Pausanias Analysis

Passage 3.14.2

← 3.14.1 3.14.3 →

Passage 3.14.2: The precinct of Theomelida in Sparta, with royal tombs and sanctuaries.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

καλεῖται δὲ ἐν τῇ Σπάρτῃ Θεομηλίδα χωρίον· κατὰ τοῦτο τῆς πόλεως τάφοι τῶν Ἀγιαδῶν βασιλέων εἰσὶ καὶ πλησίον ὀνομαζομένη λέσχη Κροτανῶν· εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ Κροτανοὶ Πιτανατῶν μοῖρα. Ἀσκληπιοῦ δὲ οὐ πόρρω τῆς λέσχης ἐστὶν ἱερὸν, ἐν Ἀγιαδῶν καλούμενον. προελθοῦσι δὲ Ταινάρου μνῆμά ἐστι, καὶ τὴν ἄκραν τὴν ἐς θάλασσαν ἐσέχουσαν ἀπὸ τούτου φασὶν ὀνομασθῆναι· θεῶν δὲ ἱερὰ Ποσειδῶνός ἐστιν Ἱπποκουρίου καὶ Ἀρτέμιδος Αἰγιναίας. ἐπανελθοῦσι δὲ ὀπίσω πρὸς τὴν λέσχην ἐστὶν Ἀρτέμιδος Ἰσσωρίας ἱερόν· ἐπονομάζουσι δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ Λιμναίαν, οὖσαν οὐκ Ἄρτεμιν, Βριτόμαρτιν δὲ τὴν Κρητῶν· τὰ δὲ ἐς αὐτὴν ὁ Αἰγιναῖος ἔχει μοι λόγος.

English Translation

In Sparta there is a place called Theomelida. In this part of the city lie the tombs of the Agiad kings, and nearby is a meeting hall named the Lesche of the Crotani—now, the Crotani are a section of the Pitana district. Not far from the Lesche is a sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius, situated at the place known as Agiadai. Going forward, one finds a monument to Tainaros, and they say that the promontory extending into the sea received its name from him. There are also temples dedicated to the gods Poseidon Hippokourios and Artemis Aiginaia. Returning backward towards the Lesche, there is a sanctuary of Artemis Issoria. They call her also Limnaia, yet she is not Artemis but Britomartis of Crete. As for her story, I will reserve it to my description of Aigina itself.

Proper Nouns

Aeginaean (Αἰγινάια) deity
Britomartis (Βριτόμαρτις) deity
Limnaia (Λιμναία) deity
Also in: 2.7.6
Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν) deity
Asclepius (Ἀσκληπιός) deity
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Issoria (Ἰσσωρία) deity
Aeginaean (Αἰγιναῖος) person
Krotanoi (Κροτανοί) person
Cretans (Κρῆτες) person
Pitanatai (Πιταναταί) person
Tainaros (Ταίναρος) person
Agiads (Ἀγιάδαι) person
Also in: 3.14.3
Theomelis (Θεομηλίς) place
Sparta (Σπάρτη) place Q5690 Pleiades
Hippokourion (Ἱπποκούριον) place
← 3.14.1 3.14.3 →