MT. APESAS
(Mt. Phoukas) Corinthia, Greece.
The mountain was also called Aphesas because the
horse races in the Nemean Games began at its base. The
Nemean lion was said to have roamed its slopes and the
high summit was known also in legend as the place
where Perseus first sacrificed to Zeus Apesantios. (The
chief ancient sources are Hes.
Theog. 327-31; Plin.
HN
4.17; author of
de fluv. 18.5;
Paus. 2.15.3; Stat.
Theb.
3.461;
Etym. Mag. and Steph. Byz.)
The remains of the great ash altar of Zeus are located near the E edge of the summit and pottery sherds in the vicinity date from the Geometric period to the 4th c. B.C. The mountain rises above the Nemea river and
separated the Corinthia from the territory of Kleonai.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
E. Meyer,
Peloponnesische Wanderungen (1939) 16-18; J. R. Wiseman,
The Land of the Ancient Corinthians (forthcoming).
J. R. WISEMAN
