Tégée is old a quoted of the south-east of the Arcadie, mentioned in Iliade , probably already occupied with the time mycénienne. It is a site very iimportant, on the one hand because of its central position in the Peloponnese, and on the other hand because of the presence of the temple of Athéna Aléa, one of most sumptuous of Greece. The site is in ruin, but it is very interesting from many works of the architect and sculptor Scopas of Paros, and from the study which one can make of the worship of Athéna Aléa in Arcadie, which radiated there during many years.

History of the site

Tégée is present already in the Catalog of the vessels, which proves its seniority. It will be the secular rival of Mantinée. After one long period of fight, Tégée will be forced to become a vassal State by Sparte in 560 av. J. - C. It will remain under control Spartan until she joins the league of Arcadie and fights against Sparte in 362 av. J. - C. Towards 370 av. J. - C., Tégée built its first enclosing walls. But during third century BC, she will suffer from three defeats against the Spartans. In 222 av. J. - C., Tégée was integrated of force in the league of Achaie and it continued to lose its political power for the hellenistic period. The city however maintained its prosperity and its commercial importance and opened out well during the Roman time. Towards 395 ap J. - C. Tégée was destroyed by Goths, then rebuilt under the name of Nikli, and became one of the Byzantine cities most important in the Peloponnese.

It directed Tégéatide, divided at the time history into nine dèmes. According to Pausanias, Tégée took share with other Arcadiens with the forwarding of Argonautes and the Trojan War, like with the medic wars. This city would have been created by Tégéatès, one of fifty mythical wire of Lykaon. The only girl of this one, Kallisto, would have given birth to Arkas, from where Arcadie would hold its name. Tégée would have also taken part in the battle of Dipaia, against Lacédémoniens, and it would have captured a great number of it. From this act of war will rise from the festivals and the contests (Halotia). They also killed mythical wild boar of Calydon, thanks to Atalante.

Aléos, wire of Apheidas, itself being one of three wire of Arkas, would have made build the old sanctuary in the honor of Athéna Aléa, and would have joined together the nine dèmes of Tégéatide downtown. One can easily guess that this character is mythical, since its name is éponyme with that of the local goddess, Aléa. But the date of this synœcism is not easy to define. Even if the worship is much older, it is thought that the city was created towards 478-473 before J. - C. the temple disappeared in a violent fire which took place, tells us Pausanias, “whereas Diophantès was Archonte in Athens, the second year of the four-twenty-sixteenth Olympiad, where Eupolémos d' Elis was victorious with the race of the stage. ” I.e. towards 395/4 before J. - C.

A new sanctuary was then built by Tégéates, and Pausanias describes it like carrying “by far on all those of the Peloponnese by construction and in particular by the size. ” One wanted to build a temple which is at the level of great Greek constructions in general, and attics in particular, and which is worthy to honor a goddess like Athéna Aléa, whose worship was then with its apogee and radiated in all Arcadie. Tégée is located in a plain, not easily justifiable, reason of its destruction per Michel Paléologue, Byzantine emperor, a few centuries later.

The worship of Athéna Risk

One meets this worship in these three towns of Arcadie; Tégée, Mantinée and Aléa, like in Laconie, although in less importance. But it is only in Tégée that it became considerably large extensive. At the time mycénienne, one is absolutely not sure of the presence of the worship, the few shards and the single figurine cannot be sufficient to determine it. On the other hand, as from the 8th century, one finds a certain number of objects, the bronze majority, which attest its existence. No architectural vestige can let to us think that there was to celebrate the worship more than one furnace bridge. One allots at the time antiquated the first construction of a building (fine VIIe), and one finds of them certain fragments with the museum of Tégée, like in on the site (fragments re-used for the new temple). One on the spot found a figure of Athéna out of weapons which one thought of being a copy of Athéna d' Endoios, but without any certainty. The traditional sanctuary is that of which we have the foundations, and is the subject of a thorough study.

