Phlius

Location of Phlius

Phlius (/ˈfləs/; Ancient Greek: Φλειοῦς, Phleious) was a Greek city in the northwestern Argolid (now in modern Corinthia, near Nemea), in the Peloponnese, said to be named after the Greek hero Phlias but formerly called Araethyrea (/ˌærəˈθɪriə/; Ἀραιθυρέα, Araithurea).[1]

Although geographically close to Argos, the city became a Spartan ally and a member of the Peloponnesian League.

Like many other cities of ancient Greece, Phlius fell into civil strife between a democratic and an oligarchic faction during the 4th century BCE; the democratic faction initially gained control and exiled its opponents, but in 380 BCE a Spartan army under Agesilaus laid siege to the city for some twenty months, eventually forcing the Phliasians to capitulate and accept oligarchic government.[2]

In 229 BC Phlius was ruled by the tyrant Cleonymus, when Aratus of Sicyon convinced him to step down and let his city join the democratic Achaean League.[3]

It was the hometown of the playwright Pratinas and of Plato's female student Axiothea of Phlius.

References

  1. Stephanus of Byzantium s. v. Phlious.
  2. Fine, p. 559.
  3. Polybius; Histories, II 44,6

Sources

Coordinates: 37°50′44″N 22°38′47″E / 37.8455°N 22.6463°E / 37.8455; 22.6463

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/11/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.