PARTHE´NIUM
PARTHE´NIUM (
τὸ Παρθένιον ὄρος), a mountain on the frontiers of Arcadia and Argolis, across which there was an important pass leading from Argos to Tegea. [See Vol. I. pp. 201, 202.] (
Paus. 8.6.4; Strab. viii. pp. 376, 389;
Plb. 4.23;
Liv. 34.26;
Plin. Nat. 4.6. s. 10.)
It was sacred to Pan; and it was upon this mountain that the courier Pheidippides said that he had had an interview with Pan on returning from Sparta, whither he had gone to ask assistance for the Athenians shortly before the battle of Marathon. (
Hdt. 6.105;
Paus. 1.28.4,
8.54.6.)
The pass is still called
Parthéni, but the whole mountain bears the name of
Róino. It is 3993 feet in height. (Leake,
Morea, vol. ii. p. 329, seq.;
Peloponnesiaca, p. 203.)
