AIPION
(Eliniko) Triphylia, Greece.
One of
the six Minyan foundations (
Hdt. 4.148), between Heraia and Makistos (
Xen. Hell. 3.2.30), was a natural stronghold in Makistia (
Strab. 8.3.24), continually threatened with Elean domination (Xen. 3.2.30, Polyb.
4.77, 80). There is considerable uncertainty about the
name, Herodotos giving
Ἔπιον, Xenophon
Ἤπειον, Polybios
Αἴπιον, whereas Strabo identifies it with Homeric
Αἰπύ (Il. 2.592), thus including it in Nestor's realm. This identification is unlikely to be correct and it is perhaps
best to follow Xenophon, a near neighbor, and adopt
᾿Ήπειονas the correct spelling. The location is also
uncertain. The usual assumption has been that
Ἤπειον
is to be identified with the remains in a place called
Eliniko (now Epio) above Platiana just off the modern
road from Andritsena to Pyrgos. However, good reasons have been advanced for identifying this site with
Trypaneae, and also for placing
Ἤπειονat modern
Mazi, which is usually identified with ancient Skillous.
Though the former is likely to be correct, it has seemed
best here to retain the traditional identification, and to
describe the remains at Eliniko.
The town lies on an exposed hill in a position commanding the entire area at an altitude of ca. 600 m
above sea level, and is unusually long and narrow (680
x 60-80 m). It is divided into three parts: an upper
acropolis area separated by terrace walls from a lower
area still included within the fortification walls, and
a NW extension of the walls which guards a relatively
easy approach to the walls. The acropolis is itself divided
into a number of terraces, of which the highest (to the
W) has its own wall, and must have served as the citadel.
The terrace next to the one farthest E contains a theater,
while the next seems to have served as an agora. The
main entrance to the town was a gate in the imposing E
wall at its SE corner. The walls all seem of Hellenistic,
possibly 3d c., date, and are very well preserved in parts,
particularly in the area of the citadel.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BSA (1948) 190; E. Meyer,
Neue
Peloponnesische Wanderungen (1957) 22-36, 60-69;
BCH (1961) 719-22; CP 59 (1964) 184-85.
W. F. WYATT, JR.