Pyrrichos (; called "Πούρρχο", ''Pourcho'' by local Maniots) is one of the oldest towns in

Mani peninsula The Mani Peninsula (), also long known by its medieval name Maina or Maïna (), is a geographical and cultural region in the Peloponnese of Southern Greece and home to the Maniots (), who claim descent from the ancient Spartans. The capital ci ...

Laconia Laconia or Lakonia (, , ) is a historical and Administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece located on the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti (municipality), Sparta. The word ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. It is part of the municipal unit

East Mani East Mani ( - ''Anatolikí Máni'') is a municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Its seat of administration is the town Gytheio (before 2011 the small town Kotronas). It is a mountainous and rocky area whose economy relies on fishing, olive ...

. It was promised to

Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus () was a hero of the Trojan War who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors. The central character in Homer's ''Iliad'', he was the son of the Nereids, Nereid Thetis and Peleus, ...

by the Achaeans if he took part in the

Trojan War The Trojan War was a legendary conflict in Greek mythology that took place around the twelfth or thirteenth century BC. The war was waged by the Achaeans (Homer), Achaeans (Ancient Greece, Greeks) against the city of Troy after Paris (mytho ...

Name

According to one tradition Pyrrichos was named after Pyrrhichos, the legendary Laconian founder of

Pyrrhichus Pyrrhichus or Pyrrhichos () was a town of ancient Laconia, situated about the centre of the promontory ending in Cape Taenarum, and distant 40 '' stadia'' from the river Scyras. According to some it derived its name from Pyrrhus, the son of Achil ...

. According to another tradition Pyrrhichios was named after the son of

, Pyrrhus (Πύρρος)Pausanias, Description of Greece, 3.25.1
/ref> (alternative name of

Neoptolemus In Greek mythology, Neoptolemus (; ), originally called Pyrrhus at birth (; ), was the son of the mythical warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamia, and the brother of Oneiros. He became the progenitor of the ruling dynasty of the Molossian ...

), who was the first who danced Pyrrhichus, after defeating in battle

Eurypylus In Greek mythology, Eurypylus (; ) was the name of several different people: * Eurypylus, was a Thessalian king, son of Euaemon and Ops. He was a former suitor of Helen thus he led the Thessalians during Trojan War. * Eurypylus, was son of T ...

, son of

Telephus In Greek mythology, Telephus (; , ''Tēlephos'', "far-shining") was the son of Heracles and Auge, who was the daughter of king Aleus of Tegea. He was adopted by Teuthras, the king of Mysia, in Asia Minor, whom he succeeded as king. Telephus was ...

, who fought on the side of the Trojans during the end of the

. Another legend say that the name is after the Pyrrhichus who was one of the gods called Curetes.

Historical population

References

{{East Mani div Populated places in Laconia East Mani Populated places in the Mani Peninsula Cities in ancient Peloponnese

Name

Historical population

See also

References