Sanctuary of Ganymede or Hebe

Province

Province Description

Roman intervention in Greek political affairs resulted in conflicts that led to the destruction of Corinth in 146 B.C. and the sacking of Athens in 86 B.C. It was not until 27 B.C., however, that Augustus formally organized the Roman province of Achaea. Achaea consisted of the cities and territories of the southern Greek mainland between the Peloponnese and Thessaly, as well as Epirus in the northwest and the Ionian and some of the Aegean islands. The provincial capital was Corinth. Under Nero] in the mid-1st century A.D. Epirus became a separate province, and in the mid-2nd century Thessaly was detached and added to the province of Macedonia. Under Roman domination many cities such as Athens, Sparta, Patras, and Corinth grew in size and prominence, the latter two partly owing to their importance as ports. After an initial decline in the number of rural sites in the early Empire, by the late Roman period the countryside was densely settled with farms and villas, due to changing landholding patterns and Roman improvements in agricultural and irrigation technology. The main exports from Achaea were wine, particularly from the northern Peloponnese, as well as olive oil and honey, linen and woolen textiles and marbles.

Location

Phigaleia
Phigaleia (Pleiades)

Garden

Sanctuary of Ganymede or Hebe

Keywords

Garden Description

The only indication that there was a garden at this sanctuary is a literary reference to a grove of cypress trees. According to Pausanias (2.13.3), this ancient sanctuary in the northeastern Peloponnese was located above the acropolis. The grove associated with the goddess Ganymede or Hebe was still in existence when Pausanias travelled to Phlious. In honour of the goddess, a number of prisoners were pardoned every year, the fetters of those set free being hung on the trees in the grove.

Dates

unspecified (mentioned in the 2nd century CE)

Publication date

21 Apr 2021