Nemea

Nemea is an ancient place in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It used to be part of the land called Cleonae in ancient Argolis, but today it is in the area known as Corinthia. Near Nemea, there is a small village called Archaia Nemea and a newer town named Nemea.

In stories from Greek mythology, Nemea is where Heracles fought a big and strong creature called the Nemean Lion. Long ago, people held big sports events called the Nemean Games there until around 235 BC. Famous poet Pindar wrote special poems about these games.

Myth, legend and history

In Greek mythology, Nemea was ruled by king Lycurgus and queen Eurydice. It is known for the story of the Nemean Lion, which was defeated by the hero Heracles. The area also has the sad story of the infant Opheltes, who was killed by a snake. To honor Opheltes, the Nemean Games were started. Winners were crowned with parsley or wild celery. These games have been held since at least 573 BC at the sanctuary of Zeus in Nemea.

The site includes the grave of Opheltes, with altars and a stone wall around it. There is also a spring called Adrasteia. Near the temple of Nemean Zeus, three limestone columns from around 330 BC still stand, with two more reconstructed in 2002. Excavations since 1973 have found an altar, baths, and places for visitors to stay. In 2018, archaeologists found a large, intact tomb from the early Mycenaean era (1650–1400 B.C.).

The Battle of the Nemea River

In 394 BC, the Battle of the Nemea River happened between Sparta and its allies and a group of Boeotians, Euboeans, Athenians, Corinthians, and Argives. Sparta won this battle, which was their last clear victory. The fighting followed typical Greek battle styles. Though Sparta's allies on the left faced heavy losses, the Spartans won by using better tactics.

Features of the site

The Temple of Zeus is the most popular feature at the ancient Nemea site. It is in a large sacred area with many buildings. The temple we see today is from around 330 BC, but it was built on an older version from the 6th century BC that was destroyed by fire. The current temple is made of limestone and had 32 columns, but only three are still standing.

The Nemean Stadium was dug up between 1974 and 1981. The shape of the land made it perfect for the stadium. It had a track that was 600 feet long and special areas for athletes to get ready. The Nemean Games were held here every two years. All Greeks would come together for the celebration and agree to stop any wars so everyone could attend safely.

South of the Temple of Zeus, there are nine old buildings called oikoi. We are not sure what they were used for, but they might have been for storing treasures or holding meetings. These buildings were damaged over time, and only their stone foundations are left today.