Parrhasia (Arcadia)

Parrhasia (Greek: Παρρασία) was a region in south Arcadia, Greece.^[1] Parrhasius, son of Lycaon gave it his name.

Today, the area corresponds to modern southwestern Arcadia, west of Megalopoli, and southeastern Elis. The nymph of Artemis named Callisto, whom the goddess Hera made into a bear and Zeus later made into the constellation Ursa Major, was said to come from Parrhasia. Athenaios mentions a famous beauty contest there.

^ Harry Thurston Peck. Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1898. (Parrasia). A district in the south of Arcadia. The adjective Parrhasius is frequently used by the poets as equivalent to Arcadian.

[1] Harry Thurston Peck. Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1898. (Parrasia). A district in the south of Arcadia. The adjective Parrhasius is frequently used by the poets as equivalent to Arcadian.

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