Caenepolis

For the town of ancient Egypt, see Caenepolis (Egypt).

Caenepolis or Kainepolis (Ancient Greek: Καινήπολις, lit. 'new town'),[1] also called Caene or Kaine (Καινή),[2][3] was a town of ancient Laconia north of the Cape Taenarum. It is probably the same town as mentioned by Strabo under the corrupt form Cinaedium or Kinaidion (Κιναίδιον).[4] It contained a temple of Demeter and another of Aphrodite, the latter near the sea.

The modern village of Kyparissos stands on the site of this town.[5][6] Some ancient remains and inscriptions of the time of the Antonines and their successors have been found here. On the door-posts of a small ruined church are two inscribed quadrangular στῆλαι, decorated with mouldings above and below. One of the inscriptions is a decree of the Taenarians, and the other is by the community of the Eleuthero-Lacones (τὸ κοινὸν τῶν Ἐλευθερολακώνων). We have the testimony of Pausanias that Caenepolis was one of the Eleuthero-Laconian cities;[7] and it would appear from the above-mentioned inscription that the maritime Laconians, when they were delivered from the Spartan yoke, formed a confederation and founded as their capital a city in the neighbourhood of the revered sanctuary of Poseidon. The place was called the New Town (Caenepolis); probably as a successor settlement to Taenarum.

  1. ^ Pausanias (1918). "25.9". Description of Greece. Vol. 3. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.
  2. ^ Ptolemy. The Geography. Vol. 3.
  3. ^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia. Vol. 4.15.16.
  4. ^ Strabo. Geographica. Vol. viii. p.360. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  5. ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 58, and directory notes accompanying. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9.
  6. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.
  7. ^ Pausanias (1918). "21.7". Description of Greece. Vol. 3. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.