This goddess can easily be identified like a fusion between Hellenic Athéna Polias and a local divinity, Aléa. Who was it? In Risk, one finds the root Al, which wants to say refuge, protection, which seems to be confirmed by the history. Tégée is a land of welcome recognized of the emigrants argiens, inter alia. It is probable that this worship was born in Aléa was spread then in this area of Arcadie.

How did the assimilation occur? Athéna and its worship were probably brought in Arcadie by Argiens emigrated, which took refuge in sanctuaries, and it is probable that the assimilation started from these sanctuaries. The fusion of a goddess of asylum, Risk, and of the goddess of protection, Athéna Polias, probably played a great part in the importance of Tégée.

The worship of Athéna Aléa was reinforced, and at the time of the fire which destroyed the old temple, it was with its apogee. One thus includes/understands the goal present behind construction of this temple of Athéna Aléa, and the fact that one calls upon Scopas de Paros to build it.

The statue of Athéna Aléa resting before the fire with Tégée was out of ivory and would have been carried out by Endoios, a sculptor of second half of the 6th century. Saved flames, it was placed in the new temple. Then it will be carried by Auguste and will be exposed on his forum in Rome. Its replacing will be brought by one of the nine dèmes. And behind this Athéna were represented Asklépios and its Hygie daughter, out of marble pentelic. The furnace bridge would have been made for the goddess by Mélampous, wire of Amynthaon, and represented Rhéa and the Oinoé Nymph holding Zeus still child. These details leave think that this worship was important good before the political synœcism of Tégée.

The currencies of the area represent is Athéna Poliatis, a sanctuary being dedicated him in the surroundings, and Athéna Aléa, as well as hunting for wild boar of Calydon.

Excavations

Before the excavations of Milchhöfer in 1879, one knew by Pausanias that there was a sanctuary of Athéna Aléa in the area, and sometimes one located it under the church of Hagios Nikolaos, sometimes in the area. The many drums of doric columns scattered in on the site attest the presence of a temple, but one finally did not know where it was located exactly. These drums supposed a considerable temple of size, and one immediately thought of the sumptuous temple of Athéna Aléa describes by Pausanias.

The travellers preceding Milchhöfer admitted that it was located here, but without real evidence, which was brought by Milchhöfer, when it methodically probed the site in 1879. It determined that the temple was not located under the church, but in the vicinity. Max Treu established at the same time as several sculptures found on the site were of style scopasic, and than they could not come that pediments from the temple built by Scopas. These two points easily justified a complete excavation of the places.

In 1882, Mr. Dörpfeld excavated part of the site, but it is the French School of Athens which will release the temple in its entirety, as from 1900. Meanwhile, the excavations were stopped to leave room to negotiations for the purchase of the ground, to lead in 1900. From 1900 E 1902, Mendel entirely released the temple, except for the south-western angle, covered by a house.

The excavations were then stopped until 1909, and during this time, this house was bought by the Archaeological Company of Athens and provision of the diggers. The Rhomaïos archeologist then finishes clearing all the site in 1909. In 1910, Charles Dugas is charged by the EFA with the publication with the site, and will excavate in-depth site.

Total description of the site

Stage

“Not far from the temple, Pausanias says to us, is a stage, formed of a ground lifting” the contests celebrating here the goddess Aléa (Aléios) are rather well attested. One would also have there, according to Pausanias, organized contests called Halotia, celebrating the victory of Tégéates over Laconie.

Sanctuaries

In this “district”, Pausanias also mentions a temple of Hermes Ayptos, at three stages of the fountain which is in the north of the temple of Athéna Aléa. This district could have borne the name of Risk, independently of the town of Risk. Another sanctuary was devoted to Athéna Poliatis, and was called “Eryma” by Tégéates (the Rampart). This goddess is quoted by Pausanias following Aléa, but he does not say anything of his geographical location. It is obvious in its text which it is about a monument distinct from the sanctuary from Athéna Aléa. This sanctuary and the worship which accompanies it is probably very old, as well as those of Athéna Aléa. There are also other sanctuaries apart from this “district”, such those of Zeus Klarios, Déméter and Koré, Aphrodite, Dionysos and Apollo, but they are not as important by far as that of Risk.

