Listed 41 sub titles with search on: Monuments reported by ancient authors for wider area of: "PATRA Province ACHAIA" .
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
Hermes, from his close connexion with Apollo, was a god that might be expected to give oracles: this power, however, in the Homeric hymn to Hermes, 552 sqq., is only accorded to him in a limited degree by the more exalted deity. He had an oracle at Pharae in Achaia, where his altar stood in the middle of the market-place. Incense was offered there, oil lamps were lighted before it, a copper coin was placed upon the altar, and after this the question was put to the god by a whisper in his ear. The person who consulted him immediately left the market-place. The first remark that he heard made by any one after leaving the marketplace was believed to imply the answer of Hermes (Pausan. vii. 22, § 2). This mode of oracular disclosure was so much associated with Hermes that he received the name of Kleedonios from it; as we learn from an inscription found at Pitane, near Smyrna (Le Bas et Waddington, Voyage archeol. v. 1724a). Hence it is probable that the Kledonon hieron at Smyrna, mentioned by Pausanias (ix. 11, § 7), was an oracle of Hermes.
This text is from: A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890) (eds. William Smith, LLD, William Wayte, G. E. Marindin). Cited July 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
The Earth, as has appeared already, was to the primitive populations almost the chief discloser of the future (thus, originally, at Delphi). The oracle of Earth (gaia) at Aegira in Achaia, mentioned by Pliny (xxviii. § 147), may be a mistake of that writer (cf. Pausan. vii. 25, § 13); but at Patrae, not far from Aegira, Earth, associated with Demeter (i. e. Ge meter) and Persephone, gave oracles respecting the sick. A mirror was let down by a rope into a sacred well, so as to float upon the surface. Prayers were then performed and incense offered, whereupon the image of the sick person was seen in the mirror either as a corpse or in a state of recovery. (Pausan. ii. 24, § 1.)
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
At Pharae there is also a water sacred to Hermes. The name of the spring is Hermes' stream, and the fish in it are not caught, being considered sacred to the god.
DYMI (Ancient city) PATRA
The people of Dyme have a temple of Athena with an extremely ancient image; they have as well a sanctuary built for the Dindymenian mother and Attis.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
On the acropolis of Patrae is a sanctuary of Artemis Laphria. The surname of the goddess is a foreign one, and her image too was brought in from elsewhere.
The Ionians who lived in Aroe, Antheia and Mesatis had in common a precinct and a temple of Artemis surnamed Triclaria.
The surname of the god inside the chest is Aesymnetes ( Dictator),
and his chief attendants are nine men, elected by the people from all the citizens
for their reputation, and women equal in number to the men. On one night of the
festival the priest carries the chest outside. Now this is a privilege that this
night has received, and there go down to the river Meilichus a certain number
of the native children, wearing on their heads garlands of corn-ears. It was in
this way that they used to array of old those whom they led to be sacrificed to
Artemis.
On the way to the lower city there is a sanctuary of the Dindymenian Mother, and in it Attis too is worshipped. Of him they have no image to show; that of the Mother is of stone.
Beyond the Olympian is an image of Hera and a sanctuary of Apollo. The god is of bronze, and naked. On his feet are sandals, and one foot stands upon the skull of an ox. That Apollo takes great pleasure in oxen is shown by Alcaeus in his hymn to Hermes.
Near this precinct the people of Patrae have other sanctuaries. These are not in the open, but there is an entrance to them through the porticoes. The image of Asclepius, save for the drapery, is of stone.
Near this precinct the people of Patrae have other sanctuaries. These are not in the open, but there is an entrance to them through the porticoes. Athena is made of ivory and gold.
In this part of the city is also a sanctuary of Dionysus surnamed Calydonian, for the image of Dionysus too was brought from Calydon.
As you go lower down from the Dictator there is another sanctuary with an image of stone. It is called the sanctuary of Recovery, and the story is that it was originally founded by Eurypylus on being cured of his madness.
In Patrae, not far from that of Poseidon, are sanctuaries of Aphrodite. One of the two images was drawn up by fishermen in a net a generation before my time.
Next to the grove is a sanctuary of Demeter; she and her daughter
are standing, but the image of Earth is seated. Before the sanctuary of Demeter
is a spring. On the side of this towards the temple stands a wall of stones, while
on the outer side has been made a descent to the spring. Here there is an infallible
oracle, not indeed for everything, but only in the case of sick folk. They tie
a mirror to a fine cord and let it down, judging the distance so that it does
not sink deep into the spring, but just far enough to touch the water with its
rim. Then they pray to the goddess and burn incense, after which they look into
the mirror, which shows them the patient either alive or dead.
There is also at Patrae a sanctuary of Asclepius. This sanctuary is beyond the acropolis near the gate leading to Mesatis
TRITEA (Ancient city) PATRA
In Triteia is a sanctuary of the gods called Almighty, and their images are made of clay. In honor of these every year they celebrate a festival, exactly the same sort of festival as the Greeks hold in honor of Dionysus.
