Sicyon (; el, Σικυών; ''gen''.: Σικυῶνος) or Sikyon was an

ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

city state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...

situated in the northern

Peloponnesus The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge which ...

between

Corinth Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it has been part o ...

and

Achaea Achaea () or Achaia (), sometimes transliterated from Greek as Akhaia (, ''Akhaïa'' ), is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Western Greece and is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The ...

on the territory of the present-day regional unit of

Corinthia Corinthia ( el, Κορινθία ''Korinthía'') is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated around the city of Corinth, in the north-eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Geography Cori ...

. An ancient monarchy at the times 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 has ...

, the city was ruled by a number of tyrants during the Archaic and Classical period and became a democracy in the 3rd century BC. Sicyon was celebrated for its contributions to ancient Greek art, producing many famous painters and sculptors. In Hellenistic times it was also the home of

Aratus of Sicyon Aratus of Sicyon (Ancient Greek: Ἄρατος ὁ Σικυώνιος; 271–213 BC) was a politician and military commander of Hellenistic Greece. He was elected strategos of the Achaean League 17 times, leading the League through numerous mili ...

, the leader of the

Achaean League The Achaean League (Greek: , ''Koinon ton Akhaion'' "League of Achaeans") was a Hellenistic-era confederation of Greek city states on the northern and central Peloponnese. The league was named after the region of Achaea in the northwestern Pel ...

History

Sicyon was built on a low triangular

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ha ...

about 3 kilometres (two miles) from the

Corinthian Gulf The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf ( el, Κορινθιακός Kόλπος, ''Korinthiakόs Kόlpos'', ) is a deep inlet of the Ionian Sea, separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece. It is bounded in the east by the Isth ...

. Between the city and its port lay a fertile plain with

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...

groves and orchards. In Mycenean times Sicyon had been ruled by a line of twenty-six mythical kings and then seven priests of Apollo. The king-list given by

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 ...

comprises twenty-four kings, beginning with the

autochthonous Autochthon, autochthons or autochthonous may refer to: Fiction * Autochthon (Atlantis), a character in Plato's myth of Atlantis * Autochthons, characters in the novel ''The Divine Invasion'' by Philip K. Dick * Autochthon, a Primordial in the ...

Aegialeus. The penultimate king of the list,

Agamemnon In Greek mythology, Agamemnon (; grc-gre, Ἀγαμέμνων ''Agamémnōn'') was a king of Mycenae who commanded the Greeks during the Trojan War. He was the son, or grandson, of King Atreus and Queen Aerope, the brother of Menelaus, the husb ...

, compels the submission of Sicyon to

Mycenae Mycenae ( ; grc, Μυκῆναι or , ''Mykē̂nai'' or ''Mykḗnē'') is an archaeological site near Mykines in Argolis, north-eastern Peloponnese, Greece. It is located about south-west of Athens; north of Argos; and south of Corinth. Th ...

; after him comes the Dorian usurper Phalces. Pausanias shares his source with

Castor of Rhodes Castor of Rhodes ( el, Κάστωρ ὁ Ῥόδιος), also known as Castor of Massalia or Castor of Galatia according to the ''Suda'', or as Castor the Annalist, was a Greek grammarian and rhetorician. He was surnamed Philoromaeus (Φιλορώμ ...

, who used the king-list in compiling tables of history; the common source was convincingly identified by

Felix Jacoby Felix Jacoby (; 19 March 1876 – 10 November 1959) was a German classicist and philologist. He is best known among classicists for his highly important work ''Fragmente der griechischen Historiker'', a collection of text fragments of ancient Gr ...

as a lost ''Sicyonica'' by the late 4th-century poet

Menaechmus of Sicyon :''There is also a Menaechmus in Plautus' play, ''The Menaechmi''.'' Menaechmus ( el, Μέναιχμος, 380–320 BC) was an ancient Greek mathematician, geometer and philosopher born in Alopeconnesus or Prokonnesos in the Thracian Chersonese, wh ...