Agora

On the agora of Tégée various sanctuaries were, in particular those of Aphrodite, Zeus Téleios, Ilithyie and Ge. The agora resembles, always according to Pausanias, with a “brick by the form. ” A stele represents Arès Gynaikothoinas, but this god forever received with Tégée a regular worship and even less one sanctuary. The agora was to occupy the center of the ancient city, and the foundations of the theater were discovered under the church of Mitigated Episkopi, which confirms the site of the agora. Pausanias into precise besides the proximity.

Testimonys epigraphic

Many inscriptions were found in the enclosure of Tégée, and can testify to the existence of these worships. But the problem is to know if these worships were private or public, if it were only one furnace bridge or on the contrary a more complex sanctuary. Pausanias does not inform us on this subject, even if it quotes the majority of the divinities of which we found the name in the stone. Few stones were found on their place of origin, which cruelly handicaps the research of the sites of the sanctuaries

Description of the temple

It is a doric, peripteral temple and hexastyle (6x14 columns). One estimates the height of the temple at 17m484. Only completely hypothetical measurement is that of the acroterion faîtier.

Foundations

There remains temple only its foundations, and a few blocks of the euthyntéria. They form on the ground two rectangles, of which one is registered inside the other. The external rectangle measures 49.56 meters length and 21.20 meters of width, and it undoubtedly supported the columns of the péristasis. The interior rectangle supported him to them walls of concealed and the columns of the pronaos and the opisthodome. It is divided into three parts by two transverse foundations which supported the walls separating concealed it pronaos and opisthodome. In the middle of the east coasts and north of the relatively small foundations rectangular compared to the unit, and which can be only approach ramps. The plan of the temple is clearly defined by these foundations, which does not leave really doubts as for its peripteral character, with one concealed, and the presence of a pronaos and a opisthodome. The matters used were defined by Mendel: one mainly used gravels cemented in a hardened clay, in the shape of large rectangular and regular blocks, adjusted carefully. One also finds side northern several blocks of marbles, probably re-used starting from older buildings, perhaps the old temple flaring. In the center of concealed, of the foundations are present: they are parallel to the long sides of the temple. One initially thought of an interior colonnade, but Dugas showed that this colonnade, if it existed well, is not contemporary with the temple. It would have belonged to the transformation of the temple ruined into Byzantine church. The number of fragments of Byzantine style on the spot discovered gives him reason.

With these foundations, one can easily reconstitute the rough coats. This one, as well as the remainder of the temple, is made out of marble of Doliana. It is a marble of a white very chechmate, of a rather coarse grain, which comes from the village of the same name located at a few hours of Tégée. These careers were still exploited at the beginning of the twentieth century, Dugas says to us, and at the time antique, this marble was very usual.

The majority of the blocks are adjusted precisely and takes part in the solidity of construction. Nevertheless, one notices in various places of the not-adjusted and nonregular blocks. These blocks are posterior at the 4th century, and were probably used as foundations with the Byzantine church.

The euthyntéria even included/understood three lines of blocks, whose many ones are preserved, still in place. Thanks to those, one can determine up to which level the ancient ground went up, because these blocks have a badly trimmed lower part, whereas the upper part is well levelled.

The stylobate is separated from the euthyntéria by a double walk, with variable dimensions. The study of sealings reveals us that this provision is the only possible one. It is thus a progressive rise in the degrees of the temple which carries out us on the péristasis The foundations of the slopes indicate the approximate size of those to us, but one cannot the knowledge precisely, because we miss elements. One knows however who they were slightly less less high than the foundations of the temple.

