The city’s history

ARGOS…a continuous journey of 6,000 years
FROM MYTHOLOGY........TO HISTORY

The most ancient residents of Argos were indigenous Pelasgians (Pelasgian Argos). The first settlers were Phoenician traders followed by Egyptians, led by Inachos around 1986 B.C.

Under the reign of Inachos the city prospered considerably and the residents named Argos and the rest of the Peloponnese: “the land of Inachos”. The river next to the city’s walls was named “Inachon”. Inachos was succeeded by his son Foroneas who created the city of Argos, the “city of Foroneas” which is considered to be the first city in the world. According to tradition, he was the first to discover the fire that burned constantly in the temple of Lycian Apollo, “Foroneas’ fire”. Niobe, the daughter of Foroneas, gave birth to Argos who reigned in the city and gave it its name.

Around 1572 B.C. Danaos arrived at Argos from Egypt (according to another tradition he was from Argos). He introduced new laws, taught the people among other things: shipping, the arts…how to dig wells, and so Argos was given access to water by Danaos. All of the Greeks and not just the people of Argos were named Danaoi.

In 1329 B.C., with Adrastos as king, seven Argeian generals, heads of the royal families, campaign against the city of Thebes with its seven gates: “War of the Seven on Thebes”. The Argeians are defeated and all the generals executed. Ten years later, in 1319 B.C. their sons campaign once more against Thebes, this time victoriously (War of the Heirs).

Argos participated in the Trojan War (1193-1184) under the leadership of Diomedes.

The Dorian descent, towards the end of the 12th century B.C., exhausts the Mycenaean state, and Argos becomes the centre of Hellenism. That was when the “great Argeian state” was founded. Temenos, of the Herakleidon line, occupies Argos, and it replaces Mycenae as the royal seat of the Timenides family, becoming the metropolis of the Dorian Argolis. Temenos was, after Foroneas and Danaos, the third founder of Argos.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH

THE PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENT ON THE HILL OF ASPIDA (Shield)

Archaeological research reveals the most ancient traces of settlement on Argos at the hill of the prophet Elias, the so called “Aspida” (shield), dating back to the end of the Neolithic era, around 4000 – 3500 B.C.

The hill was resettled 1,500 years later, around 2000 B.C., at time known as the Middle Bronze Age or Middle Hellenic era, which lasts from 2000 to 1600 B.C. Around that time a very important prehistoric settlement flourishes at the summit of the hill, from which numerous buildings have come to light.

At the beginning of the Mycenaean era (around 1600 B.C.) this important settlement is abandoned, and the lower city grows, east of the hill. Evidence of the prosperity of Mycenaean Argos are the numerous and elaborate tombs of the Deirada cemetery, located at the SW foothill.

Argos’ prosperity reaches its peak during the Geometric and Archaic eras (800 – 500 B.C.)

Pheidon, one of the most eminent men of Peloponnesian history, reigned between 770-730 B.C. He turned Argos into the leading force of the Peloponnese and was the first to mint coins made out of copper and silver, with a turtle as their emblem. At the end of the 8th century B.C., Argos becomes the most important metallurgy centre of Greece.

From the 7th century B.C. begins the fierce competition with the other major power of the Peloponnese, Sparta, which was to last for many centuries.

From the 6th century B.C. the hill of Aspida (shield) is used as a place of worship: at the SW hillside the temple of Apollo Deiradiotis is founded.

During the 6th and 5th century bronze sculpturing develops in Argos, and in Athens the art of statuary flourished due to the marbles of Penteli. The renowned bronze sculptor and statue maker, Ageladas the younger, founds a school attended among others by Myron, Polykleitos and Phedias. Polykleitos (was at his prime between 450-420 B.C.), was the most famous sculptor of antiquity, together with his contemporary Pheidias. His most important contribution though was the study of proportions and symmetry of the human body. He described his findings in his book called the Canon. The impact of this work, as well as his sculptures, was decisive for the centuries to come.

In 496 B.C. the Spartan king Cleomenes campaigned against Argos, and after winning the war he executed 6,000 Argeian warriors. The city, although seriously depopulated, was able to retain its independence. During the Persian Wars Argos remains neutral. Around 460 B.C. Argos’ system of government changes to democracy, when the city allies itself to Athens. Democracy though is overthrown in 418 B.C. by the oligarchs of the city, with the help of Sparta. The oligarchic government is in turn overthrown by the people in 417 B.C.

Around the 4th century B.C. the theatre is constructed, one of the largest in antiquity, with 83 rows of seats, carved into the rock.

At the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.), Argos remains neutral, but in 421 B.C. it allies itself to Athens. Although the city was involved in the catastrophic Peloponnesian War, it continues to dominate in the region. The Nemean Games were established in 573 B.C. at time when the city of Nemea was part of the city-state of the Kleonai. Later, both Nemea and the games passed into Argos’ possession, and were held there from 270 B.C. onwards.

The 3rd century B.C. was one of the most troubled periods in the history of Argos, due to the consequences of the wars of the successors, the invasion of the Aetolians and the war with Sparta.

