Belemina ( grc, Βελεμίνα), or Belmina (Βέλμινα), or Belbina (Βελβίνα), or Blenina (Βλένινα), was a town of

ancient Laconia Laconia or Lakonia ( el, Λακωνία, , ) is a historical and administrative region of Greece located on the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparta. The word '' laconic''—to speak in a blunt, co ...

and

ancient Arcadia Arcadia ( el, Ἀρκαδία) is a region in the central Peloponnese. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas, and in Greek mythology it was the home of the gods Hermes and Pan. In European Renaissance arts, Arcadia was celebr ...

, at the northwest frontier of the former, the territory of which was called Belminatis (Βελμινᾶτις). It was originally an Arcadian town, but was conquered by the

Lacedaemonians Sparta (Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referred ...

at an early period, and annexed to their territory; although

Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to: *Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium'' *Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC * Pausanias of Sicily, physician of t ...

does not believe this statement. After the

Battle of Leuctra The Battle of Leuctra ( grc-gre, Λεῦκτρα, ) was a battle fought on 6 July 371 BC between the Boeotians led by the Thebans, and the Spartans along with their allies amidst the post- Corinthian War conflict. The battle took place in the vici ...

, Belemina was restored to Arcadia, reckoned to be part of

Aegytis Aegys or Aigys ( grc, Αἴγυς or Αἶγυς) was a town of ancient Arcadia then of ancient Laconia, on the frontiers of the two regions. It originally belonged to the Arcadians, but was conquered at an early period by Charilaus, the reputed ne ...

; most of its inhabitants were removed to the newly founded city of

Megalopolis A megalopolis () or a supercity, also called a megaregion, is a group of metropolitan areas which are perceived as a continuous urban area through common systems of transport, economy, resources, ecology, and so on. They are integrated enoug ...

; and the place continued to be a dependency of the latter city. In the wars of the

Achaean League The Achaean League ( Greek: , ''Koinon ton Akhaion'' "League of Achaeans") was a Hellenistic-era confederation of Greek city states on the northern and central Peloponnese. The league was named after the region of Achaea in the northwestern P ...

, the Belminatis was a constant source of contention between the

Spartans Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referr ...

and Achaeans. Under

Machanidas Machanidas ( el, Μαχανίδας) was a tyrant of Lacedaemon near the end of the 3rd century BC. Accession He was in a band of Tarentine mercenaries, perhaps a leader, in the pay of the Spartan government. The history of Lacedaemon at this p ...

Nabis Nabis ( grc-gre, Νάβις) was the last king of independent Sparta. He was probably a member of the Heracleidae, and he ruled from 207 BC to 192 BC, during the years of the First and Second Macedonian Wars and the eponymous " War against Nab ...

, the tyrants of Sparta, the Belminatis was again annexed to Laconia; but upon the subjugation of Sparta by

Philopoemen Philopoemen ( el, Φιλοποίμην ''Philopoímēn''; 253 BC, Megalopolis – 183 BC, Messene) was a skilled Greek general and statesman, who was Achaean strategos on eight occasions. From the time he was appointed as strategos in 209 BC, ...

in 188 BCE, the Belminatis was once more annexed to the territory of Megalopolis. The Belminatis is a mountainous district, in which the

Eurotas In Greek mythology, Eurotas (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρώτας) was a king of Laconia. Family Eurotas was the son of King Myles of Laconia and grandson of Lelex, eponymous ancestor of the Leleges. The '' Bibliotheca'' gave a slight variant of th ...

takes its rise from many springs. Belemina is said by Pausanias to have been 100

stadia Stadia may refer to: * One of the plurals of stadium, along with "stadiums" * The plural of stadion, an ancient Greek unit of distance, which equals to 600 Greek feet (''podes''). * Stadia (Caria), a town of ancient Caria, now in Turkey * Stadi ...

from

Pellana Pellana (; Greek: ἡ Πέλλανα, Paus. iii. 20. § 2; τὰ Πέλλανα, Strabo viii. p. 386; Πελλήνη, Xen. ''Hell.'' vii. 5. § 9; Polyb. iv. 81, xvi. 37; Plut. ''Agis'', 8), was a city of ancient Lacedaemonia, on the Eu ...

. Its site is located near the modern

Chelmos Aroania ( el, Αροάνια), also known as Helmos or Chelmos (Χελμός, from South Slavic , "summit"), is a mountain range in Achaea, Peloponnese, Greece. At 2,355 m elevation, Aroania is the third highest mountain of the Peloponnese, after ...

References

Populated places in ancient Arcadia Populated places in ancient Laconia Former populated places in Greece {{AncientLaconia-geo-stub