ALIPHE´RA
ALIPHE´RA (
Ἀλίφηρα, Paus.; Aliphera, Liv.;
Ἀλίφειπα, Polyb.: Eth.
Ἀλιφηραῖος, on coins
ΑΔΙΦΕΙΠΕΩΝ, Aliphiraeus,
Plin. Nat. 4.6. s. 10. § 22), a town of Arcadia, in the district Cynuria, said to have been built by Alipherus, a son of Lycaon, was situated upon a steep and lofty hill, 40 stadia S. of the Alpheius and near the frontiers of Elis.
A large number of its inhabitants removed to Megalopolis upon the foundation of the latter city in B.C. 371; but it still continued to be a place of some importance.
It was ceded to the Eleans by Lydiades, when tyrant of Megalopolis; but it was taken from them by Philip in the Social War, B.C. 219, and restored to Megalopolis.
It contained temples of Asclepius and Athena, and a celebrated bronze statue by Hypatodorus of the latter goddess, who was said to have been born here.
There are still considerable remains of this town on the hill of
Neróvitza, which has a tabular summit about 300 yards long in the direction of E. and W., 100 yards broad, and surrounded by remains of Hellenic walls.
At the south-eastern angle, a part rather higher than the rest formed an acropolis: it was about 70 yards long and half as much broad.
The walls are built of polygonal and regular masonry intermixed. (
Paus. 8.3.4,
26.5,
27. § § 4, 7;
Plb. 4.77,
78;
Liv. 28.8;
Steph. B. sub voce Leake,
Morea, vol. ii. p. 72, seq.; Ross,
Reisen im Peloponnes, vol. i. p. 102; Curtius,
Peloponnesos, vol. i. p. 361, seq.)
ALl‘SO or ALI´SUM (
Ἐλίσων, Ἄλεισον: perhaps
Elsen, near
Paderborn), a strong fortress in Germany, built by Drusus in B.C. 11, for the purpose of securing the advantages which had been. gained, and to have a safe place in which the Romans
[p. 1.104]might maintain themselves against the Cherusci and Sigambri.
It was situated at the point where the Eliso empties itself into the Lupia (
Lippe, D. C. 54.33.)
There can be no doubt that the place thus described by Dio Cassius under the name
Ἐλίσων, is the same as the Aliso mentioned by Velleius (2.120) and Tacitus (
Tac. Ann. 2.7), and which in A.D. 9, after the defeat of Varus, was taken by the Germans. In A.D. 15 it was reconquered by the Romans; but being, the year after, besieged by the Germans, it was relieved by Germanicus. So long as the Romans were involved in wars with the Germans in their own country, Aliso was a place of the highest importance, and a military road with strong fortifications kept up the connection between Aliso and the Rhine.
The name of the place was probably taken from the little river Eliso, on whose bank it stood. The
Ἄλεισον (in Ptolemy
2.11) is probably only another form of the name of this fortress. Much has been written in modern times upon the site of the ancient Aliso, and different results have been arrived at; but from the accurate description of Dio Cassius, there can be little doubt that the village of
Elsen, about two miles from
Paderborn, situated at the confluence of the
Alme (Eliso) and
Lippe (Lupia), is the site of the ancient Aliso. (Ledebur,
Das Land u. Volk der Bructerer, p. 209, foll.; W. E. Giefers,
De Alisone Castello Commentatio, Crefeld, 1844, 8vo.)
[
L.S]