. After the Dorian invasion the city remained subject to

Argos Argos most often refers to: * Argos, Peloponnese, a city in Argolis, Greece ** Ancient Argos, the ancient city * Argos (retailer), a catalogue retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland Argos or ARGOS may also refer to: Businesses ...

, whence its Dorian conquerors had come. The community was now divided into the ordinary three Dorian tribes and an equally privileged tribe of

Ionians The Ionians (; el, Ἴωνες, ''Íōnes'', singular , ''Íōn'') were one of the four major tribes that the Greeks considered themselves to be divided into during the ancient period; the other three being the Dorians, Aeolians, and Achae ...

, besides which a class of

serf Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism, and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery, which developed ...

s (, or , ) lived on and worked the land. For some centuries the suzerainty of Argos remained, but after 676 BC Sicyon regained its independence under a line of tyrants called the Orthagorides after the name of the first ruler Orthagoras. The most important however was the founder's grandson

Cleisthenes Cleisthenes ( ; grc-gre, Κλεισθένης), or Clisthenes (c. 570c. 508 BC), was an ancient Athenian lawgiver credited with reforming the constitution of ancient Athens and setting it on a democratic footing in 508 BC. For these accomplishm ...

, the grandfather of the Athenian legislator

, who ruled from 600 to 560 BC. Besides reforming the city's constitution to the advantage of the Ionians and replacing Dorian cults with the worship 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 ...

, Cleisthenes gained a reputation as the chief instigator and general of the

First Sacred War The First Sacred War, or Cirraean War, was fought between the Amphictyonic League of Delphi and the city of Kirrha. At the beginning of the 6th century BC the Pylaeo-Delphic Amphictyony, controlled by the Thessalians, attempted to take hold of the ...

(590 BC) in the interests of the

Delphi Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...

ans. His successor Aeschines was expelled by the Spartans in 556 BC and Sicyon became an ally of the Lacedaemonians for more than a century. During this time, the Sicyonians developed the various industries for which they were known in antiquity. As the abode of the sculptors Dipoenus and Scyllis it gained pre-eminence in woodcarving and bronze work such as is still to be seen in the archaic metal facings found at

Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...

. Its pottery, which resembled Corinthian ware, was exported with the latter as far as

Etruria Etruria () was a region of Central Italy, located in an area that covered part of what are now most of Tuscany, northern Lazio, and northern and western Umbria. Etruscan Etruria The ancient people of Etruria are identified as Etruscan civiliza ...

. In Sicyon also the art of

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

was supposed to have been invented. After the fall of the tyrants their institutions survived until the end of the 6th century BC, when Dorian supremacy was re-established, perhaps by the agency of

Sparta Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre ...

under the ephor Chilon, and the city was enrolled in the

Peloponnesian League The Peloponnesian League was an alliance of ancient Greek city-states, dominated by Sparta and centred on the Peloponnese, which lasted from c.550 to 366 BC. It is known mainly for being one of the two rivals in the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC ...

. Henceforth, its policy was usually determined either by

. During the

Persian Wars The Greco-Persian Wars (also often called the Persian Wars) were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire and Greek city-states that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC. The collision between the fractious political world of the ...

, the Sicyonians participated with fifteen triremes in the

Battle of Salamis The Battle of Salamis ( ) was a naval battle fought between an alliance of Greek city-states under Themistocles and the Persian Empire under King Xerxes in 480 BC. It resulted in a decisive victory for the outnumbered Greeks. The battle was ...

and with 3,000 hoplites in the

Battle of Plataea The Battle of Plataea was the final land battle during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place in 479 BC near the city of Plataea in Boeotia, and was fought between an alliance of the Greek city-states (including Sparta, Athens, C ...

