Eleon ( grc, Ἐλεών), or Heleon (Ἑλεὼν), was a town in

ancient Boeotia Boeotia ( ), sometimes Latinized as Boiotia or Beotia ( el, Βοιωτία; modern: ; ancient: ), formerly known as Cadmeis, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, and its lar ...

, mentioned by

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

in the

Catalogue of Ships The Catalogue of Ships ( grc, νεῶν κατάλογος, ''neōn katálogos'') is an epic catalogue in Book 2 of Homer's ''Iliad'' (2.494–759), which lists the contingents of the Achaean army that sailed to Troy. The catalogue gives the na ...

in the ''

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...

'' in the same line with

Hyle In philosophy, hyle (; from grc, ὕλη) refers to matter or stuff. It can also be the material cause underlying a change in Aristotelian philosophy. The Greeks originally had no word for matter in general, as opposed to raw material suitable ...

and

Peteon Peteon ( grc, Πέτεων) was a town of ancient Boeotia, mentioned by Homer in the Catalogue of Ships in the ''Iliad''. It was situated near the road from Thebes to Anthedon. Strabo contradicts himself in one passage placing Peteon in the Theb ...

. It is said by

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

to have been one of the smaller places in the territory of

Tanagra Tanagra ( el, Τανάγρα) is a town and a municipality north of Athens in Boeotia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Schimatari. It is not far from Thebes, and it was noted in antiquity for the figurines named after it. The Ta ...

, and to have derived its name from its marshy situation. Its site is located near modern Arma (Dritsa). Since 2007 there have been archaeological excavations on the site of ancient Eleon. The EBAP project
Eastern Boeotia Excavation Project
focuses on the surveying, excavation, and academic articulation of the region from the Mycenaean Age through the Middle Ages. It is currently a joint collaboration between th
Archaeological Museum in Thebes
an
the Canadian Institute in Greece
Spread out between the modern cities of Eleona and Tanagra, this team has uncovered, among others, the site of the Eleon Acropolis at Arma. Recent publications on the matter are included in the ''American Journal of Archaeology'' and The Fifth Archaeological Meeting on Thessaly and Central Greece, amon
others

References

Populated places in ancient Boeotia Former populated places in Greece Locations in the Iliad {{AncientBoeotia-geo-stub