Megalopoli

Megalopolis (Megale Polis, 'Great City’), a new foundation in SW ’Arcadia in the period following ’Leuctra (sources differ on the date, in the range 370-367 bc). Existing communities were combined to produce a new state with a new urban centre; five Arcadian poleis (see polis) provided ‘founders, but the Theban ‘Epaminondas is credited with strong influence. The main accounts (Diod. Sic. 15. 72. 4; Paus. 8. 27) differ on the number of communities incorporated into Megalopolis, but its territory clearly covered SW and central Arcadia, which had had no major state. The main part of the territory was a large upland basin crossed by the river ‘Alpheus, an area crucial for access to north¬ ern Messenia, and for travel across the Eurotas/Alpheus water¬ shed between upper ‘Laconia and southern Arcadia. The new city, built in the era of liberation from Sparta, was fortified (cf.

mantinea; messene) by walls enclosing a large area; its buildings included a notable theatre and a meeting-place (the Thersilion).

Some communities incorporated in Megalopolis sought to regain independence, both in the 360s and under ‘Philopoemen. None the less Megalopolis became the largest Arcadian polis, influential in the Peloponnese (see Peloponnesus) from the 4th to the 2nd cent, bc, often supporting Macedon. In 235 the tyrant ‘Lydiadas took Megalopolis into the ‘Achaean Confederacy, where it played a major part, despite being sacked by the Spartan ‘Cleo­ menes (2) III in 223. Megalopolis was the birthplace of the writers ‘Cercidas and ‘Polybius (I). It declined under Roman domina¬ tion, but continued to exist until late antiquity.

Megalopoli is situated in a wide valley, surrounded by mountains: the Taygetus to the south, the Mainalo to the north, the Tsemperou to the southeast and the Lykaion to the west. Its elevation is 430 m above sea level. The river Alfeios flows through this valley, coming from the east and flowing to the north, passing south and west of the town. Its tributary Elissonas passes north of the town. The large lignite deposits around Megalopoli are being exploited by open-pit mining. The Megalopoli Power Plant, 3 km northwest of the town centre, has produced electricity from this lignite since 1969.

The A7 motorway connects Megalopoli with Kalamata and Tripoli, replacing the Greek National Road 7. The Greek National Road 7 connects Megalopoli with Pyrgos via Karytaina and Andritsaina. The railway from Corinth to Kalamata passes 4 km south of the town. Megalopoli is 24 km southwest of Tripoli, 41 km north of Kalamata, 45 km northwest of Sparti and 68 km southeast of Pyrgos.

In 331 BC, Megalopolis was invaded by the Spartans and there was a battle with the Macedonians that came to Megalopolis' help. In 317 BC at the start of the Second War of the Diadochi, Polyperchon, the new Regent of the Macedonian Empire, besieged Megalopolis which had sided with his enemy Cassander.[4] The siege failed.[4] In the 270s BC, Aristodamos the Good managed to take control over the city as a tyrant backed by Macedon. In 235 BC, the second tyrant of the city, Lydiades, gave up control over the polis and the city became a member of the Achaean League. In 222 BC, the Spartan king Cleomenes III burnt down the city but it was rebuilt in the years after the destruction. As a member of the Achaean League, Megalopolis had a profound influence on the federal politics and it was the hometown of several notable Achaean figures such as Philopoemen, Lykortas and Polybius. The city remained populated under the Romans but by the 6th century it was almost completely abandoned. During the Byzantine era, and later also the Ottoman, the town on the same place was called Sináno (Σινάνο). It was renamed Megalopoli after the Greek War of Independence.