. On the

Serpent Column The Serpent Column ( grc, Τρικάρηνος Ὄφις ''Τrikarenos Οphis'' "Three-headed Serpent";, i.e. "the bronze three-headed serpent"; see See also , . tr, Yılanlı Sütun "Serpentine Column"), also known as the Serpentine Column, ...

celebrating the victory Sicyon was named in fifth place after Sparta, Athens, Corinth and Tegea. In September 479 BC a Sicyonian contingent fought bravely in the Battle of Mycale, where they lost more men than any other city. Later in the 5th century BC, Sicyon, like Corinth, suffered from the commercial rivalry of

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

in the western seas, and was repeatedly harassed by squadrons of Athenian ships. The Sicyonians fought two battles against the Athenians, first against their admiral

Tolmides Tolmides, (Greek: Τολμίδης), son of Tolmaeus, was a leading Athenian general of the First Peloponnesian War. He rivalled Pericles and Myronides for the military leadership of Athens during the 450s and early 440s BC. In 455 BC, Tolmides was ...

in 455 BC and then in a land battle against

Pericles Pericles (; grc-gre, Περικλῆς; c. 495 – 429 BC) was a Greek politician and general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Athenian politics, particularly between the Greco-Persian Wars and the Pelopo ...

with 1000 hoplites in 453 BC. In the

Peloponnesian War The Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) was an ancient Greek war fought between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies for the hegemony of the Greek world. The war remained undecided for a long time until the decisive intervention of th ...

Sicyon followed the lead of Sparta and Corinth. When these two powers quarrelled during the

peace of Nicias The Peace of Nicias was a peace treaty signed between the Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta in March 421 BC that ended the first half of the Peloponnesian War. In 425 BC, the Spartans had lost the battles of Pylos and Sphacteria, a severe d ...

, it remained loyal to the Spartans. At the reprise of the war, during the Athenian expedition in Sicily, the Sicyonians contributed 200 pressed hoplites under their commander Sargeus to the force that relieved Syracuse. At the beginning of the 4th century, in the

Corinthian war The Corinthian War (395–387 BC) was a conflict in ancient Greece which pitted Sparta against a coalition of city-states comprising Thebes, Athens, Corinth and Argos, backed by the Achaemenid Empire. The war was caused by dissatisfaction with ...

, Sicyon sided again with Sparta and became its base of operations against the allied troops round Corinth. In 369 BC Sicyon was captured and garrisoned by the Thebans in their successful attack on the Peloponnesian League. From 368 to 366 BC Sicyon was ruled by

Euphron Euphron was a tyrant of the ancient Greek city-state of Sicyon between 368 and 364 BC. Euphron was a citizen of Sicyon, who held the chief power during the period of its subjection to Sparta. In 368 BC the city was compelled by Epaminondas to ...

who first favoured democracy, but then made himself tyrant. Euphron was killed in Thebes by a group of Sicyonian aristocrats, but his compatriots buried him in his home town and continued to honour him like the second founder of the city. During the 4th century BC, the city reached its zenith as a centre of art: its school of painting gained fame under

Eupompus Eupompus (Ancient Greek: ) was the founder of the great Sicyonic school of painting, which flourished in the 4th century BC at Sicyon in Ancient Greece. He was eclipsed by his successors, and is chiefly remembered for the advice which he is said ...

and attracted the great masters Pamphilus and

Apelles Apelles of Kos (; grc-gre, Ἀπελλῆς; fl. 4th century BC) was a renowned painter of ancient Greece. Pliny the Elder, to whom much of modern scholars' knowledge of this artist is owed (''Naturalis Historia'' 35.36.79–97 and ''passim'' ...

as students, while

Lysippus Lysippos (; grc-gre, Λύσιππος) was a Greek sculptor of the 4th century BC. Together with Scopas and Praxiteles, he is considered one of the three greatest sculptors of the Classical Greek era, bringing transition into the Hellenistic p ...

and his pupils raised the Sicyonian sculpture to a level hardly surpassed anywhere else in Greece. The tyrant Aristratus, a friend of the Macedonian royal family, had himself portrayed by the painter

Melanthius Melanthius ( grc, Μελάνθιος) was an ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the followin ...

aside the goddess of victory

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...

on a chariot. In this period Sicyon was the undisputed center of Greek painting with its school attracting famous artists from all over Greece, including the celebrated

and

Pausias Pausias ( el, Παυσίας) was an ancient Greek painter of the first half of the 4th century BCE, of the school of Sicyon. Biography Pausias introduced the custom of painting ceilings of houses. His great merit appears to have lain in the bet ...

