Leontium (Achaea)

38°01′49″N 21°54′47″E / 38.0304°N 21.9131°E / 38.0304; 21.9131 Leontium or Leontion (Ancient Greek: Λεόντιον) was a town and polis (city-state)[1] of ancient Achaea. It was not originally one of the twelve Achaean cities, though it afterwards became so, succeeding to the place of Rhypes. It is only mentioned by Polybius, and its position is uncertain. It must, however, have been an inland town, and was probably between Pharae and the territory of Aegium, since we find that the Eleians under the Aetolian general Euripidas, after marching through the territory of Pharae as far as that of Aegium, retreated to Leontium. During the Social War, nearby was fought the Battle of Leontion (217 BCE).[2]

The site of Leontium is located at Kastritsi, Kato Vlasia, in the municipal unit of Leontio.[3][4]

  1. ^ Mogens Herman Hansen & Thomas Heine Nielsen (2004). "Achaia". An inventory of archaic and classical poleis. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 483. ISBN 0-19-814099-1.
  2. ^ Polybius. The Histories. Vol. 2.41, 5.94, 26.1.
  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.