EPITA´LIUM
EPITA´LIUM (
Ἐπιτάλιον: Eth.
Ἐπιταλιεύς), a town of Triphylia in Elis, near the coast and a little south of the river Alpheius.
It was identified with the Homeric
THRYON (
Θρύον) or THRYOESSA (
Θρυόεσσα), a town in the dominions of Nestor, which the poet describes as a place upon a lofty hill near the ford of the river Alpheius (
Hom. Il. 2.592,
11.710,
Hymn. in Apoll. 423;
Strab. viii. p.349.) Epitalium was an important military post, because it commanded the ford of the Alpheius and the road leading along the coast. Like the other dependent townships of Triphylia, it revolted from Elis when Agis, the Spartan king, invaded the country in B.C. 401; and when Agis returned home, after ravaging Elis, he left a garrison in Epitalium. (
Xen. Hell. 3. § § 25, 29.)
The town was taken by Philip in the Social War, B.C. 218. (
Plb. 4.80;
Steph. B. sub voce Ἐπιτάλιον.) It appears to have occupied the height of
Agulenítza. (Leake,
Morea, vol. ii. p. 198, seq.; Boblaye,
Recherches, &c. p. 133; Curtius,
Peloponnesos, vol. ii. p. 88.)