. In 323 BC

Euphron the Younger Euphron was a tyrant of the ancient Greek city-state of Sicyon between 368 and 364 BC. Euphron was a citizen of Sicyon, who held the chief power during the period of its subjection to Sparta. In 368 BC the city was compelled by Epaminondas to ...

, a grandson of the tyrant Euphron, reintroduced a democracy, but was soon conquered by the

Macedon Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by ...

ians during the

Lamian War The Lamian War, or the Hellenic War (323–322 BC) was fought by a coalition of cities including Athens and the Aetolian League against Macedon and its ally Boeotia. The war broke out after the death of the King of Macedon, Alexander the Great, ...

. When the Macedonian commander

Alexander Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

was murdered in Sicyon in 314 BC, his wife

Cratesipolis Cratesipolis ( el, Kρατησίπoλις meaning "conqueror of the city") was the ruler of Sicyon and Corinth in 314-308 BC. She was the wife of Alexander (son of Polyperchon) and was highly distinguished for her beauty, talents, and energy. In ...

took control of the city and ruled it for six years, until she was induced by king

Ptolemy I Ptolemy I Soter (; gr, Πτολεμαῖος Σωτήρ, ''Ptolemaîos Sōtḗr'' "Ptolemy the Savior"; c. 367 BC – January 282 BC) was a Macedonian Greek general, historian and companion of Alexander the Great from the Kingdom of Macedon ...

to hand it over to the Egyptians. Between 308 and 303 BC Sicyon was ruled by two Ptolemaic commanders, first Cleonides and then Philip. In 303 BC Sicyon was conquered by

Demetrius Poliorcetes Demetrius I (; grc, Δημήτριος; 337–283 BC), also called Poliorcetes (; el, Πολιορκητής, "The Besieger"), was a Macedonian nobleman, military leader, and king of Macedon (294–288 BC). He belonged to the Antigonid dynasty ...

who razed the ancient city in the plain and built a new wall on the ruins of the old Acropolis on the high triangular plateau which resulted sufficient for the reduced populace. The new agora was adorned by a "Painted Stoa" attributed to the king's mistress

Lamia LaMia Corporation S.R.L., operating as LaMia (short for ''Línea Aérea Mérida Internacional de Aviación''), was a Bolivian charter airline headquartered in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, as an EcoJet subsidiary. It had its origins from the failed ...

, a flute player. For a short time the town was now called "Demetrias", but eventually the old name prevailed. Demetrius left a garrison in the castle to control the city, and the commander

Cleon Cleon (; grc-gre, Κλέων, ; died 422 BC) was an Athenian general during the Peloponnesian War. He was the first prominent representative of the commercial class in Athenian politics, although he was an aristocrat himself. He strongly advocate ...

established another tyrannical regime. After some twenty years he was killed by two rivals, Euthydemus and

Timocleidas Timocleidas ( el, Τιμοκλείδας) was a tyrant of the ancient Greek city-state of Sicyon in the 3rd century BC. After the violent death of the previous tyrant Cleon, he ruled jointly with Euthydemus, until the two were deposed by the citi ...

