Return to Home Page Harrys Greece Guide

The modern and the ancient townPeloponnese Guide: Ancient and Modern Argos in Argolida Prefecture Page 2

The Argolid

The prefecture of "Argolida" or 'Argolis' itself, is perhaps the most impressive of the 7 prefectures of the Peloponnese in terms of ancient sites and along with Corinthia (Corinth), wins hands down for convenience and proximity to Athens. When driving down this way I always take the old highway right out-side Corinth town instead of the new national road (to Tripoli). Its slower but infinitely more relaxing and pastoral. The occasional herd of goats or sheep and several railroad crossings are all you have to worry about. Slow down and enjoy the countryside.

Among the wonderful sites of the prefecture besides the town of Argos is Mycenae, Tiryns, Epidavros, Naufplion to name but a few of the more famous. Please use the Peloponnese menu above to read more.

Clytemnestra kills Cassandra the seer - argos museum bronze plaquethe view of Argos town - castleModern Argos is located in the middle of the Argolic plain 8km from the sea and occupies the site of the ancient city Argos (equal in population to Athens during the same era) which sits below its two ancient citadels. In Homer's works the word 'Argive' is a synonym for 'Greek' (along with 'Achaean' and 'Danaan'). No one knows the origins of the people who established what we call 'Mycenaean culture', which was well- established by 1550BC in this area.

What is known is that migrations beginning around 2000BC brought a new culture to the mainland in which a form of archaic Greek was spoken. It is now believed that the bearers of this culture came from the Balkans or from southern Russia, moving down from the Black Sea They were armored warriors on horseback, some of whom occupied Troy in 1900BC, and in the Argolid area of the Peloponnese were known as Minyans.

Myth maintains that Argos founded by Danaos, the Egyptian father of Danaids, who killed their husbands and threw their heads into the marshes of Lerna, to be punished by the god of the underworld with the tax of filling a leaking vessel with water. According to myth, Danaos also fled from his brother Aegyptos (Egypt) . Other scholars maintain that the city traced its foundation to Pelasgians from another city of the same name in the north. It is from here that the brave hero Diomedes, led the Argive contingent in the Trojan War.

More Argos in Argolida Prefecture Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4