MALEA (city in Mantinike and Tegeatis)
Ancient city in Arcadia
- Kind of place
- City
- Region
- Mantinike and Tegeatis
- People of myth here
- Chiron, Silenus
- Where
- 37.33° N, 22.19° E
The promontory of Malea forms a strait that is very dangerous for navigation. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.19 ¶3 Hercules pursued the fleeing centaurs as far as this location. Apollodorus 2.5.4 Chiron established his residence here after being driven from Mount Pelion. Apollodorus 2.5.4
Described in the sources
Malea is located in the Peloponnesus region. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.20 ¶2 Malea is situated further south than Sunium. Strabo 2.1.40 The point of Malea is located on the route from Boeae. Pausanias 3.23.2 Malea was a city belonging to the Aegytae group in Arcadia. Pausanias 8.27.4 The distance from Cadistus in Crete to Malea is eighty miles. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.20 ¶2 The Cretan ship passed by Malea while sailing along the coast. Hymn III to Delian Apollo ll. 388-439 The distance from Malea to the Pillars is stated as 22,500 stadia. Strabo 1.2.17 The land extending westward to Malea was part of Argive territory. Herodotus 1.82.2 The mountains of Malea failed to offer a safe harbor during a storm. Euripides, Helen 1122-1136 Some of the remaining centaurs fled to Mount Malea after the conflict. Apollodorus 2.5.4
Stories and history
A heavy gale struck Agamemnon's ships as they neared the promontory of Malea. Odyssey 4 ¶43
Myths set at Malea
- The Encounter with Triton. Jason's ship is blown off course and stuck in a lake, where the sea god Triton demands a sacred tripod in exchange for safe passage. Jason complies, receiving a prophecy that a future descendant will steal the tripod to found a hundred cities. Herodotus 4.179.1 +2 Jason
- The Storm on the Return Journey. Juno protects Agamemnon as he sails home, but a heavy gale drives his ships off course. The gods reverse the wind, allowing him to reach his home safely, though he is driven to the foreland where Aegisthus lives. Odyssey 4 ¶43 +1 Agamemnon