Cyphanta or Kyphanta ( grc, τὰ Κύφαντα) was a town on the eastern coast 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 ...

, belonging to the Eleuthero-Lacones. It was in ruins in the time of

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 ...

(2nd century), but from the notice of it in other writers, it was evidently at one period a place of some importance. Pausanias describes it as situated 6 stadia from

Zarax Zarax ( grc, Ζάραξ) or Zarex (Ζάρηξ) was a town on the eastern coast of ancient Laconia, with a good harbour, situated upon a promontory, which is a projection of Mount Zarax. Like Prasiae and some other places on this part of the Laconi ...

, and 10 stadia inland; and

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...

speaks separately of the port-town and city. Pausanias adds that Cyphanta contained a temple of

Asclepius Asclepius (; grc-gre, Ἀσκληπιός ''Asklēpiós'' ; la, Aesculapius) is a hero and god of medicine in ancient Greek religion and mythology. He is the son of Apollo and Coronis, or Arsinoe, or of Apollo alone. Asclepius represe ...

, called ''Stethaeum'', and a fountain issuing from a rock, said to have been produced by a blow of the lance of

Atalanta Atalanta (; grc-gre, Ἀταλάντη, Atalantē) meaning "equal in weight", is a heroine in Greek mythology. There are two versions of the huntress Atalanta: one from Arcadia (region), Arcadia, whose parents were Iasus and Clymene (mythology ...

. The numbers in Pausanias, however, cannot be correct. At the distance of 6 stadia from Zarax (modern

Ierakas Ierakas ( el, Γέρακας) is a small village built along a natural fjord on the south east coast of Laconia, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit of Zarakas. Ierakas is famous for its port or Limani, ( el, Λιμάνι) providing docks f ...

), there is no site for a town or a harbour; and it is scarcely conceivable that, on this rocky and little-frequented coast, there would be two towns so close to one another. Moreover, Pausanias says that the distance from

Prasiae Prasiae or Prasiai ( grc, Πρασιαί),Aristophanes, ''Pac.'' 242 or Prasia (Πρασία),''Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax'' p. 17 also known as Brasiae or Brasiai (Βρασιαί), was a town on the eastern coast of ancient Laconia, described by P ...

to Cyphanta is 200 stadia; whereas the real distance from Prasiae (modern Paralio Leonidi) to Zarax is more than 300 stadia. In addition to this Ptolemy places Cyphanta considerably further north than Zarax; and it is not till reaching Cyparissia that there is any place with a harbour and a fountain. Modern scholars place its site near the modern Kyparissi.

References

Populated places in ancient Laconia Former populated places in Greece Locations in Greek mythology {{AncientLaconia-geo-stub