Elis
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Elis, or Eleia (Greek, Modern: Ήλιδα Ilida, Ancient: Ἦλις Ēlis, Doric: Ἆλις Alis , Elean : Ϝάλις Walis) is an ancient district, that corresponds with the modern Ilia Prefecture. It is in southern Greece on the Peloponnesos peninsula, bounded on the north by Achaea, east by Arcadia, south by Messenia, and west by the Ionian Sea.
The first Olympic festival was organized in Elean land, Olympia, Greece by the authorities of Elis in the 8th century BCE - with tradition dating the first games at 776 BCE. The Hellanodikai, the judges of the Games, were of Elean origin.
The local form of the name was Valis, or Valeia, and its meaning, in all probability, “the lowland” (compare with the word "valley"). In its physical constitution Elis is similar to Achaea and Arcadia; its mountains are mere offshoots of the Arcadian highlands, and its principal rivers are fed by Arcadian springs.
Elis was divided into three districts:
- Hollow (Coele) or Lowland Elis,
- Pisatis, or the territory of Pisa, and
- Triphylia, or the country of the three tribes.
Coele Elis, the largest and most northern of the three, was watered by the river Peneus and its tributary the Ladon. The district was famous during antiquity for its cattle and horses. Pisatis extended south from Coele Elis to the right bank of the river Alpheus, and was divided into eight departments named after as many towns. Triphylia stretches south from the Alpheus to the river Neda.
Nowadays Elis is a small village of 150 citizens, located 14km NE of Amaliada, built over the ruins of the ancient town. It has a museum that contains many treasures, discovered in the recent excavations. It also has one of the most well-preserved Ancient Theaters in Greece. Elis is well known for breeding horses and its "creation" of the Olympic games.
Contents |
[edit] List of Eleans
Athletes
- Coroebus of Elis, the first Ancient Olympic gold-medalist
Kings and Leaders
- Salmoneus, mythological king of Elis
- Aethlius, mythological king of Elis
- Endymion (mythology)
- Epeius
- Aetolus
- Augeas, king of Elis related to the Fifth Labour of Heracles
- Amphimachus, king of Elis and leader of Eleans in Trojan War
- Thalpius, leader of Eleans in Trojan War
- Oxylus, king of Elis
Intellectuals
- Hippias of Elis, Greek sophist
- Phaedo of Elis, founder of the Elean School[1]
- Pyrrho
- Troilus (4th century BC) athlete
[edit] Eleans as barbarians
Eleans were labelled as the greatest barbarians barbarotatoi by musician Stratonicus of Athens[2]
| “ | And when he was once asked by some one who were the wickedest people, he said, “That in Pamphylia, the people of Phaselis were the worst; but that the Sidetae were the worst in the whole world.” And when he was asked again, according to the account given by Hegesander, which were the greatest barbarians, the Boeotians or the Thessalians he said, ” The Eleans.” | ” |
In Hesychius (s.v. βαρβαρόφωνοι) and other ancient lexica[3] Eleans are also listed as barbarophones. Indeed the North-West Doric dialect of Elis is, after the Aeolic dialects, one of the most difficult for the modern reader of epigraphic texts.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Smith, William. Ancient Library.
- ^ Athenaeus. Deipnosophistae, VIII 350a.
- ^ Towle, James A. Commentary on Plato: Protagoras, 341c.
- ^ Sophie Minon. Les Inscriptions Éléennes Dialectales (VI-II siècle avant J.-C.). Volume I: Textes. Volume II: Grammaire et Vocabulaire Institutionnel. École Pratique des Hautes Études Sciences historiques et philogiques III. Hautes Études du Monde Gréco-Romain 38. Genève: Librairie Droz S.A., 2007. ISBN 9782600011303.
[edit] Sources
"Elis (district)". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.- "Elis (city)". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.
- "Elis, Philosophical School of". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.
[edit] External links
- Map from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture
