(b.) West of the Cephissus, and E. of the city, in the direction from N. to S: 17. Oeum Ceramiecum (Οίον Κεραμεικόν), to distinguish it from Oeam Deceleieum near Deceleia. Its name shows that it was near the outer Cerameicus, and it may, therefore, be placed, with Leake, between the Sacred Way and the northern Long Wall. (Harpocrat., Suid. s. v.) 18. Scirum (Σκίρον, Σκίρα, Strab. ix. p. 393), a small place near a torrent of the same name, just outside the Athenian walls on the Sacred Way. It was not a demus, and derived its name from Scirus, a prophet of Dodona, who fell in the battle between the Eleusinii and Erechtheus, and was buried in this spot (Paus. i. 36. § 4; Strab. l. c.; Steph. B., Harpocrat. s. v.; comp. Schol. ad Aritoph. Eccl. 18) 19. Laciadae (Λακιάδαι), on the Sacred Way between Sciron and the Cephissus, and near the sacred fig-tree. It is celebrated as the damus to which the family of Miltiades and Cimon belonged. (Paus. i. 37. § 2; Plut. Cim. 4, Alc. 22; Cic. de Off. ii. 18; Hesych.; Suid.) 20. Colonus (Κολωνός), celebrated as the damus of Sophocles, and the scene of one of the poet's tragedies, was situated ten stadia from the gate of the city, called Dipylum, near the Academy and the river Cephissus. (Thuc. viii. 67; Cic. de Fin. v. 1.) It derived its name from two small but conspicuous heights, which rise from the plain a little to the north of the Academy. Hence it is called by Sophocles "the white Colonus" (τόν άργήτα Κολωνόν, Oed. Col. 670). It was under the especial care of Poseidon, and is called by Thucydides (l. c.) the ίερόν of this god. It is frequently called "Colonus Hippius," to distinguish it from the "Colonus Agoraeus" in Athens. [Athenae, p. 298, b.] Besides the temple of Poseidon, it possessed a sacred inclosure of the Eumenides, altars of Athena, Hippia, Demeter, Zeus, and Prometheus, together with sanctuaries of Peirithous, Theseus, Oedipus, and Adrastus. (Paus. i. 30. § 4.) The natural beauties of the spot are described by Sophocles in the magnificent chorus, beginning with the words :
(c.) Farther north: 21. Acharnae (Άχαρναί), the most important of all the Attic demi, described in a separate article. [Acharnae.] 22. Eupyridae (Εύπυρίδαι, Steph. B.), 23. Cropia (Κρωπία. Steph. B.; Κρωπείά, Thuc. ii. 19), 24. Peleces (Πήληκες), three demi forming a community, as τρίκωμοι (Steph. B. s. v. Εύρυπίδαι), and probably, therefore, adjacent. If the reading in Thucydides (ii. 19) is correct, διά Κρωπειάς, these demi should be placed in the north of the Athenian plain, but many editors read διά Κεκροπιάς. Stuart, who has been followed by most modern writers, was led, by similarity of name, to place Peleces at the modern Bélikas, near Marúsi; but Ross maintains that the name of this Albanian village has no connexion with Peleces. 25. Paeonidae (Παιονίδαι, Paus. ii. 18. § 9), apparently the same as the Paeonia (Παιονίη) of Herodotus (v. 62), who describes Leipsydrium as |
26. Leipsydrium (Λειψύδριον), was not a demus, but a fortress, in which the Alcmaeonidae fortified themselves after the death of Hippachua, but was taken by the Peisistratidae after defeating the opposite party. (Herod, v. 62; comp. Athen. xv. p. 695.) We have already seen that Herodotus describes it as situated above Paeonia, and other authorities place it above Parnes. (Schol. ad Aristoph. Lyster. 665; Hesych. s. v. Λειψύδριον; Hesych., Suid. Λειψυδριφ μάχη.) It is, however, more probable that it stood on the southern slopes of Mt. Parnes, so as to command the descent into the Athenian plain. Leake conjectures that it may have occupied the site of the Metókhi of St. Nicolas, a small monastery, situated amidst the woods of the upper region of Mount Parnes, at the distance of three or four miles to the north of Menidhi. 27. Cephisia (Κήφισία), was one of the ancient twelve cities of Cecrops, and continued to be an important demus down to the latest time. It retains its ancient name (Kivisia) and is situated about nine miles NE. of Athens, at the foot of Mt. Pentelicus, nearly opposite Acharnae. It was the favourite summer residence of Herodes Atticus, who adorned it with buildings, gardens, and statues. We learn from modern travellers that a fountain of transparent water, and groups of shady trees, still remain here; and that it continues to be a favourite residence of the Athenians during the heat of summer. (Strab. iz. 397; Diog. Laërt. in. 41; Philostr. Vit. Soph. ii. 1. § 12; Gell. i. 2, xviii. 10; Harpocrat; Phot.; Wordsworth, p. 227; Stephani, Reise durch Griechenland, p. 1.) 28. Athmonium (Άθμανον, also Άθμονία, Harpocrat; Steph. B.; Zonar.; Suid.; Bekker, Anecd. i. p. 349), situated on the site of the village Marúsi, which is a mile and a half from Kivisia on the road to Athens. The name of the modern village has been derived from Amarysia, a surname of Artemis, who was worshipped under this designation at Athmonum. (Paus. i. 35. § 5.) An inscription found near Marúsi, in which the temenos of this goddess is mentioned, puts the matter beyond dispute. (άρες Άρτέμιδος τεμένους Άμαρυσίας Böckh, Inscr. n. 528.) Athmonum also possessed a very ancient temple of Aphrodite Urania. (Paus. i. 14. § 7.) The inhabitants of this damus appear to have been considered clever wine-dressers. (Aristoph. Pac. 190.) 29. Iphistiadae or Hephaestiadae (Ίφιστιάδαι, Ήφαιστιάδαι, Steph. B.; Hesych.), are the names of one demus, and not two separate demi, as Leake maintained. Iphistiadae appears to have been the correct form of the name, not only because it occurs much more frequently in inscriptions, but also because it is much more probable that a name formed from the obscure hero Iphistius should have been converted into one derived from the god Hephaestus, than that the reverse should have been the case. (Ross, p. 74.) We learn from Plato's will (Diog. Laërt. iii.l 41), that this damus contained an Heracleium or temple of Hercules, which has probably given its name to the modern village of Arakli, about two or three miles westward of Kivisia and Marusi Hence Arakli indicates the site of Iphistiadae, as Marusi does that of Athmonum. |
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