In the 3rd century B.C. Argos produces one of the leading poets of antiquity, the lyric poetess Telesilla.

At the beginning of the 2nd century B.C., the city of Argos goes through another turbulent period of its history. In 196 B.C., while most of the Greek cities are declared free, Argos remains in the possession of the Spartan king Navi. The city’s liberation is finally achieved in 195 B.C. A period of prosperity follows, when the city rejoins the Achaean League, until the dissolution of the league in 146 B.C.

In 146 B.C. the Peloponnese becomes a Roman province.

During the Roman sovereignty Argos goes through a new period of prosperity. At the time of Hadrian significant public works are undertaken. The theater is converted in order to support the spectacles of the age, the temple of Serapeio-Asclepeio is turned into Baths, one of the largest and best preserved Roman bath complexes in Greece, the Odeon is built and Hadrian’s aqueduct carries water from Corinthia.

Most of the public buildings were partially destroyed during the raids of the Goths in 267 A.D. and the Ostrogoths (395 A.D.). In the 4th and 5th centuries the city was rebuild, the theatre and the Odeon were repaired and the great stoa was restored. Roads and buildings were repaired using material from ruined monuments. Roman villas, featuring impressive mosaics, were constructed on top of older public buildings.

Christianity was probably brought to Argos in the 5th century A.D. by the Apostle Andrew. Numerous Christian temples are erected during this period (on the site of the acropolis there are traces of a basilica, which dates back to the early 5th century A.D. and is considered one of the oldest in the Peloponnese). During this time the bishop of Argos holds a prominent position in the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

The earthquake of 552 A.D. causes the collapse of a great number of buildings, and the city begins to decline. Plague epidemics and Slavic invasions (580-590 A.D.) complete the image of the city’s decline, which lasts until the 7th century A.D.

Imperial control is gradually reinstated in the Peloponnese, with the final defeat of the Slavs in 805 A.D. and their Christianization; an endeavor that reached its peak during the reign of Basil I (867-886). The bishop of Argos and Nafplio, Saint Peter (ca. 850-922), one of the most brilliant ecclesiastical figures of the religious renaissance of the Peloponnese in the late 9th and 10th century, turned his episcopate into a philanthropy hive and a beacon of culture, with his teachings, his charity work and the schools that he founded.

During the 10th-12th centuries B.C. Argos’ cultural flourishing is accompanied by an economic boom.

The Byzantine Argos, and generally Argolis, was conquered by the Frankish crusaders shortly after 1204. The last Frankish suzerain, Maria d’Enghien, handed over Argolis with its two major cities, Nafplio and Argos, to the Venetians in 1388. A struggle for Argos between Venice and its rivals begins, with Venice as the final victor. Argos passed into the hands of La Serenissima on the 27th of May 1394. This is essentially the beginning of the Venetian period of Argos. Argos was initially the seat of the Latin Bishop of Argolis and had its own Venetian governor. The city’s populace, consisting of Greeks, Franks and Venetians, was organized into social classes according to the Venetian model.

This situation was maintained for 75 years. With the eruption of the first Venetian-Turkish war, Argos became the main cause of dispute in the Peloponnese between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. On the 3rd of April 1463, Palm Sunday, Argos was finally captured by the Turks. Almost all of the Argeians, although they surrendered without a fight, were transferred to Istanbul. The Venetian sovereignty was succeeded by the Turkish. In 1497 a peace treaty was signed, according to which Venice had permanently lost Argos.

The second Venetian sovereignty lasted from 1686 until June 1715, when the Turks assume control of the city once more.

In subsequent years Argos’ population decreases and the city falls into obscurity. In the struggle for freedom against the Turks, the city is at the epicenter of events. The city of Argos raised the flag of the Revolution on the 23rd of March 1821, led by Stamatelos Antonopoulos. Since then, Argos was at the heart of the revolution, during which it suffered many disasters. Preparations for the 1st National Assembly –at a time when the Greeks were still fighting for freedom- took place in the Church of S. John, while the 4th National Assembly was held at the Ancient Theatre in 1829. A fighter who has been linked to Argos is I. Makrygiannis, mainly because he stayed in the city for a long time, where he began writing his memoirs.

The generals of the revolution built splendid mansions in the city, fine specimens of which are the mansions of D. Tsokri, Th. Gordonas, D. Kallergis etc., while the Governor Kapodistrias had planned the urban organization of the city and the construction of public buildings to house the different services. In 1830 the Town Hall was build and one year earlier the Barracks had been constructed to serve the needs of the cavalry. In 1831 the 1st Primary school was built.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Argos was again turning into the commercial, industrial and cultural centre of the area. Wealthy merchants erected beautiful Neoclassic buildings, such as the Konstantopoulos Mansion, which was constructed in 1912, designed by E. Ziller, and the Neoclassic Municipal Market built in 1889.

Let us remember the words of Poukevil, a French traveler in 1820: “…city of Gods and kings, its name, its fame, its glory known throughout the world!”…Words one finds in Pindar’s odes: “Small is my mouth the glory of Argos to recount…”