The Cave of Euripides is a narrow cave, approximately 47 meters deep with ten small chambers, on a hillside overlooking the

Saronic Gulf The Saronic Gulf (Greek: Σαρωνικός κόλπος, ''Saronikós kólpos'') or Gulf of Aegina in Greece is formed between the peninsulas of Attica and Argolis and forms part of the Aegean Sea. It defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Co ...

in the area of Peristeria on the south coast of

Salamis Island Salamis ( ; el, Σαλαμίνα, Salamína; grc, label=Ancient and Katharevousa, Σαλαμίς, Salamís) is the largest Greek island in the Saronic Gulf, about off-coast from Piraeus and about west of central Athens. The chief city, Sala ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

. Its name derives from its reputation since ancient times as the place where the playwright

Euripides Euripides (; grc, Εὐριπίδης, Eurīpídēs, ; ) was a tragedian Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful e ...

came to write his

tragedies Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

. The ancient authors

Philochorus Philochorus of Athens (; grc, Φιλόχορος ὁ Ἀθηναῖος; c. 340 BC – c. 261 BC), was a Greek historian and Atthidographer of the third century BC, and a member of a priestly family. He was a seer and interpreter of signs, and a ...

and Satyrus described Euripides as a misanthrope who avoided society by lurking in a cave. The second century Roman author

Aulus Gellius Aulus Gellius (c. 125after 180 AD) was a Roman author and grammarian, who was probably born and certainly brought up in Rome. He was educated in Athens, after which he returned to Rome. He is famous for his ''Attic Nights'', a commonplace book, or ...

claimed to have visited the "grim and gloomy cavern" during his visit to Athens (Attic Nights XV.20).

Archaeology

In the 1990s, excavations were carried out under the direction of Yannos G. Lolos, Assistant Professor of Prehistoric Archaeology at the

University of Ioannina The University of Ioannina (UoI; Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων, ''Panepistimio Ioanninon'') is a university located 5 km southwest of Ioannina, Greece. The university was founded in 1964, as a charter of the Aristotle Un ...

Epirus sq, Epiri rup, Epiru , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Historical region , image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg , map_alt = , map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinrich ...

, in collaboration with the Department of

Palaeoanthropology Paleoanthropology or paleo-anthropology is a branch of paleontology and biological anthropology, anthropology which seeks to understand the early development of anatomically modern humans, a process known as wikt:hominization, hominization, throug ...

of the Greek Ministry of Culture. Finds date from the late

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

onward. They include stone implements and arrowheads; Mycenaean burials; 5th century BC Attic black glaze pottery; Roman period coins and

votive A votive offering or votive deposit is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally ...

figurines; and jewellery from the Frankish period, generally suggesting its long-term use as a place of refuge and worship. The most notable discovery was a fragmentary black-glaze

skyphos A ''skyphos'' ( grc, σκύφος; plural ''skyphoi'') is a two-handled deep wine-cup on a low flanged base or none. The handles may be horizontal ear-shaped thumbholds that project from the rim (in both Corinthian and Athenian shapes), or they ma ...

dating from the late 5th century BC, with the letters ΕΥΡΙΠΠ, clearly part of the name Euripides, carefully inscribed in letters of the

Hellenistic In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

period. Lolos interpreted the cup as a votive offering to Euripides, confirmation of the devotion his poetry inspired in later periods. Lolos also uncovered the foundations of a small rural sanctuary about 70 meters southwest of the cave, on the trail from the shore. Based on a marble phallus and other finds, he interpreted it as a sanctuary of

Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...

, the patron god of Greek theatre.

Access

The cave, unsignposted, is located between the settlements of Peristeria and Kolones, about 350 meters northwest of the north end of Euripides Street, up a clear footpath. There is a steel door.

References

The Cave of Euripides on Salamis
, 1996 expedition report, Yannos Lolos

G. Lolas (in Greek).
Important Archaeological Sites, Aristotles' Lyceum And Cave Of Euripides, Found in Greece Archaeologists Say
Embassy of Greece, Washington, DC, 14 January 1997

''New York Times'', January 13, 1997

External links

Locations in Greek mythology

Ancient Attica Ancient Greek theatre Landforms of Attica Landforms of Islands (regional unit) Euripides {{Attica-geo-stub