Εμφανίζονται 2 τίτλοι με αναζήτηση: Πληροφορίες για τον τόπο στην ευρύτερη περιοχή: "ΚΥΠΑΡΙΣΣΗΕΙΣ Αρχαία πόλη ΚΥΠΑΡΙΣΣΙΑ" .
ΚΥΠΑΡΙΣΣΗΕΙΣ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΚΥΠΑΡΙΣΣΙΑ
Cyparissia. Kuparissia, Kuparisseeis, Kuparissiai, Kuparissai, Kuparissos, Eth.
Kuparissieus, Kuparisseus. A town on the western coast of Messenia, situated a
little south of the river Cyparissus, upon the bay to which it gave the name of
the Cyparissian gulf. (Plin. Mela, ll. cc.) This gulf was 72 miles in circuit
according to Pliny, and was bounded by the promontory of Ichthys on the north,
and by that of Cyparissium on the south. Cyparissia was the only town of importance
upon the western coast of Messenia between Pylus and Triphylia. It is mentioned
in the Homeric catalogue (Il. l. c.), and appears to have been inhabited from
the earliest to the latest times. It was beautifully situated upon the sides of
one of the offshoots of the range of mountains, which run along this part of the
Messenian coast. Upon the narrow summit of the rocks now occupied by a castle
built in the middle ages, stood the ancient acropolis. There is no harbour upon
the Messenian coast north of Pylos; but Leake remarks that the roadstead at Cyparissia
seems to be the best on this part of the coast; and in ancient times the town
probably possessed an artificial harbour, since traces of a mole may still be
seen upon the sea-shore. This was probably constructed on the restoration of Messene
by Epaminondas; for it was necessary to provide the capital of the new state with
a port, and no spot was so suitable for this object as Cyparissia. Hence we find
Messene and the harbour Cyparissia mentioned together by Scylax. Pausanias found
in the town a temple of Apollo, and one of Athena Cyparissia. The town continued
to coin money down to the time of Severus. In the middle ages it was called Arkadia,
a name which was transferred from the interior of the peninsula to this place
upon the coast. It continued to bear this name till its destruction by Ibrahim
in 1825, and when rebuilt it resumed its ancient name Cyparissia, by which it
is now called. Some remains of ancient walls may be traced around the modern castle;
and below the castle on the slope of the hill, near the church of St. George,
are some fragments of columns. On the south side of the town, close to the sea-shore,
a fine stream rushes out of the rock and flows into the sea; and a little above
is a basin with a spring of water, near which are some stones belonging to an
ancient structure. This is the ancient fountain sacred to Dionysus, which Pausanias
perceived near the entrance of the city, on the road from Pylus.
Stephanus calls Cyparissia a city of Triphylia, and Strabo (viii.)
also distinguishes between the Triphylian and Messenian Cyparissia, but on what
authority we do not know.
This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited June 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
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