, who became the new joint tyrants of Sicyon. Their rule ended, probably around the start of the

Chremonidean War The Chremonidean War (267–261 BC) was fought by a coalition of some Greek city-states and Ptolemaic Egypt against Antigonid Macedonian domination. It ended in a Macedonian victory which confirmed Antigonid control over the city-states of Gre ...

in 267 BC, when they were expelled by the people who elected their leader Cleinias to govern the city on a democratic ground. Two magistrates of these years were the hieromnemoi Sosicles and Euthydamos, known from an inscription at

. The democratic government's most important achievement was the construction of the gymnasium which is attributed to Cleinias. During the same time Xenokrates of Sicyon published his history of art which contributed to spread the fame of Sicyion as an undisputed capital of ancient art. Even this time democracy did not last more than a few years, and in 264 BC Cleinias was slain by his cognate

Abantidas Abantidas (in Greek Ἀβαντίδας), the son of Paseas, became tyrant of the ancient Greek city-state of Sicyon in 264 BC after murdering Cleinias, the father of Aratus. After the assassination, Abantidas had the remaining friends and relati ...

, who established his tyranny for twelve years. In 252 BC Abantidas was murdered by two rhetoricians,

Aristotle the Dialectician Aristotle the Dialectician (or Aristoteles of Argos, el, Ἀριστοτέλης; fl. 3rd century BC), was an ancient Greek dialectic philosopher from Argos. In 252 BC, together with the historian Deinias of Argos, he contrived a plot to overthro ...

and

Deinias of Argos Deinias of Argos (Δεινίας) was an ancient Greek philosopher and historian of the 3rd century BC. In 252 BC he joined with Aristotle the Dialectician in an attempt to overthrow the rule of the tyrant Abantidas of Sicyon. The two philosopher ...

, and his father

Paseas Paseas (Πασέας) was a tyrant of the ancient Greek city-state of Sicyon in the 3rd century BC. He succeeded his son, Abantidas Abantidas (in Greek Ἀβαντίδας), the son of Paseas, became tyrant of the ancient Greek city-state of S ...

took over, only to be murdered after a short rule by another rival named Nicocles. In 251,

, the 20-year-old son of Cleinias, conquered the city with a night assault and expelled the last tyrant. Aratus re-established democracy, called back the exiles and brought his city into the

. This move ended the internal strife and Aratus remained the leading figure of Achaean politics until his death in 213 BC, during a period of great achievements. The prosperity and peaceful condition of Sicyon was only interrupted by an

Aetolia Aetolia ( el, Αἰτωλία, Aἰtōlía) is a mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern regional units of Greece, regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania. Geography The Achelous ...

n raid in 241 BC and an unsuccessful siege at the hands of king

Cleomenes III Cleomenes III ( grc, Κλεομένης) was one of the two kings of Sparta from 235 to 222 BC. He was a member of the Agiad dynasty and succeeded his father, Leonidas II. He is known for his attempts to reform the Spartan state. From 229 to ...

of Sparta in early 224 BC. As a member of the Achaean federation Sicyon remained a stable democracy until the dissolution of the League by the Romans in 146 BC. In this period Sicyon was damaged by two disastrous earthquakes in 153 BC and 141 BC. The destruction of Corinth (146 BC) brought Sicyon an acquisition of territory and the presidency over the

Isthmian games Isthmian Games or Isthmia (Ancient Greek: Ἴσθμια) were one of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were named after the Isthmus of Corinth, where they were held. As with the Nemean Games, the Isthmian Games were held both the year ...

; yet in

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...

's time it had fallen deep into debt. Under the

Roman empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...

it was quite obscured by the restored cities of Corinth and

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; in

' age (150 AD) it was almost desolate. In

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

times it became a bishop's seat, and to judge by its later name Hellas it served as a refuge for the Greeks from the Slavonic invasions of the 8th century. In the 4th century BC the people of Sicyon were the subject of a popular comedy by

Menander Menander (; grc-gre, Μένανδρος ''Menandros''; c. 342/41 – c. 290 BC) was a Greek dramatist and the best-known representative of Athenian New Comedy. He wrote 108 comedies and took the prize at the Lenaia festival eight times. His rec ...

titled Sikyonioi.

