Listed 2 sub titles with search on: Archaeological sites for destination: "ARGOS Ancient city ARGOLIS".
Region: Argolid
Periods: Early Bronze Age, Middle Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age, Dark
Age, Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Modern
Type: Fortified city
Summary: One of the major Mycenaean and ancient city-states of the
Peloponnese.
Physical Description:
Argos lies ca. 7 km inland, near the center of the 200
square km Argive plain, and between the bases of the Aspis and Larissa hills and
the Kharadros river. The W half of the modern town of Argos covers the ancient
city and excavations have been limited to small areas and rescue work. Features
that have been excavated or investigated include the theater, agora, sanctuary
of Apollo and Athena, the Roman odeion and baths, and sections of the Classical
circuit wall.
Description:
Traditionally Argos was claimed as one of the oldest cities
of ancient Greece, and the birthplace of Perseus, the son of Danae and Zeus. Some
Neolithic remains have been found in the area, but the best evidence for early
occupation is the Early to Middle Helladic settlement on the summit of Aspis.
By Mycenaean times the center of settlement had moved to the higher Larissa hill
to the W (where the Frankish castle now stands). Although Argos was a major Mycenaean
center and its citizens figure prominently in the Homeric epics, the city was
over-shadowed by nearby Mycenae. After the fall of the Mycenaean Empire Argos
seems to have had the predominant role in the Peloponnese until the 6th century
B.C. when it begins a long struggle with Sparta. Throughout the Classical period
Argos allied itself with Corinth or Athens against Sparta. In 229 B.C. Argos joined
the Achaean League and after 146 B.C. it became part of the Roman province of
Achaea. Substantial Roman building activity indicates prosperity in the 1st to
5th centuries A.D. Argos was capital of King Pheidon and home of sculptors Ageladas
and Polykleitos.
Exploration:
In 1892, I. Kophiniotis partially excavated the theater;
between 1902 and 1930 W. Vollgraff carried out several excavations on behalf of
the French School. French School excavations have continued under the direction
of G. Daux and P. Courbin since 1952.
Donald R. Keller, ed.
This text is cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains 61 image(s), bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
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