Midea (Argolid)

Midea is located in Greece
Midea
Midea
Midea (Greece)
Midea archeological site.

Midea (Ancient Greek: Μιδέα)[1] or Mideia (Μίδεια)[2] was a city of ancient Argolis.

Mythology and proto-history

Midea was originally called Perseuspolis (Περσέως πόλις),[3] and is mentioned by Pseudo-Apollodorus in connection with this hero.[4] It was said to have derived its name from the wife of Electryon, and was celebrated as the residence of Electryon and the birthplace of his daughter Alcmena,[5][6] best known as the mother of Heracles. But it is mentioned in the earliest division of the country, along with the Heraeum and Tiryns, as belonging to Proetus.[7] It was the residence of Hippodameia in her banishment.[2]

History

It was destroyed by Argos, probably at the same time as Tiryns, soon after the Greco-Persian Wars.[8][1] Strabo describes Midea as near Tiryns; and from its mention by Pausanias, in connection with the Heraeum and Tiryns, it must be placed on the eastern edge of the Argeian plain; but the only clue in the ancient authors to its exact position is the statement of Pausanias, who says that, returning from Tiryns into the road leading from Argos to Epidaurus, "you will reach Mideia on the left."[9]

Site and remains

The remains of Midea, that of a Bronze Age citadel, stand above the village of the same name in the Argolid. The citadel is one of the largest and best preserved Mycenaean citadels. A tholos tomb and cemetery of chamber tombs at nearby Dendra is associated with the site.

Excavations were started by the Swedish archaeologist Axel W. Persson and have been continued regularly by the Swedish Institute at Athens and published in the journal Opuscula.[10][11][12][13][14][15]

See also

Sources

References

  1. ^ a b Strabo. Geographica. Vol. viii. p.373. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  2. ^ a b Pausanias (1918). "20.7". Description of Greece. Vol. 6. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.
  3. ^ Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v. Μίδεια.
  4. ^ Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus), 2.4.4.
  5. ^ Pausanias (1918). "25.9". Description of Greece. Vol. 2. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.
  6. ^ Schol. ad Pind. Ol. 7.49.
  7. ^ Pausanias (1918). "16.2". Description of Greece. Vol. 2. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.
  8. ^ Pausanias (1918). "27.1". Description of Greece. Vol. 8. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.
  9. ^ Pausanias (1918). "25.9". Description of Greece. Vol. 2. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.
  10. ^ Demakopoulou, Katie; Divari-Valakou, Nicoletta; Nilsson, Monica; Schallin, Ann-Louise; Nikita, Kalliopi (2008-12-02). "Excavations in Midea 2006". Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome. 1: 7–30. doi:10.30549/opathrom-01-02. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  11. ^ Demakopoulou, Katie; Divari-Valakou, Nicoletta; Nilsson, Monica; Schallin, Ann-Louise (2009-12-02). "Excavations in Midea 2007". Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome. 2: 7–30. doi:10.30549/opathrom-02-02. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  12. ^ Demakopoulou, Katie; Divari-Valakou, Nicoletta; Lowe Fri, Maria; Miller, Madelaine; Nilsson, Monica; Schallin, Ann-Louise (2010-12-02). "Excavations in Midea 2008–2009". Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome. 3: 7–32. doi:10.30549/opathrom-03-02. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  13. ^ Sabatini, Serena (2016-12-02). "Textile tools from the East Gate at Mycenaean Midea, Argolis, Greece". Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome. 9: 217–247. doi:10.30549/opathrom-09-08. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  14. ^ "Clay paste characterization and provenance determination". Editorial Committee of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome. 2017-12-02. doi:10.30549/opathrom-10-02. S2CID 134815981. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  15. ^ Demakopoulou, Katie (2020-11-02). "A Mycenaean pictorial vase from Midea". Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome. 13: 113–121. doi:10.30549/opathrom-13-04. Retrieved 2021-01-08.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Mideia". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Archaeological site of Midea.

37°38′59″N 22°50′29″E / 37.64972°N 22.84139°E / 37.64972; 22.84139


Stub icon

This article relating to archaeology in Greece is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This article about a location in ancient Argolis is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.