.
In the marketplace is a temple of Olympian Zeus; the god himself is on a throne with Athena standing by it. Beyond the Olympian is an image of Hera
Opposite the marketplace by this exit is a precinct and temple
of Artemis, the Lady of the Lake. When the Dorians were now in possession of Lacedaemon
and Argos, it is said that Preugenes, in obedience to a dream, stole from Sparta
the image of our Lady of the Lake, and that he had as partner in his exploit the
most devoted of his slaves. The image from Lacedaemon is usually kept at Mesoa,
because it was to this place that it was originally brought by Preugenes. But
when the festival of our Lady is being held, one of the slaves of the goddess
comes from Mesoa bringing the ancient wooden image to the precinct in the city.
Not far from the theater is a temple of Nemesis, and another of Aphrodite. The images are colossal and of white marble.
At the harbor is a temple of Poseidon with a standing image of stone.
They have also a grove by the sea, affording in summer weather very agreeable walks and a pleasant means generally of passing the time. In this grove are also two temples of divinities, one of Apollo, the other of Aphrodite. The images of these too are made of stone.
PSOFIS (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The people of Psophis have also by the side of the Erymanthus a temple and image of Erymanthus.
TEFTHEA (Ancient city) PATRA
In this town is the temple of the Nemydian Artemis.
TRITEA (Ancient city) PATRA
There is also a temple of Athena, and the modern image is of stone. The ancient image, as the folk of Triteia say, was carried to Rome.
VOURA (Ancient city) DIAKOPTO
There is a temple here of Demeter, one of Aphrodite and Dionysus, and a third of Eileithyia. The images are of Pentelic marble, and were made by Eucleides of Athens. There is drapery for Demeter.
There is a temple here of Demeter, one of Aphrodite and Dionysus, and a third of Eileithyia. The images are of Pentelic marble, and were made by Eucleides of Athens.
There is a temple here of Demeter, one of Aphrodite and Dionysus, and a third of Eileithyia. The images are of Pentelic marble, and were made by Eucleides of Athens.
KRATHIS (River) ACHAIA
At no great distance from the Crathis you will find a tomb on the right of the road, and on the tombstone a man standing by the side of a horse; the colors of the painting have faded.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
On the market-place, in the open, is an image of Athena with the grave of Patreus in front of it.
Before the sanctuary of Athena is the tomb of Preugenes. Every year they sacrifice to Preugenes as to a hero, and likewise to Patreus also, when the festival of our Lady is being held.
TRITEA (Ancient city) PATRA
Before you enter the city is a tomb of white marble, well worth
seeing, especially for the paintings on the grave, the work of Nicias. There is
an ivory chair on which is a young and beautiful woman, by whose side is a handmaid
carrying a sunshade. There is also a young man, who is standing. He is too young
for a beard, and wears a tunic with a purple cloak over it. By his side is a servant
carrying javelins and leading hounds. I could not discover their names, but anyone
can conjecture that here man and wife share a common grave.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In like manner he (Alkibiades) persuaded the people of Patrae to attach their city to the sea by long walls.
EGIRA (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In this building at Aegeira is also an old man in the attitude
of a mourner, three women taking off their bracelets, and likewise three lads,
with a man wearing a breastplate. They say that in a war of the Achaeans this
last man fought more bravely than any other soldier of Aegeira, but was killed.
His surviving brothers carried home the news of his death, and therefore in mourning
for him his sisters are discarding their ornaments, and the natives call the father
Sympathes, because even in the statue he is a piteous figure.
EGHION (Ancient city) ACHAIA
Not far from Eileithyia is a precinct of Asclepius, with images of him and of Health. An iambic line on the pedestal says that the artist was Damophon the Messenian.
There is also in the market-place a precinct of Zeus surnamed Saviour, with two images, both of bronze, on the left as you go in; the one without a beard seemed to me the more ancient.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The image of Aphrodite, whose precinct too is by the harbor, has its face, hands and feet of stone, while the rest of the figure is made of wood.
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
Quite close to the image stand square stones, about thirty in number. These the people of Pharae adore, calling each by the name of some god. At a more remote period all the Greeks alike worshipped uncarved stones instead of images of the gods. At a more remote period all the Greeks alike worshipped uncarved stones instead of images of the gods.
About fifteen stades from Pharae is a grove of the Dioscuri. The trees in it are chiefly laurels; I saw in it neither temple nor images, the latter, according to the natives, having been carried away to Rome. In the grove at Pharae is an altar of unshaped stones.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
Next to the market-place is the Music Hall. The Music Hall is in every way the finest in Greece, except, of course, the one at Athens.
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