TITANE
TITANE (
Τιτάνη, Paus.;
Τίτανα,
Steph. B. sub voce: Eth.
Τιτάνιος), a place in the Sicyonia, upon the left bank of the Asopus, distant 60 stadia from Sicyon, and 40 from Phlius.
It was situated upon the summit of a hill, where Titan, the brother of the Sun, is said to have dwelt, and to have given his name to the spot.
It was celebrated for a temple of Asclepius, reported to have been built by Alexander, the son of Machaon, the son of Asclepius.
This temple still existed in the time of Pausanias, in the middle of a grove of cypress trees, in which the servants of the god attended to the patients who came thither for the recovery of their health. Within the temple stood statues of Asclepius and Hygieia, and of the heroes Alexanor and Euamerion.
There was also a temple of Athena at Titane, situated upon a hill, and containing an ancient wooden statue of the goddess.
In descending from the hill there was an altar of the Winds. (
Paus. 2.11. § § 5--8, 2.12.1, 2.27.1.) Stephanus B. (s. v.) refers the
Τιτάνοιό τε λευκὰ κάρηνα of Homer (
Hom. Il. 2.735) to Titane, but those words indicate a mountain in Thessaly. [Vol. I. p. 248b.] The ruins of Titane were first discovered by Ross. Leake heard that there were some ancient foundations on the summit of the hill above
Liópesi, which he supposed to be the remains of the temple of Asclepius at Titane; but although Hellenic remains exist at this site, there can be no doubt that Titane is represented by the more important
Paleókastron situated further S., and a few minutes N. of the village of
Voivónda. This
Paleókastron stands upon a projecting spur of the mountains which run eastward towards the Asopus, and terminate just above the river in a small hill, which is surrounded by beautiful Hellenic walls, rising to the height of 20 or 30 ft. on the S. and SW. side, and flanked by three or four quadrangular towers. On this hill there stands a chapel of St. Tryphon, containing fragments of Doric columns.
This was evidently the acropolis of the ancient city, and here stood the temple of Athena mentioned by Pausanias.
The other parts of this projecting ridge are covered with ancient foundations; and upon this part of the mountain the temple of Asclepius must have stood. (Leake,
Morea, vol. iii. p. 354, seq.; Ross,
Reisen im Peloponnes, p. 49, seq.; Curtius,
Peloponnesos, vol. ii. p. 500, seq.)
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PLAN OF TITANE.
- A. Village of Voivónda.
- 1. Acropolis of Titane.
- 2. Temple of Asclepius and surrounding Buildings.
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