Argos, Midea Acropolis & Tombs, Heraion of Argos

(This post may be a bit long for some email software, so if you don’t see “Next stop: Ancient Mycenae” at the bottom of your email, you’ll need to click on the title to go to the website and see the full post).

We hired a small car for a day to tour around some of the local archaeological sites. This area is rich in historical sites as it’s close to ancient Sparta, Mycaenae and Corinth …. All powerhouse city states back in ancient Greek times rivalling (and sometimes exceeding) Athens for dominance. We started early because we knew it would be a long day.

Ancient Argos

First up was Argos, an ancient Greek city not far up the road from Nafplio. Argos is a bustling little town these days, but back in the day it was an important centre with a large theatre, huge agora (marketplace) complex and lots of civic buildings. Unlike most towns in the Argolida valley, Argos did not have abundant surface water, however, they dug wells to access the aquifers and ended up having a plentiful water supply.

The approach to the ancient theatre up the old road between stone walls.

The remains of the theatre show it was quite substantial, but not a circular one like others we have visited. (eg Epidavros)

Best seats in the house …. Front row centre.

A stunning view over the Argolida region towards Nafplio.

Following a path from the theatre took us past a piece of relief artwork carved into the rock, dating back to 4th to 3rd century BC. It’s a horseman with a shield and a spear, and a snake next to a vase. It belongs to the so called heroic reliefs, and some identify it with Saint George, who kills the snake.

The large agora/civic centre complex, partially excavated, sits next to modern day Argos.

Foundations of ancient circular buildings just a stone’s throw from modern housing.

Artists recreation of the agora and theatre.

Pieces of columns, foundation blocks and fragments of architectural elements.

Midea Acropolis

The Acropolis of Midea was the third most important Mycenaean acropolis in the Argolidos area. Its Cyclopean fortification wall (built with massive blocks of stone, said to be placed by Cyclops), its place in mythology and its connection with the rich cemetery of Dendra (our next visit) all demonstrate its significance. (In the cemetery at Dendra, a royal Tholos tomb was found furnished with rich panoply (body armour) of a Mycenaean warrior.)

It’s a hot day, and a bit of a climb to get to the top. There’s not a lot to see as far as the buildings are concerned - mainly foundations and some walls. This site was abandoned a long time ago as a village. The climb is worth it for the view though, and we have excellent 360 degree views of the surrounding fertile flood plains.

Some building foundations and walls, but not much else is left of this ancient site.

The finds have shown that Midea was settled as early as the Late and Final Neolithic Period (5th and 4th millennia B.C.) and that there was a substantial settlement there during the Early and Middle Bronze Ages (3200-1600 B.C.) that developed into a large and important centre in the Mycenaean Period (1600-1100 B.C.). Midea reached its height during the 13th century B.C, and the fortification wall with the gates and the best preserved of the buildings (some of which were two story) on the Lower Acropolis date from this time. At the end of the 13th century B.C., Midea, like Mycenae and Tiryns, was struck by a severe earthquake that caused extensive destruction to the fortifications and the buildings of the acropolis. The next phase in the history of Midea comes down to the Archaic Period with the foundation of a sanctuary. In Late Roman and Byzantine times the site was inhabited again.

Great views out over the lush fertile flood plains. In the distance you can see Nafplio with a cruise ship at anchor.

Excavations have shown that this area was destroyed by fire c. 1200 B.C. Thick layers of soil mixed with ashes were excavated here and the finds, i.e. storage vessels and tools of stone, indicate that the rooms were used as storages and work-shops. The presence of mud-brick and lime plaster shows that an upper floor existed and when the buildings collapsed, the objects from above, for example terracotta figurines, spindle whorls and lead vessels, fell down in the cellars.

We made it to the very top! Archeological findings of the top show that it was occupied by successive pre-Mycenaean settlements. It is believed that there was a large building or palace on this top level, which was the latest fashion back in the Mycenaean times.

Some more substantial walls.

One of the ancient entrance gates which seemed to be the best preserved on the site. The gate and bastion were largely destroyed in the earthquake that struck Midea at the end of the 13th century B.C. The passage through the gate, the room and the outer court remained buried for centuries beneath the ruins, and were brought to light in the recent excavations.

The remains of an impressive wall, 5-7m in width.

Midea Tombs

A short drive away, in amongst the houses of a small village, is the Midea tombs of Dendra.

The Tholos of Dendra is a royal tomb probably belonging to the ruler based in Midea. It consists of a passage (dromos), 17.90m long, an entrance (stomion) and a circular vaulted chamber (tholos) 7.30m wide. The dromos is lined with a stone wall. Its outer end was closed with a blocking wall.

