Alea (Arcadia)

Alea (Ancient Greek: Ἀλέα) was a town of ancient Arcadia, between Orchomenus and Stymphalus. In the time of Pausanias, 2nd century, it contained temples of the Ephesian Artemis, of Athena Alea, and of Dionysus.[1][2] It appears to have been situated in the territory either of Stymphalus or Orchomenus. Alea was never a town of importance; but some writers have, though inadvertently, placed at this town the celebrated temple of Athena Alea, which was situated at Tegea.

Its site is located near the modern Alea,[3][4] which was renamed to reflect association with the ancient town.

  1. ^ Pausanias (1918). "23.1". Description of Greece. Vol. 8. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.
  2. ^ Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v.
  3. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.
  4. ^ 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.