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, in his 1606 play ''

Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around ...

'' (Act I, Scene 2), notes that

Marc Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the aut ...

's wife,

Fulvia Fulvia (; c. 83 BC – 40 BC) was an aristocratic Roman woman who lived during the Late Roman Republic. Fulvia's birth into an important political dynasty facilitated her relationships and, later on, marriages to Publius Clodius Pulcher, Gai ...

died in Sicyon. Historically, she died there in 40 BC while in rebellion against Octavius Caesar.

Friedrich Hölderlin Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin (, ; ; 20 March 1770 – 7 June 1843) was a German poet and philosopher. Described by Norbert von Hellingrath as "the most German of Germans", Hölderlin was a key figure of German Romanticism. Part ...

's novel '' Hyperion'' from 1797 starts at the "paradisiac plain of Sicyon".

Monuments

* Temple of Apollo or Artemis * Theatre of Sikyon * Palaestra - Gymnasium * Stadium of Sikyon * Bouleuterion of Sikyon A village named until 1920 ''Vasiliko'' (described by the 1911 ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...

'' as "insignificant") now occupies the site.

Mythological Rulers

Rulers according to Eusebius's chronicle and other greek sources are: *1st: Aegialeus *2nd: Europs *3rd:

Telchis :''"Telchis" is also the singular form of "Telchines".'' In Greek mythology, Telchis ( grc, Τελχίς means "one of the Telchines") may refer to two different or the same characters: * Telchis or Telchin, the third king of Sicyon who reigned for ...

*4th:

Apis of Sicyon In Greek mythology, Apis (; Ancient Greek: Ἄπις derived from ''apios'' "far-off" or "of the pear-tree") was the fourth king of Sicyon who reigned for 25 years. Family Apis was the son and heir of King Telchis, descendant of the city's foun ...

*5th:

Thelxion of Sicyon In Greek mythology, Thelxion ( grc, Θελξίων) was the fifth king of Sicyon who reigned for 52 years. Family Thelxion was the son and heir of King Apis (Greek mythology), Apis, descendant of the city's founder Aegialeus (King of Sicyon), A ...

*6th:

Aegyrus In Greek mythology, Aegyrus (Ancient Greek: Αἴγυρος) or Aegydrus was the sixth king of Sicyon who reigned for 34 years. Family Aegyrus was the son and heir of King Thelxion, descendant of the city's founder Aegialeus (an autochthon). ...

*7th:

Thurimachus In Greek mythology, Thurimachus (Ancient Greek: Θουρίμαχος) was the seventh king of Sicyon who reigned for 45 years.Eusebius, ''Chronographia'63/ref> Family Thurimachus was the son and heir of King Aegyrus, descendant of the city's fo ...

*8th:

Leucippus Leucippus (; el, Λεύκιππος, ''Leúkippos''; fl. 5th century BCE) is a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher who has been credited as the first philosopher to develop a theory of atomism. Leucippus' reputation, even in antiquity, was obscured ...

*9th:

Messapus Messapus, (Greek: Μέσσαπος, ''Messapos'') a character in Virgil's ''Aeneid'', appears in Books VII to XII of the Latin epic poem. He was a son of Neptune, a famous tamer of horses, and king of Etruria, known for being one "whom no one ca ...

Peratus In Greek mythology, Peratus (Ancient Greek: Πέρατος means "wanderer, emigrant"), also called Eratus (Ἔρατος means "lovely"), was the 10th king of Sicyon who reigned for 46 years.Eusebius, ''Chronographia'63/ref> Family Peratus was ...

*10th:

Plemnaeus In Greek mythology, Plemnaeus (Ancient Greek: Πλημναῖον or Πλημναίῳ) was the 11th king of Sicyon who reigned for 48 years. Family Plemnaeus was the son and heir of King Peratus, son of Poseidon. He was the father of Orthopoli ...