The external order

We lay out to reconstitute the columns of the péristasis of traces left on four flagstones of the stylobate, of very many drums and some capitals. The traces on the stylobate teach us the distance which separated the columns from the edge of the stylobate. One also thus knows the diameter of the base of the columns, and thanks to the drums discovered on the spot, we are capable to reconstitute with a nearly perfect exactitude the columns. The barrels have twenty grooves, and measure 8m885 without capital, and 9m474 with; they are thus relatively high.

We have thirteen capitals, of which one of angle, and the grooves are not curved beyond the rings, but stopped Net. The profile of the spine is almost right. There are important remainders of the entablature, although no block is preserved perfectly. But one can establish an unquestionable reconstitution from those, which moreover come to confirm the site of the columns. The architraves and against-architraves carefully polished outside, and only are trimmed inside, but sépousent perfectly. The fragments of plank of the péristasis are very numerous. Each block includes/understands a triglyphe and a métope.

On long the sides, the plank is composed of a series of waste-gas mains in the shape of lions, intersected with rinceaux in strong projection (detail representing of the branches or the branch of tree).

The roof was made of tiles punts and angular, but almost all disappeared. The pediment is known, and one does not know the depth of it. Tests of reconstitution were established, according to the account of Pausanias and some fragments found on the spot.

The acroteria were also restored, but that remains very dubious. They represent a made reason for palmettes and the rinceaux one (acroterion faîtier), and winged characters and upright (acroteria of angle)

The peristyle

The part ranging between the colonnade external and the walls of concealed is covered by a ceiling with marble. We have nine fragments of flagstones belonging to the peristyle, and none is preserved perfectly, which involves the reconstitution of this hypothetical pavement, even if it is regarded as probable.

The pronaos, the opisthodome and their walls

Only one drum of the columns of handle was found, and only one capital, which make it possible to determine principal measurements, but not the details of the columns in antis and the handles. Three blocks of planks were found, pertaining to the pronaos, and two with the opisthodome. The triglyphe is preserved there on the three, contrary to the métopes, but they are enough to reconstitute the length and the general composition of the plank.

The walls of the temple are reconstituted completely thanks to the fragments found on the spot. The pavement of the pronaos is slightly higher than that of the péristasis. A large door made communication between the pronaos and concealed it. The slope on the northern side leaves think that there was one second side door leading directly to concealed

Concealed

The blocks defining the interior fewer and are less better preserved than those of outside, but one in spite of very succeeded in drawing some from the details allowing the reconstitution. There are inside 14 semi-columns with capitals corynthiens, seven on each side. The 14 fragments of capitals present a completion and an exemplary work. In spite of the presence of central foundations, we are certain that there was no interior colonnade, and that these foundations are largely posterior at the fourth century.

Biography of Scopas de Paros

Contemporary of Praxitèle and Lysippe, Scopas de Paros is talented but badly known sculptor. We know his life very little, but the chronology of its displacements is about established. He was architect with Tégée towards 395, took part in the construction of Mausoleum, and was perhaps in Ephesus, after 356, and in Thèbes before 335. he did not make any portrait, few athletes, and especially the statues of worship. One knows no Master or disciple to him, and its dated works are very few. Its works were found in the Attic, the Peloponnese and in Asia Mineure. Its work with Tégée must be relative at the beginning of its career.

Assessment of the documentation and the actual position of the excavations

The current excavations (1990-1994) are led by the Norwegian institute to Athens, under the direction of E. Oestby.

Communes

• Risk

• Episkopi
• Garea
• Kamari
• Kerasitsa
• Lithovounia
• Magoula
• Giokareika (pop: 51)
• Manthyrea
• Mavriki
• Psili Vrysi
• Bouzaneika (pop: 45)
• Rizes
• Stadio
• Agios Sostis
• Akra (pop: 42)
• Tziva
• Vouno

Historical population

External bonds

• http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/siteindex?lookup=Tegea (in English)

• http://www.goddess-athena.org/Museum/Temples/Tegea.htm (in English)

• traveljournals.net - Tégée
• GTP - Old of Tégée
• GTP - Municipality of Tégée
• GTP - Risk