DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4099#0411
RUINS OF MEGALOPOLIS. 375
to employ every possible means for their destruction. The first step
of the Pasha was to convoke all the bishops of the Morea, and to
order them to fulminate excommunications against those Greeks who
afforded any kind of assistance to the thieves, and to grant a remis-
sion of a certain number of sins to those who assisted in their ex-
tirpation. This plan had its full effect; and before we quitted Greece
most of them had left the Morea, and had taken refuge in the Ionian
islands, where the}' entered the British service.
Strabo dwells very little on Megalopolis, which he says was
nearly deserted in his time: it was fifty stadia in circuit.
Plutarch informs us, that when Cieomenes took Megalopolis, it
was as great a city as Sparta. Its most valuable paintings and
sculptures were conveyed to the Laconian capital, and great part of
Megalopolis was destroyed. It was built under the auspices of
Epaminondas,1 and its population collected from various small cities
of Arcadia. Its temples and public edifices were numerous and
rich, and its theatre was the largest in Greece." The koilon, or cir-
cular part, still remains, but the seats are covered with earth and
overgrown with bushes. Part of the walls of the proscenium are
also seen facing the Helisson, which flows a few yards to the east.
The remains of the temples are dubious : some masses of walls and
scattered blocks of columns indicate their situations, without ascer-
taining the divinities to whose worship they were consecrated. The
soil is much raised, and probably conceals several remains of the
city. The Helisson, which is a small but rapid river, had its source
at a village of the same name,3 and, flowing through the Dipaican
and Lycaiatian territories, and through the town of Megalopolis,
united with the Alpheios, after a course of thirty stadia.4 Its banks
are picturesque, and covered with trees, particularly platani and
oaks. It contains fine trout and eels.
We purchased from the villagers a considerable number of Arca-
dian coins, some of which were rare and well preserved. Those of
' Pausan. b. 8. c. 27.; b. 9. c. 15. " H. b. 2. c. 27.; b. 8. c. 31.
3 Pausan. b. 8. c. 3. and 30. * W. b. 8. c. 30.
to employ every possible means for their destruction. The first step
of the Pasha was to convoke all the bishops of the Morea, and to
order them to fulminate excommunications against those Greeks who
afforded any kind of assistance to the thieves, and to grant a remis-
sion of a certain number of sins to those who assisted in their ex-
tirpation. This plan had its full effect; and before we quitted Greece
most of them had left the Morea, and had taken refuge in the Ionian
islands, where the}' entered the British service.
Strabo dwells very little on Megalopolis, which he says was
nearly deserted in his time: it was fifty stadia in circuit.
Plutarch informs us, that when Cieomenes took Megalopolis, it
was as great a city as Sparta. Its most valuable paintings and
sculptures were conveyed to the Laconian capital, and great part of
Megalopolis was destroyed. It was built under the auspices of
Epaminondas,1 and its population collected from various small cities
of Arcadia. Its temples and public edifices were numerous and
rich, and its theatre was the largest in Greece." The koilon, or cir-
cular part, still remains, but the seats are covered with earth and
overgrown with bushes. Part of the walls of the proscenium are
also seen facing the Helisson, which flows a few yards to the east.
The remains of the temples are dubious : some masses of walls and
scattered blocks of columns indicate their situations, without ascer-
taining the divinities to whose worship they were consecrated. The
soil is much raised, and probably conceals several remains of the
city. The Helisson, which is a small but rapid river, had its source
at a village of the same name,3 and, flowing through the Dipaican
and Lycaiatian territories, and through the town of Megalopolis,
united with the Alpheios, after a course of thirty stadia.4 Its banks
are picturesque, and covered with trees, particularly platani and
oaks. It contains fine trout and eels.
We purchased from the villagers a considerable number of Arca-
dian coins, some of which were rare and well preserved. Those of
' Pausan. b. 8. c. 27.; b. 9. c. 15. " H. b. 2. c. 27.; b. 8. c. 31.
3 Pausan. b. 8. c. 3. and 30. * W. b. 8. c. 30.