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
The market-place of Pharae is of wide extent after the ancient fashion, and in the middle of it is an image of Hermes, made of stone and bearded. Standing right on the earth, it is of square shape, and of no great size. On it is an inscription, saying that it was dedicated by Simylus the Messenian. It is called Hermes of the Market, and by it is established an oracle. In front of the image is placed a hearth, which also is of stone, and to the hearth bronze lamps are fastened with lead. Coming at eventide, the inquirer of the god, having burnt incense upon the hearth, filled the lamps with oil and lighted them, puts on the altar on the right of the image a local coin, called a "copper", and asks in the ear of the god the particular question he wishes to put to him. After that he stops his ears and leaves the marketplace. On coming outside he takes his hands from his ears, and whatever utterance he hears he considers oracular. There is
a similar method of divination practised at the sanctuary of Apis in Egypt.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
On the market-place, in the open, is an image of Athena.
Next to the market-place is the Music Hall, where has been dedicated an Apollo well worth seeing. It was made from the spoils taken when alone of the Achaeans the people of Patrae helped the Aetolians against the army of the Gauls.
As you leave the market-place of Patrae, where the sanctuary of Apollo is, at this exit is a gate, upon which stand gilt statues, Patreus, Preugenes, and Atherion; the two latter are represented as boys, because Patreus is a boy in age.
Near to the theater there is a precinct sacred to a native lady. Here are images of Dionysus, equal in number to the ancient cities, and named after them Mesateus, Antheus and Aroeus. These images at the festival of Dionysus they bring into the sanctuary of the Dictator.
There are also quite near to the harbor two images of bronze, one of Ares and the other of Apollo.
DYMI (Ancient city) PATRA
The people of Dyme have a temple of Athena with an extremely ancient image.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
Within the precincts of Laphria is a temple of Athena surnamed Panachaean. The image is of ivory and gold.
In the marketplace is a temple of Olympian Zeus; the god himself is on a throne with Athena standing by it. Beyond the Olympian is an image of Hera
Opposite the marketplace by this exit is a precinct and temple
of Artemis, the Lady of the Lake. When the Dorians were now in possession of Lacedaemon
and Argos, it is said that Preugenes, in obedience to a dream, stole from Sparta
the image of our Lady of the Lake, and that he had as partner in his exploit the
most devoted of his slaves. The image from Lacedaemon is usually kept at Mesoa,
because it was to this place that it was originally brought by Preugenes. But
when the festival of our Lady is being held, one of the slaves of the goddess
comes from Mesoa bringing the ancient wooden image to the precinct in the city.
Not far from the theater is a temple of Nemesis, and another of Aphrodite. The images are colossal and of white marble.
At the harbor is a temple of Poseidon with a standing image of stone.
They have also a grove by the sea, affording in summer weather very agreeable walks and a pleasant means generally of passing the time. In this grove are also two temples of divinities, one of Apollo, the other of Aphrodite. The images of these too are made of stone.
TEFTHEA (Ancient city) PATRA
In this town is the temple of the Nemydian Artemis.
TRITEA (Ancient city) PATRA
There is also a temple of Athena, and the modern image is of stone. The ancient image, as the folk of Triteia say, was carried to Rome.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
On the market-place, in the open, is an image of Athena with the grave of Patreus in front of it.
Before the sanctuary of Athena is the tomb of Preugenes. Every year they sacrifice to Preugenes as to a hero, and likewise to Patreus also, when the festival of our Lady is being held.
TRITEA (Ancient city) PATRA
Before you enter the city is a tomb of white marble, well worth
seeing, especially for the paintings on the grave, the work of Nicias. There is
an ivory chair on which is a young and beautiful woman, by whose side is a handmaid
carrying a sunshade. There is also a young man, who is standing. He is too young
for a beard, and wears a tunic with a purple cloak over it. By his side is a servant
carrying javelins and leading hounds. I could not discover their names, but anyone
can conjecture that here man and wife share a common grave.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
In like manner he (Alkibiades) persuaded the people of Patrae to attach their city to the sea by long walls.
The image of Aphrodite, whose precinct too is by the harbor, has its face, hands and feet of stone, while the rest of the figure is made of wood.
FARES (Ancient city) PATRA
Quite close to the image stand square stones, about thirty in number. These the people of Pharae adore, calling each by the name of some god. At a more remote period all the Greeks alike worshipped uncarved stones instead of images of the gods. At a more remote period all the Greeks alike worshipped uncarved stones instead of images of the gods.
About fifteen stades from Pharae is a grove of the Dioscuri. The trees in it are chiefly laurels; I saw in it neither temple nor images, the latter, according to the natives, having been carried away to Rome. In the grove at Pharae is an altar of unshaped stones.
PATRAI (Ancient city) ACHAIA
Next to the market-place is the Music Hall. The Music Hall is in every way the finest in Greece, except, of course, the one at Athens.
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