Epeium

37°33′57″N 21°47′05″E / 37.56585°N 21.784671°E / 37.56585; 21.784671 Epeium or Epeion (Ancient Greek: Ἤπειον or Ήπειον)[1] or Epium or Epion (Ἔπιον[2] or Ήπιον[3]) or Aepion or Aipion (Αἰπίον or Αἴπιον)[4] was a town of Triphylia in ancient Elis, which stood between Makistos and Heraea, and may have been the successor settlement to Homeric Aepy.[5] It is one of the six cities (along with Lepreum, Macistus, Phrixae, Pyrgus, and Nudium) founded by the Minyans in the territory of Paroreatae and Caucones.[2]

At the beginning of the 5th century BCE, it was a community of perioeci of Elis.[6] According to Xenophon, the Eleans claimed that they had bought the town from its owners for 30 talents; the identity of these "owners" is unknown.[1] Xenophon's phrase suggests that at the time of the sale, Epeium was not controlled by its original population.[7] It has been suggested that it belonged to the Arcadians.[8]

Towards the year 400 BCE, Epeium was liberated from the Elean government and made autonomous.[9] It probably joined the Triphylian federation. In 369 BCE, it was a member of the Arcadian League.[10]

The site is tentatively located near modern Tripiti (formerly called Bitsibardi).[11][12] Archaeologists have discovered the foundations of an old structure, a retaining wall and many tiles.[13] The first researchers found walls of ashlar, ceramics of the Classical Period, and blocks and drums of columns. The acropolis occupies an area of 150 x 25 m (500 x 80 ft).[14]

References

  1. ^ a b Xenophon. Hellenica. Vol. 3.2.30.
  2. ^ a b Herodotus. Histories. Vol. 4.148.4.
  3. ^ Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v.
  4. ^ Polybius. The Histories. Vol. 4.77.9.
  5. ^ Public Domain Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Aepy". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
  6. ^ Roy, Jim (1997). "The periokoi of Elis. Polis & Politics". Papers from the Copenhagen Polis Centre 4. Historia Enxelschriften 180: 283–285.
  7. ^ Mogens Herman Hansen & Thomas Heine Nielsen (2004). "Elis". An inventory of archaic and classical poleis. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 542. ISBN 0-19-814099-1.
  8. ^ Roy, Jim (1997). "The periokoi of Elis. Polis & Politics". Papers from the Copenhagen Polis Centre 4. Historia Enxelschriften: 290.
  9. ^ Xenophon. Hellenica. Vol. 3.2.31.
  10. ^ Nielsen, Thomas Heine (1997). "Triphylia: An Experiment in Ethnic Construction and Political organisation». Yet More Studies in the Ancient Greek Polis". Papers from the Copenhagen Polis Centre 4. Historia Enxelschriften 180: 152–154.
  11. ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 58, and directory notes accompanying. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9.
  12. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.
  13. ^ Pritchett, William Kendrick (1989). Studies in Ancient Topography: Part VI. Berkeley. p. 52. ISBN 978-05-200-9746-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ^ Mogens Herman Hansen & Thomas Heine Nielsen (2004). "Elis". An inventory of archaic and classical poleis. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 543. ISBN 0-19-814099-1.


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