Archaeological Site of Phigalia

In the village of Pavlitsa (Ano Phigalia), at the top of the Neda gorge, on the right side of the river that owes its name to one of the nymphs who took care of Zeus when he was born, the ruins of the ancient city of Phigalia are preserved. Today the gorge of Neda is the physical and administrative border of Ilia and Messinia.

However, in ancient times, Phigalia was, according to some scholars, a city of Triphylia, but most consider it as an Arcadian city. The territory of Phigalia, in the northeast, included the sanctuary of the Basses on Mount Kotilio where the temple of Epicurius Apollo, a dedication of the city's inhabitants, is preserved, as well as the sanctuary of Black Demeter on Mount Elaion in the southwest. The ancient city was fortified with a strong wall about 4 km long, with rectangular and circular towers, which is preserved even today in very good condition and at a sufficient height.

Pausanias mentions in Phigalia the existence of sanctuaries of Artemis Sotiros, Dionysos Akratophoros and Eurynome, as well as a gymnasium and market with statues of Hermes and the Olympian Arrachion. A statue of Kouros, which was found in the area of ​​the ancient market of the city, is currently on display in the Museum of the Ancient Olympic Games in Olympia and is believed to depict the Olympian Arrachion. Pausanias also mentions the existence of a polyandry of the Oresthasians, who helped the Phigalians to drive out the Spartan conquerors (after 659 BC) and after they succeeded, they dedicated, by building in honor of the god the archaic Temple of Epicurius Apollo because they believed that he was the one who helped them (epicurios = helper) to achieve their victory.

Scholars believe that there was still a cult of Health, Asclepius, Aphrodite and Neda or Fortune. The temple of Athena and Zeus Sotiros on the "Kourdoubouli" hill at the SW end of the market of the ancient city is the most remarkable excavated monument of ancient Phigalia. It is a rectangular temple with a provision and nave oriented E-W. It is made of large rectangular stone plinths according to an irregular isodome system and survives to a maximum height of three structures. The life period spans from the 4th century BC until the Roman era, while it must also have had an archaic phase. To the north of this, the remains of a Middle Helladic and Late Helladic settlement were discovered, while in the Byzantine era or shortly after, the temple seems to have been converted into a house.

A fountain from the early Hellenistic era has been excavated from the ancient city, from which drinking water still gushes today, as well as a cemetery with monumental tombs to the west of the ancient market that show similarities with those of ancient Alifera and Messini. Apart from the fortification of Phigalia, on the south-eastern border of the current village, there is an ancient fountain, which has been systematically excavated and which still gushes water today.

Copyediting: Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia