Belemina

Belemina (Ancient Greek: Βελεμίνα), or Belmina (Βέλμινα), or Belbina (Βελβίνα), or Blenina (Βλένινα), was a town of ancient Laconia and ancient Arcadia, at the northwest frontier of the former, the territory of which was called Belminatis (Βελμινᾶτις).[1][2] It was originally an Arcadian town, but was conquered by the Lacedaemonians at an early period, and annexed to their territory; although Pausanias does not believe this statement.[3] After the Battle of Leuctra, Belemina was restored to Arcadia, reckoned to be part of Aegytis; most of its inhabitants were removed to the newly founded city of Megalopolis; and the place continued to be a dependency of the latter city.[4][5][1] In the wars of the Achaean League, the Belminatis was a constant source of contention between the Spartans and Achaeans. Under Machanidas or Nabis, the tyrants of Sparta, the Belminatis was again annexed to Laconia; but upon the subjugation of Sparta by Philopoemen in 188 BCE, the Belminatis was once more annexed to the territory of Megalopolis.[6] The Belminatis is a mountainous district, in which the Eurotas takes its rise from many springs.[2][7] Belemina is said by Pausanias to have been 100 stadia from Pellana.[7]

Its site is located near the modern Chelmos.[8][9]

  1. ^ a b Polybius. The Histories. Vol. 2.54.
  2. ^ a b Strabo. Geographica. Vol. viii. p.343. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  3. ^ Pausanias (1918). "35.4". 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.
  4. ^ Pausanias (1918). "27.4". 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.
  5. ^ Plutarch Cleom. 4
  6. ^ Livy. Ab urbe condita Libri [History of Rome]. Vol. 38.34.
  7. ^ a b Pausanias (1918). "21.3". 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.