Pyrrichos ( el, Πύρριχος; called "Πούρρχο", ''Pourcho'' by local Maniots)
is one of the oldest towns in
Mani peninsula,
Laconia,
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 ...
. It is part of the municipal unit
East Mani
East Mani ( el, Ανατολική Μάνη - ''Anatolikí Máni'') is a municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Its seat of administration is the town Gytheio (before 2011 the small town Kotronas). The municipality covers the southeastern ...
. It was promised to
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's '' Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Pele ...
by the
Achaeans if he took part in the
Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and ...
.
Name
According to one tradition Pyrrichos was named after
Pyrrhichos, the legendary Laconian founder of
Pyrrhichus.
According to another tradition Pyrrhichios was named after the son of
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's '' Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Pele ...
, Pyrrhus (Πύρρος)
[Pausanias, Description of Greece, 3.25.1](_blank)
/ref> (alternative name of Neoptolemus
In Greek mythology, Neoptolemus (; ), also called Pyrrhus (; ), was the son of the warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamia, and the brother of Oneiros. He became the mythical progenitor of the ruling dynasty of the Molossians of ancient Ep ...
), who was the first who danced Pyrrhichus, after defeating in battle Eurypylus In Greek mythology, Eurypylus (; grc, Εὐρύπυλος ''Eurypylos'') was the name of several different people:
* Eurypylus, was a Thessalian king, son of Euaemon and Ops. He was a former suitor of Helen thus he led the Thessalians during Tr ...
, son of Telephus
In Greek mythology, Telephus (; grc-gre, Τήλεφος, ''Tēlephos'', "far-shining") was the son of Heracles and Auge, who was the daughter of king Aleus of Tegea. He was adopted by Teuthras, the king of Mysia, in Asia Minor, whom he succe ...
, who fought on the side of the Trojans during the end of the Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and ...
.
Another legend say that the name is after the Pyrrhichus who was one of the gods called Curetes.
Historical population
See also
*List of settlements in Laconia
This is a list of settlements in Laconia, Greece.
* Afisi
* Agia Eirini
* Agioi Anargyroi
* Agioi Apostoloi
* Agios Dimitrios, Evrotas
* Agios Dimitrios, Monemvasia
* Agios Georgios
* Agios Ioannis, Evrotas
* Agios Ioannis, Monemvasia
* ...
References
{{East Mani div
Cities in ancient Peloponnese
Populated places in Laconia
Populated places in the Mani Peninsula
East Mani