Skillountia ( el, Σκιλλουντία, before 1915: Μάζι - ''Mazi''), the ancient Scillus ( grc, Σκιλλοῦς), is a small village and a community in the municipal unit of

Skillounta Skillounta is a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 194.409 km2. It i ...

Elis Elis or Ilia ( el, Ηλεία, ''Ileia'') is a historic region in the western part of the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece. It is administered as a regional unit of the modern region of Western Greece. Its capital is Pyrgos. Until 2011 it was ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

. In 2001 its population was 20 for the village and 341 for the community, including Nea Skillountia. Skillountia is located in the hills south of the river

Alfeios The Alfeiós or Alpheios ( el, Αλφειός, grc, Ἀλφειός, Latin Alpheus) is the main stream of the Alpheios Valley drainage system, a dendritic type, originating on the north slopes of Mount Taygetus, located in the center of the Pelop ...

. It is 2 km southwest of

Frixa Frixa ( el, Φρίξα, before 1916: Ανεμοχωράκιον - ''Anemochorakion'') is a village in the municipal unit of Skillounta, Elis, Greece. In 2011 its population was 200 for the village and 309 for the community, which includes the vill ...

, 3 km northeast of

Gryllos Gryllos ( el, Γρύλλος, before 1927: Μουνδράζα - ''Moundraza'') is a village and a community in the municipal unit of Skillounta, Elis, Greece. Its population in 2011 was 208 for the village and 300 for the community, which includes ...

, 6 km east of

Krestena Krestena ( el, Κρέστενα) is a town and a community in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is the seat of administration. Krestena is situated in ...

and 7 km southeast of Olympia.

Population

History

Skillountia is named after the ancient

Triphylia Triphylia ( el, Τριφυλία, ''Trifylia'', "the country of the three tribes") was an area of the ancient Peloponnese. Strabo and Pausanias both describe Triphylia as part of Elis, and it fell at times under the domination of the city of E ...

n city

Scillus Scillus or Skillous ( grc, Σκιλλοῦς) was a town of Triphylia, a district of ancient Elis, situated 20 stadia south of Olympia. In 572 BCE the Scilluntians assisted Pyrrhus, king of Pisa, in making war upon the Eleians; but they we ...

. The city featured the Temple of Skillountian

Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of ...

. Strabo mentioned that it was founded next to the Alpheus in the area of ''Fellona'' (Φελλώνα). Inside the city was the Temple of the

Ephesian Ephesus (; grc-gre, Ἔφεσος, Éphesos; tr, Efes; may ultimately derive from hit, 𒀀𒉺𒊭, Apaša) was a city in ancient Greece on the coast of Ionia, southwest of present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built i ...

Artemis In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. ...

which was constructed by

Xenophon Xenophon of Athens (; grc, Ξενοφῶν ; – probably 355 or 354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian, born in Athens. At the age of 30, Xenophon was elected commander of one of the biggest Greek mercenary armies of ...

. Having been granted land here by the Lacedaemonians (Spartans), who controlled the area following the Peloponnesian war, Xenophon lived for approximately 30 years in the city (400 - 371 BCE, expelled after Sparta was defeated at the

Battle of Leuctra The Battle of Leuctra ( grc-gre, Λεῦκτρα, ) was a battle fought on 6 July 371 BC between the Boeotians led by the Thebans, and the Spartans along with their allies amidst the post-Corinthian War conflict. The battle took place in the vi ...

) and resided later there following his adventures in Asia, for which he was exiled by the

Athenians Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

on account of the help which he brought to

Cyrus the Younger Cyrus the Younger ( peo, 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 ''Kūruš''; grc-gre, Κῦρος ; died 401 BC) was an Achaemenid prince and general. He ruled as satrap of Lydia and Ionia from 408 to 401 BC. Son of Darius II and Parysatis, he died in 401 ...

, an enemy of Athens, which was allied to the King of Persia,

Artaxerxes II Arses ( grc-gre, Ἄρσης; 445 – 359/8 BC), known by his regnal name Artaxerxes II ( peo, 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂 ; grc-gre, Ἀρταξέρξης), was King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 405/4 BC to 358 BC. He was the son and suc ...

. The ancient city has been found in the locality of Profitis Ilias, near

Makrisia Makrisia ( el, Μακρίσια) is a village in the municipal unit of Skillounta, Elis, Greece. In 2011 its population was 1,720. It is situated near the left bank of the river Alfeios, 2 km northwest of Krestena, 3 km northeast of Kalli ...

. The ruins of the Temple of Athena and several buildings have been excavated.

References

External links

Skillountia at the GTP Travel Pages
{{Skillounta Cities in ancient Peloponnese Triphylia Skillounta Trojan War Populated places in Elis

Population

History

See also

References

External links