*11th:

Orthopolis In Greek mythology, Orthopolis (Ancient Greek: Ὀρθοπόλιδι or Ὀρθόπολιν means "upholding the city") was the 12th king of Sicyon who reigned for 63 years.Eusebius, ''Chronographia'63/ref> Family Orthopolis was the son and heir ...

*12th:

Marathonius In Greek mythology, Marathonius or Marathonios may refer to two distinct characters: * Marathonius, the 13th king of Sicyon who reigned for 30 years. His predecessor was Orthopolis and himself was succeeded by Marathus. During his reign, Cecrop ...

or Coronus *13th:Marathus *14th: *15th: Coronus or Echyreus *16th: Corax *17th :

Epopeus of Sicyon In Greek mythology, Epopeus (; Ancient Greek: Ἐπωπεύς) was the 17th king of Sicyon, with an archaic bird-name that linked him to ''epops'' (ἔποψ), the hoopoe, the "watcher". A fragment of Callimachus' ''Aitia'' ("Origins") appears to ...

*18th: Lamedon *19th:

Sicyon Sicyon (; el, Σικυών; ''gen''.: Σικυῶνος) or Sikyon was an ancient Greek city state situated in the northern Peloponnesus between Corinth and Achaea on the territory of the present-day regional unit of Corinthia. An ancient mona ...

*20th:

Polybus of Sicyon In Greek mythology, Polybus (Ancient Greek: Πόλυβος) was the 20th king of Sicyon who reigned for 40 years.Eusebius, ''Chronographia'63/ref> Family Polybus was the son of Hermes and Chthonophyle, daughter of the eponym of Sicyon. He h ...

*21st:

Adrastus In Greek mythology, Adrastus or Adrestus (Ancient Greek: Ἄδραστος or Ἄδρηστος), (perhaps meaning "the inescapable"), was a king of Argos, and leader of the Seven against Thebes. He was the son of the Argive king Talaus, but was ...

*Before Agammemnon:

Polypheides In Greek mythology, the name Polypheides or Polyphides (; Ancient Greek: Πολυφείδης) may refer to: *Polypheides, son of Mantius and brother of Cleitus. He was granted prophetic skills by Apollo and became the best seer among mortals afte ...

Notable people

Ancient * Aegialeus (21st century BC) legendary founder * Tellis (8th century BC), runner (Olympic victor 708 BC) *

Butades Butades of Sicyon ( grc, Βουτάδης ''Boutades''), sometimes mistakenly called Dibutades, was the reputed inventor of the art of modelling clay in relief, which an accident first led him to practise, in conjunction with his daughter, at Cor ...

(7th century BC) sculptor *

Canachus Canachus ( grc, Κάναχος ) was a sculptor of Sicyon in Corinthia, of the latter part of the 6th century . He was especially noted as the author of two great statues of Apollo, one in bronze made for the temple at Didyma near Miletus, and ...

(6th century BC) sculptor * Aristocles (5th century BC) sculptor *

Praxilla Praxilla of Sicyon ( grc-gre, Πράξιλλα), was a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC, from Sicyon on the Gulf of Corinth. Eusebius dates her ''floruit'' to 451/450 BC (the second year of the 82nd Olympiad). Little of Praxilla's work su ...

(5th century BC) poetess *

Ariphron Ariphron (; Gr. ) was the name of several people from ancient Greek history: *Ariphron, the father of Xanthippus, and grandfather of Pericles, both prominent Athenian statesmen. He was associated with the Alcmaeonid family. *Ariphron, the brother ...

(5th century BC) poet *

Alypus Alypus ( grc-gre, Ἄλυπος) was a sculptor of ancient Greece, a native of Sicyon. He studied under Naucydes of Argos. His age may be fixed from his having executed bronze statues of some Spartans who shared in the victory of Lysander at Ae ...

(5th to 4th century BC) sculptor *

Alexis Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946–1977 ...

