Midea (Argolid) facts for kids

Midea

Location in Greece

Midea was an important ancient city in Greece.

Midea (pronounced Mih-DEE-uh) was an ancient city in a region of Greece called ancient Argolis. It was also known as Mideia. This city played a role in many old Greek myths and was once a powerful place.

Midea in Ancient Myths

Midea has a long and interesting history, especially in ancient Greek myths.

The City of Perseus

• Long ago, Midea was called Perseuspolis. This name means "city of Perseus".
• Perseus was a famous hero in Greek mythology. He was known for defeating Medusa.
• Ancient writers like Pseudo-Apollodorus wrote about Midea's connection to Perseus.

Home of Heroes

• Midea got its name from the wife of a king named Electryon.
• King Electryon lived in Midea.
• His daughter, Alcmena, was born there.
• Alcmena later became the mother of the mighty hero Heracles, also known as Hercules.
• So, Midea was the birthplace of Heracles's mother!
• The city was also home to Hippodameia for a time.

Early Rulers

• In the very early days, Midea was part of the lands ruled by King Proetus.
• It was mentioned alongside other important places like the Heraeum and Tiryns.

A City's History

Midea was an important city for many years.

When Midea Was Destroyed

• The city of Argos destroyed Midea a long time ago.
• This likely happened after the Greco-Persian Wars.
• Another nearby city, Tiryns, was probably destroyed around the same time.

Where Midea Was Located

• Ancient writers help us understand where Midea was.
• Strabo, a geographer, said Midea was close to Tiryns.
• Pausanias, another writer, gave a more exact clue.
• He said if you were coming from Tiryns on the road to Epidaurus, Midea would be on your left.
• This means Midea was on the eastern side of the Argive plain.

What Remains Today

Today, you can still see the ancient remains of Midea.

The Ancient Citadel

• The ruins of Midea are found above a modern village that shares its name.
• This village is in the Argolid region of Greece.
• What you see today is a large and well-preserved Bronze Age fortress, called a citadel.
• It is one of the biggest and best-kept Mycenaean citadels.
• The Mycenaean civilization was a powerful culture in Greece during the Bronze Age.

Tombs and Burials

• Near Midea, in a place called Dendra, there is an ancient tholos tomb.
• A tholos tomb is a special type of circular burial chamber.
• There is also a cemetery with many chamber tombs.
• These tombs are connected to the people who lived in Midea long ago.

Discovering the Past

• Archaeologists have been studying Midea for many years.
• The first excavations were started by a Swedish archaeologist named Axel W. Persson.
• Today, the Swedish Institute at Athens continues to explore the site regularly.
• Their findings are published in a journal called Opuscula.

See also

• Swedish Institute at Athens