Eleon (), or Heleon (),
was a town in
ancient Boeotia, mentioned by
Homer
Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
in the
Catalogue of Ships
The Catalogue of Ships (, ''neōn katálogos'') is an epic catalogue in Book 2 of Homer's ''Iliad'' (2.494–759), which lists the contingents of the Achaean army that sailed to Troy. The catalogue gives the names of the leaders of each conting ...
in the ''
Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; , ; ) is one of two major Ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odyssey'', the poem is divided into 24 books and ...
'' in the same line with
Hyle and
Peteon. It is said by
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...
to have been one of the smaller places in the territory of
Tanagra, and to have derived its name from its marshy situation.
Its site is located near modern
Arma
Arma, ARMA or variants, may refer to:
Places
* Arma, Kansas, United States
* Arma, Nepal
* Arma District, Peru
* Arma District, Yemen
* Arma Mountains, Afghanistan
People
* Arma people, an ethnic group of the middle Niger River valley
* Arma lan ...
(Dritsa).
Since 2007 there have been archaeological excavations on the site of ancient Eleon. The EBAP project (Eastern Boeotia Excavation Project) focuses on the surveying, excavation, and academic articulation of the region from the Mycenaean Age through the Middle Ages. It is currently a joint collaboration between the Archaeological Museum in Thebes and the
Canadian Institute in Greece. Spread out between the modern cities of Eleona and Tanagra, this team has uncovered, among others, the site of the Eleon Acropolis at Arma. Recent publications on the matter are included in the ''American Journal of Archaeology''
and The Fifth Archaeological Meeting on Thessaly and Central Greece, among others.
References
Populated places in ancient Boeotia
Former populated places in Greece
Places in the Iliad
External links
Eastern Boeotia Excavation Project{{AncientBoeotia-geo-stub