CYNAETHA
CYNAETHA (
ἡ Κύναιθα: Eth.
Κυναιθεύς, Eth.
Κυναιθαιεύς, Polyb.;
Κυναιθαεύς, Paus.:
Kalávryta), a town in the north of Arcadia, situated upon the northern slope of the Aroanian mountains, which divided its territory from those of Cleitor and Pheneus.
The inhabitants of Cynaetha were the only Arcadians who lived beyond the natural boundaries of Arcadia. Their valley sloped down towards the Corinthian gulf; and the river which flowed through it, fell into the Corinthian gulf a little to the east of Bura: this river was called in ancient times Erasinus or Buraicus, now river of
Kalávryta. (
Strab. viii. p.371;
Paus. 7.24.5.)
The climate and situation of Cynaetha are described by Polybius as the most disagreeable in all Arcadia.
The same author observes that the character of the Cynaethians presented a striking contrast to that of the other Arcadians, being a wicked and cruel race, and so much disliked by the rest of their countrymen, that the latter would scarcely hold any intercourse with them.
He attributes their depravity to their neglect of music, which had tended to humanize the other Arcadians, and to counteract the natural rudeness engendered by their climate. Accordingly, he regarded the terrible misfortune which overtook the Cynaethians in the Social war, when their city was destroyed by the Aetolians, as a righteous punishment for their wickedness. (
Plb. 4.18-
21.) Although Strabo (
viii. p.388) mentions Cynaetha as one of the Arcadian towns no longer existing in his time, it must have been restored at some period after its destruction by the Aetolians, as it was visited by Pausanias, who noticed in the agora altars of the. gods and a statue of the emperor Hadrian.
At the distance of two stadia from the town was a fountain of cold water, called Alyssus, because it was said to cure hydrophobia. (
Paus. 8.19.)
There can be no doubt that the modern village of
Kalávryta occupies the site of Cynaetha, although it contains scarcely any traces of the ancient city. (Leake,
Morea, vol. ii. p. 109, vol. iii. pp. 129, 179; Boblaye,
Recherches, &c. p. 157; Curtius,
Peloponnesos, p. 382, seq.)