(5th or 4th century BC) sculptor *

(4th century BC) painter * Pamphilus (4th century BC) painter *

(4th century BC) painter *

Eutychides Eutychides ( grc, Εὐτυχίδης, ) of Sicyon in Corinthia, Greek sculptor of the early part of the 3rd century BC, was a pupil of Lysippus.Ogden, ''The Legend of Seleucus'', p. 136. His most noted work was a statue of the Tyche of Antioch ...

(4th century BC) sculptor *

Lysippos Lysippos (; grc-gre, Λύσιππος) was a Ancient Greek sculpture, Greek sculptor of the 4th century BC. Together with Scopas and Praxiteles, he is considered one of the three greatest sculptors of the Ancient Greece, Classical Greek era, bri ...

(4th century BC) sculptor * Lysistratus (4th century BC) sculptor * Sostrates (4th century BC) pankratiast (thrice Olympic champion) * Xenokrates (3rd century BC) sculptor and art historian *

Machon Machon (Ancient Greek: Μάχων, fl. 3rd century BC) was a playwright of the New Comedy. He was born in Corinth or Sicyon, and lived in Alexandria. It is said that he taught the grammarian Aristophanes of Byzantium. Two fragments from two o ...

(3rd century BC) playwright *

Timanthes Timanthes of Cythnus ( el, Τιμάνϑης) was an ancient Greek painter of the fourth century BC. The most celebrated of his works was a picture representing the sacrifice of Iphigenia, in which he finely depicted the emotions of those who to ...

(3rd century BC) painter *

Nealkes Nealkes was an ancient Greek painter from Sicyon who flourished in the 3rd century BC. He was a friend of Aratus of Sicyon and after the liberation of their city in 251 BC he interceded to save an artful painting by Melanthius showing the forme ...

(3rd century BC) painter *

Anaxandra Anaxandra ( grc-gre, Ἀναξάνδρα; fl. 220s BC) was an ancient Greek female artist and painter from ancient Greece, Greece. She was the daughter and student of Nealkes, a painter of mythological and genre scenes. She painted circa 228 B.C. ...

(3rd century BC) female painter * Pythocles (3rd century BC), runner (Olympic victor 236 BC) *

(271–213 BC) strategos of the Achaean League * Baccheidas, a dancer and teacher of music * Daetondas of Sicyon, sculptor Modern * Sotirios Krokidas, jurist and PM

Mythology: Identification with Mecone

Sicyon has been traditionally identified with the mythical Mecone or Mekone, site of the

trick at Mecone The trick at Mecone or Mekone was an event in Greek mythology first attested by Hesiod in which Prometheus tricked Zeus for mankind's benefit, and thus incurred his wrath. It is unusual among Greek myths for being etiological, i.e. explaining the ...

carried out by Prometheus. Mecone is also described by

Callimachus Callimachus (; ) was an ancient Greek poet, scholar and librarian who was active in Alexandria during the 3rd century BC. A representative of Ancient Greek literature of the Hellenistic period, he wrote over 800 literary works in a wide variety ...

as "the seat of the gods", and as the place where the gods

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=Genitive case, genitive Aeolic Greek, Boeotian Aeolic and Doric Greek#Laconian, Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=Genitive case, genitive el, Δίας, ''D� ...

Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ch ...

and

Hades Hades (; grc-gre, ᾍδης, Háidēs; ), in the ancient Greek religion and myth, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also ...

cast lots for what part of the world they ruled.Quoted st page 115, M.L. West, The Journal of Hellenic Studies Vol. 122 (2002), pp. 109-133

References

External links

"Sicyon: The most ancient Greek city-state (via archive.org)"
Ellen Papakyriakou/Anagnostou. Contains a great deal of information on ancient and present-day Sicyon.

The Ancient Theatre Archive. Theatre specifications and tour of the ancient theatre. {{Authority control Greek city-states Former populated places in Greece Cities in ancient Peloponnese Populated places in ancient Peloponnese Ancient Greek cities Locations in the Iliad