STYMPHALOS (city in Azania)
Ancient city in Arcadia
- Kind of place
- City
- Region
- Azania
- Patron
- Artemis
- Landmarks
- Temple of Stymphalian Artemis Pausanias 8.22.7; Maidens of white marble with bird legs (Artemis) Pausanias 8.22.7
- People of myth here
- Stymphalian Bird
- Where
- 37.86° N, 22.46° E
A lake named Stymphalis is situated within this place. Strabo 8.6.8 The city contains an old sanctuary dedicated to Stymphalian Artemis. Pausanias 8.22.7 Heracles is said to have shot down the birds that bred on the Stymphalus. Pausanias 8.22.4
Described in the sources
The city is situated within the region of Arcadia. Apollodorus 2.5.6 +2 The Erasinus river flows by the city of Stymphalos in Arcadia. Pausanias 2.24.6 +1 Stymphalos is described as having clanging bronze. Statius, Thebaid 4.281-305 ¶1 Stymphalus is no longer threatened by harmful birds. Seneca, Hercules Oetaeus act 1 ¶1 Birds called Stymphalian are bred in the Arabian desert. Pausanias 8.22.4 A lake named after the city is located within a deep wood there. Apollodorus 2.5.6 The city hosted a festival dedicated to the local form of Artemis. Pausanias 8.22.8 Water was transported from Lake Stymphalus to the city of Corinth. Pausanias 2.3.5 The Stymphalus is a body of water where man-eating birds once bred. Pausanias 8.22.4 The river changes its name to Erasinus after reappearing in Argolis. Pausanias 8.22.3
Gods and worship
The ritual for the local Artemis was partially ignored during a specific festival. Pausanias 8.22.8
Stories and history
White marble maidens with bird legs stand behind the temple. Pausanias 8.22.7 The temple's roof features carvings of the Stymphalian birds. Pausanias 8.22.7 The people of Stymphalus voluntarily joined the Argive League. Pausanias 8.22.1 The men from Stymphelus were not accustomed to maritime activities. Iliad 2 ¶45 The inhabitants of Stymphelus provided sixty ships for the crossing. Iliad 2 ¶45 Iphicrates besieged the city of Stymphalus during a military campaign. Strabo 8.8.4 The water from Stymphalus emerges to form the river Erasinus in Argia. Strabo 6.2.9 Countless birds fled to the local lake to escape being eaten by wolves. Apollodorus 2.5.6 Iphicrates tried to block the river's underground descent using sponges. Strabo 8.8.4 Iphicrates abandoned his attempt to block the river due to ominous signs. Strabo 8.8.4