METHY´DRIUM
METHY´DRIUM (
Μεθύδριον: Eth.
Μεθυδριεύς), a town in central Arcadia, situate 170 stadia north of Megalopolis (
Paus. 8.35.5), obtained its name, like Interamna, from being situated upon a lofty height between the two rivers Maloetas and Mylaon. (
Paus. 8.36.1.)
It was founded by Orchomenus; but its inhabitants were removed to Megalopolis, upon the establishment of that city.
It never recovered its former population, and is mentioned by Strabo (
viii. p.388) among the places of Arcadia which had almost entirely disappeared.
It continued, however, to exist as a village in the time of Pausanias, who saw there a temple of Poseidon Hippius upon the river Mylaon.
He also mentions, above the river Maloetas, a mountain called Thaumasium, in which was a cave where Rhea took refuge when pregnant with Zeus.
At the distance of 30 stadia from Methydrium was a fountain named Nymphasia. (
Paus. 8.36. § § 1--3, comp. 8.12.2, 27. § § 4, 7.) Methydrium is also mentioned in the following passages:
Thuc. 5.58; Polyb. v, 10, 11, 13;
Plin. Nat. 4.6. s. 10;
Steph. B. sub voce
There is some difficulty in determining the exact site of Methydrium. Some writers identify it with the Hellenic remains called
Palatia; but these are not on a lofty hill between two rivers, but in a low situation
above the junction of the rivers on the right bank of one of them. Methydrium should rather be placed 45 minutes further, at the distance of 10 miles SE. of the village of
Nimnítza, where there are some ancient ruins, one between two streams, on a height below
Pyryo, otherwise called
Pyrgáko. It is true that this also is not a lofty hill; but Pausanias uses the expression
κολωνὸς ὑψηλός, and
ὑψηλός has reference to
κολωνὸς, which means only a slight elevation. (Leake,
Morea, vol. ii. p. 57,
Peloponnesiaca, p. 201; Boblaye,
Recherches, &c. p. 151; Ross,
Reisen im Peloponnes, p. 116; Curtius,
Peloponnesos, vol. i. p. 309.)
