TRA´
TRA´,
PEZU´S (
Τραπεζοῦς,--οῦντος: Eth.
Τραπεζούντιος), a town of Arcadia, in the district Parrhasia, a little to the left of the river Alpheius, is said to have derived its name from its founder Trapezeus, the son of Lycaon, or from
trapeza (
τράπεζα), “a table,” because Zeus here overturned the table on which Lycaon offered him human food. (
Paus. 8.3. § § 2, 3;
Apollod. 3.8.1.)
It was the royal residence of Hippothous, who transferred the seat of government from Tegea to Trapezus. On the foundation of Megalopolis, in B.C. 371, the inhabitants of Trapezus refused to remove to the new city; and having thus incurred the anger of the other Arcadians, they quitted Peloponnesus, and took refuge in Trapezus on the Pontus Euxeinus, where they were received as a kindred people.
The statues of some of their gods were removed to Megalopolis, where they were seen by Pausanias. Trapezus stood above the modern
Mavriá. (
Paus. 8.5.4,
27. § § 4--6, 8.29.1, 31.5;
Hdt. 6.127;
Steph. B. sub voce Leake,
Morea, vol. ii. p. 292; Ross,
Reisen im Peloponnes, vol. i. p. 90.)
