Listed 7 sub titles with search on: Archaeological sites for wider area of: "MEGALOPOLI Province ARCADIA" .
LYKOSSOURA (Ancient city) MEGALOPOLI
The ruins are 7 km W of Megalopolis. The only source for the city
is Pausanias' reference (8.37-38) to the Sanctuary of Despoina, a very ancient
Chthonic divinity identified with Persephone-Kore, whose date was confirmed by
excavations undertaken in 1889 and later. To the E and to the N foundations of
a Doric portico have been found, before which, from E to W are arranged three
altars consecrated to Demeter, Despoina, and the Great Mother. The temple was
15 m from the altar farthest to the W, and was perhaps constructed in the 4th
c. B.C. It is a Doric prostyle temple, with a hexadic facade of marble, on three
steps, oriented to the E. Recognizable are a pronaos and a cella, the major part
of which was occupied by a pedestal which supported a group of cult statues in
marble. These were the work of Damophon of Messene, active around the middle of
the 2d c. B.C. They represented Demeter, Despoina, Artemis, and Anytos. During
the excavation many fragments of sculpture recognizable as belonging to the group
were found, which permitted its reconstruction after a coin of Megalopolis. Despoina
and her mother Demeter were seated, while Artemis and Anytos were standing. The
remains of the group are in the National Museum at Athens. One exited from the
temple to the outside through a lateral door in the S wall. In the cella are the
remains of a mosaic, and before the temple there are two bases for bronze statues.
Several tiles with the inscription Depoinas have come from the excavation, and
date between 74 and 66 B.C. To the S of the pronaos several bases for offerings
have been found, while the N part of the temple has been under discussion, even
to the foundations. The temple dates, according to the latest interpretation,
to the 2d c. B.C. On the N side in a spot called megaron by Pausanias, the remains
of a large monumental altar have been found. The ancient city was located at the
head of the plain of Terzi, to the W of the sanctuary. There the city walls have
been identified, dating from the 5th-4th c. B.C., and the foundation of a temple
has been found under a Byzantine chapel.
G. Bermond Montanari, ed.
This text is from: The Princeton encyclopedia of classical sites,
Princeton University Press 1976. Cited Nov 2002 from
Perseus Project URL below, which contains bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
MEGALOPOLIS (Ancient city) ARCADIA
A large rectangular building located on the north-eastern side of
the ancient Agora. It was built a short distance from the main area of the Agora,
on the other bank of the river Elisson.
It was used as the meeting place of the "myriad", the 10.000 members
of the Arcadic confederation. According to Pausanias, the foundation of the building
was attributed to Thersilos, around 4th century BC. The building was constructed
after the foundation of Megalopolis by Epameinondas, in 371 BC, after the defeat
of the Lacaedemonians by the Thebeans at Leuctra.
At the south side of the auditorium was a rectangular "orchestra".
Along the other three sides there were rows of wooden seats. The 65 columns supporting
the roof, were arranged in lines radiating from the center, to ensure visual contact
with the speaker.
This text is cited March 2003 from the Foundation of the Hellenic World URL below.
Region: Arcadia
Periods: Classical, Hellenistic, Roman
Type: Fortified city
Summary: One of the largest cities in the Peloponnese.
Physical Description:
One of the largest cities in the Peloponnese, Megalopolis
is located on a large plain and is bisected by the Helisson river. The city was
protected by ca. 9 km of city walls and occupied by the inhabitants of ca. 40
abandoned Arcadian villages. On the N bank the civic center of the city included
the agora, stoas, the Philippian Stoa, Sanctuary of Zeus Soter, and other civic
buildings. The S bank section of the city was the center of the Arcadian League
and the location of the Thersileion (the league's council house). The theater
in the S sector was the largest in Greece with ca. 20,000 seats.
Description:
Megalopolis was founded ca. 370 B.C. by Epaminondas of
Thebes as the capital of the Arcadian League and as a buffer city to help contain
the Spartans. During the 4th century B.C. Megalopolis politically favored Macedonia
and suffered a number of Spartan attacks. In the 3rd century the city joined the
Achaean League. In 223 B.C. the Spartans (under Cleomenes III) succeeded in taking
and destroying Megalopolis. The city was rebuilt and enjoyed some prosperity,
but never regained political power, and by the 2nd century A.D. it was a minor
town much in ruin. It was finally abandoned at the end of the Roman period.
Exploration:
Excavations in 1890-93 directed by W. Loring and others
for the British School. M. Kavallieratos excavated in 1901 and in 1962-63 cleaning
and minor excavations conducted by E. Stikas and C. Christou.
Donald R. Keller, ed.
This text is cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains 13 image(s), bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
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