Cnemis or Knemis ( grc, Κνῆμις; el, Κνημίς) was either a range of mountains between the
Cephissus Valley and the
Gulf of Euboea combined with the
Malian Gulf, or was a single mountain located in the northwest of that range. The valley formed the heartland of
Phocis, where the river originated, before entering
Boeotia north of
Orchomenos. The uncertainty of what terrain was meant by "Cnemis" derives from the varying accounts of the many sources.
The narrower meaning is based on the home territory of the
Epicnemidian Locrians, who received their distinguishing name from this mountain, on the northern slopes of which they made their homes. Mount Cnemis was a continuation of
Callidromus
Kallidromo ( el, Καλλίδρομο) is a mountain in southeastern Phthiotis and northeastern Phocis, in Central Greece. Its maximum elevation is 1,399 m. The Kallidromo lies south of the Malian Gulf, east of Mount Oeta and north of the Ce ...
, with which it was connected by a ridge, at the foot of which is the modern village of
Mendenitsa. Callidromus is the mountain that overhangs Thermopylae. It is usually not counted as part of Cnemis, which is the next mountain east.
The account of Cnemis in Smith, based on some of the ancient sources, seems to pinpoint the location of the populated mountain. A spur of this mountain, Smith says, running out into the sea, formed the promontory
Cape Cnemides (Κνημῖδες), opposite the islands called
Lichades and the
Euboean promontory
Cenaeum. Upon Cape Cnemides stood a fortress, also called
Cnemides (or Cnemis), distant 20
stadia from
Thronium.
Attribution
References
External links
Mountains of Greece
Mountains of Central Greece
Geography of ancient Phocis
Epicnemidian Locris
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