Mantineia
Encyclopedia
Mantineia was a city in ancient Greece
that was the site of two significant battles in Classical Greek
history. It is also a former municipality in Arcadia
, Peloponnese, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli
, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat was the village of Nestani
(pop. 778 in 2001). It is located in the northeastern part of Arcadia. The municipal unit has a land area of 205.393 km² and a population of 3,510 inhabitants. Its largest other towns are Artemísi (pop. 654), Loukás (653), and Kápsas (505).
, in 418 BC
, was the largest land battle of the Peloponnesian War
. On one side were Sparta
and its remaining allies, and on the other were Athens
, its allies, plus the cities that had revolted against the Spartans. After Laches
the Athenian commander was killed, the battle turned into a rout of the Athenian and allied armies, a result attributed to greater Spartan courage.
The Second Battle of Mantinea
, in 362 BC
, led to the fall of Theban
hegemony. In that battle, Athens and Sparta were allied. Thebes won the battle, but its greatest general, Epaminondas
, was killed in the fighting. Macedon
ian king Antigonus III Doson
renamed the city Antigonia; Mantineia's name was restored by Hadrian
.
Modern-day Mantineia is the region around the city of Tripoli in the prefecture
of Arcadia
, and was named after the namesake city of old. It is also the name of a Protected designation of origin
of Greek blanc de gris wine
, made of the moschofilero grape
traditionally grown in the region. The seat of Mantineia is Nestani, home to about one-fifth (20%) of the population.
Mountains surround the valley, including the Lyrkeia
mountains as well as the Mainalo
mountains to the southwest. The valley consists of vineyards, potato and wheat farms as well as other crops, and covers about half of the municipality. Several floods ravaged Mantineia in the mid-20th century, even to the extent of forming a lake that has since been drained. Forests dominate the mountains with traces in the valley areas. Rocks and grasslands cover most of the northeast.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
that was the site of two significant battles in Classical Greek
Classical Greece
Classical Greece was a 200 year period in Greek culture lasting from the 5th through 4th centuries BC. This classical period had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire and greatly influenced the foundation of Western civilizations. Much of modern Western politics, artistic thought, such as...
history. It is also a former municipality in Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
, Peloponnese, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli
Tripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat was the village of Nestani
Nestani
Nestani is a small village around 15km from Tripoli in the Peloponnese, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit Mantineia. The municipal district Nestani also contains the village of Milea....
(pop. 778 in 2001). It is located in the northeastern part of Arcadia. The municipal unit has a land area of 205.393 km² and a population of 3,510 inhabitants. Its largest other towns are Artemísi (pop. 654), Loukás (653), and Kápsas (505).
History
The First Battle of MantineaBattle of Mantinea (418 BC)
The Battle of Mantinea of 418 BC was a significant engagement in the Peloponnesian War. Sparta and its allies defeated an army led by Argos and Athens.-Prelude to the battle:...
, in 418 BC
418 BC
Year 418 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Fidenas, Axilla and Mugillanus...
, was the largest land battle of the Peloponnesian War
Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War, 431 to 404 BC, was an ancient Greek war fought by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. Historians have traditionally divided the war into three phases...
. On one side were Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
and its remaining allies, and on the other were Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, its allies, plus the cities that had revolted against the Spartans. After Laches
Laches (person)
Laches was an Athenian aristocrat and general during the Peloponnesian War. His date of birth is unknown, but Plato asserts, not implausibly, that he was distinctly older than Socrates, who was born around 470 BC.In 427 BCE, Laches and Charoeades were sent to Sicily with a fleet of 20 ships in...
the Athenian commander was killed, the battle turned into a rout of the Athenian and allied armies, a result attributed to greater Spartan courage.
The Second Battle of Mantinea
Battle of Mantinea (362 BC)
The Battle of Mantinea was fought on July 4 362 BC between the Thebans, led by Epaminondas and supported by the Arcadians and the Boeotian league against the Spartans, led by King Agesilaus II and supported by the Eleans, Athenians, and Mantineans...
, in 362 BC
362 BC
Year 362 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ahala and Aventinensis...
, led to the fall of Theban
Thebes, Greece
Thebes is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. It played an important role in Greek myth, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others...
hegemony. In that battle, Athens and Sparta were allied. Thebes won the battle, but its greatest general, Epaminondas
Epaminondas
Epaminondas , or Epameinondas, was a Theban general and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a preeminent position in Greek politics...
, was killed in the fighting. Macedon
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
ian king Antigonus III Doson
Antigonus III Doson
Antigonus III Doson was king of Macedon from 229 BC to 221 BC. He belonged to the Antigonid dynasty.-Family Background:He was a grandson of Demetrius Poliorcetes and cousin of Demetrius II, who after the latter died in battle and rescued Macedonia and restored Antigonid control of Greece...
renamed the city Antigonia; Mantineia's name was restored by Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
.
Modern-day Mantineia is the region around the city of Tripoli in the prefecture
Prefecture
A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
of Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
, and was named after the namesake city of old. It is also the name of a Protected designation of origin
Protected designation of origin
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
of Greek blanc de gris wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, made of the moschofilero grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
traditionally grown in the region. The seat of Mantineia is Nestani, home to about one-fifth (20%) of the population.
Mountains surround the valley, including the Lyrkeia
Lyrkeia
Lyrkeia is a village and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,901 ....
mountains as well as the Mainalo
Mainalo
The Mainalo , is a mountain range that spans about 15 to 20 from north to south and from east to west from 5 to 10 km...
mountains to the southwest. The valley consists of vineyards, potato and wheat farms as well as other crops, and covers about half of the municipality. Several floods ravaged Mantineia in the mid-20th century, even to the extent of forming a lake that has since been drained. Forests dominate the mountains with traces in the valley areas. Rocks and grasslands cover most of the northeast.
Subdivisions
The municipal unit Mantineia is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):- Artemisi (pop: 654)
- KapsasKapsasKapsas , also called Kapsia is a community in the municipal unit of Mantineia in Arcadia on the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece. The community is located on GR-74 and GR-33 for northbound land connecting Pyrgos, Patras and Tripoli and E65, especially GR-37 and GR-7 of the by-pass of...
(pop: 505) - Loukas (pop: 726, Loukas, Milia)
- NestaniNestaniNestani is a small village around 15km from Tripoli in the Peloponnese, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit Mantineia. The municipal district Nestani also contains the village of Milea....
(pop: 1020, Nestani, Milea, Gorgoepikoos Monastery) - Pikernis (pop: 192)
- Sagkas (pop: 241)
- Simiades (pop: 172, Simiades, Neos Kardaras)
Historical population
| Year | Municipality |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 3,628 |
| 2001 | 3,510 |
External links
- Official Website - Municipality of Mantineia Coming Soon -
- Old Website
| Northwest: Levidi Levidi Levidi is a small town and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli, of which it is a municipal unit. The village sits on the eastern part of the slope of the Mainalo mountains. The pine forests are... |
North: Alea Alea, Greece Alea is a village and a former community in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 population was 146 for the village and 793 for the community... |
Northeast: Lyrkeia Lyrkeia Lyrkeia is a village and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,901 .... |
| West: Falanthos Falanthos Falanthos is a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli, of which it is a municipal unit... |
Mantineia | East: Argos Argos Argos is a city and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 11 kilometres from Nafplion, which was its historic harbour... |
| Southwest: Falanthos | South: Tripoli Tripoli, Greece Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop... |
Southeast: Korythio Korythio Korythio is a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,613 . The seat of the municipality was in Steno. Other villages in the municipal unit are Elaiochori and... |