The doorway is flanked by two tall jambs made of poros stone. The large lintel slab above the entrance is curved with its inner face following the curvature of the tholos. The original height of the tholos, which is built according to the corbelled system, can be estimated to be ca. 7m.

Several ornaments, pottery as well as human bones were found scattered in the dromos, stomion and Tholos.

There were four unplundered pits under the floor of the chamber. The largest one contained the burial of a man and a woman. The precious grave offerings consisted of bronze weapons, glass models of boar's tusks, an ostrich egg rhyton (drinking vessel), a steatite lamp, gold, silver and bronze vessels, sealstones of semi-precious stones, as well as ornaments of gold, silver, rock-crystal and semi-precious stones.

In another pit a female interment (burial) was found with precious ornaments such as a necklace of gold rosettes, a gold ring and other ornaments of faience (tin glazed pottery), glass and ivory. The tomb dates to 1450-1350 BC.

The tholos collapsed during the geometric period. In the 9th century BC, after the vault fell down, a burial accompanied by a geometric pyxis was placed inside the blocking wall of the entrance.

Looking down into the excavated tomb.

Looking down into the tomb with the entrance on the left.

Looking down the dromos, or entrance passage of the royal tomb.

One of the other dozen or so tombs.

When we got back to the car we found a problem. As soon as we started the rental car the “check engine” light came up on the dash and it started running roughly in “limp home” mode. We phoned the rental car company and they apologised and came out to us to drop off a replacement vehicle (a Nissan minivan) and to sort out the ailing Fiat Panda. It turns out it was a simple electrical connection fault and was fixed in about 10-15 minutes.

Heraion of Argos

Our next stop was a fascinating site with no information whatsoever.

We found a Greek archeological website that tells us that this site was a temple complex built to serve Argos and that it was dedicated to the goddess Hera (Zeus’ long suffering wife/sister). Built in the 8th and 7th centuries BC, the temple complex consists of several terraces with substantial foundations for what were presumably large temples. Hera was said to be the protector of Argos, Sparta and Mycenae.

The heyday of the sanctuary was in the 5^th century BC, but the place continued to function until Late Roman times.

Artists impression of what the site would have looked like.

Here’s what we found on the archaeological site:

The place was a sanctuary of Hera and was built and organized on two successive terraces on different levels. There was a monumental stairway that appears to be mostly gone now. At the first level there is a stoa - columned walkway - where Steve accidentally plays dominos with one. 🤭

Some of the huge retaining walls also acted as foundations for the temples on the next level - which appear to have been quite substantial.

Inside the temples were various statues, including a gold and ivory statue of Hera. Next to it was the gold and ivory statue of her daughter, Hebe.

The upper terrace, measuring 56x34 m, was partly cut into the rock and was supported by a massive Cyclopean retaining wall (said to have been built by giant cyclops).

Is this the remains of the Doric stoa halfway up the grand staircase?

They were like that when I got here …. honest.

The remains of columns, with a wall made from huge blocks behind it.

Only the bases for the columns have survived here.

Looking back along the stoa (column walkway) to the one Steve pushed over .. allegedly…. 😉😅

The same stoa from outside its impressive surrounding walls.

Impressive big blocks of another wall.

Blocks so precisely fitted into natural rock that no mortar was needed.

Another columned walkway - they really did love columns back in the day.

Entrance to a tomb? Passageway to some chamber or other? Portal to the underworld? 🤷🏻‍♀️

The main terrace with substantial foundations of a rectangular building. Is this the new temple of the goddess Hera?

The wall foundations are very thick and made up of four rows of massive stone blocks.

What are these stones all about? We don’t remember seeing anything quite like these before. They seem to be bases cut out for some particular purpose.

A lone column inside an enclosed space … a shrine to somebody?

Cyclopean wall ….. massive blocks of stone said to have been laid by one-eyed giants (Cyclops).

The main terrace (with the new temple foundations) viewed from the upper terrace.

Steve standing on the wall said to be built by cyclops’.

The site is surrounded by a LOT of olive trees.

The flat paved upper terrace. Is this the site of the old temple?

Great view of the thick wall foundations of the new temple for Hera.

Looking back up to the Cyclopean wall and flat top terrace.

Looking at the inside of the new temple to Hera.

Part of the impressive Cyclopean wall.

After a great look around the site, we head off to our next stop. Despite the fact that we visited Mycenae in 2019, we are happy to go back for another look.

Next stop: Ancient Mycenae