GREECE PELOPONNESE ARCADIA TEGEA TEGEA ALEA

Tegea is a small, inconspicious village in Arcadia, off the usual touristic routes. Its glory days lie in the past, but it sure is worthwhile a visit, definitely because of its excellent archaeological museum and the remains of the temple of Alea Athena.

Ancient Tegea was founded in the Archaic period and controlled the large, fertile plain of central Arcadia until the 6th century BC when the long-lasting rivalry with Mantineia began. About 560 BC, after heavy fights, Tegea came under the hegemony of Sparta until its decline. In the second century BC, Tegea lost its political significance but it remained a cultural, religious and economic center. - In AD 395, Tegea was destroyed by the Goths, led by Alarich I. It was rebuilt later with the Byzantine name Nikli, existing until the 13th century.

In the center of the small, modern town of Tegea lie the remains of the sanctuary of Athena Alea. The original archaic temple of the 7th century BC was destroyed by fire in 394 BC. About 370-350 BC it was rebuilt by the famous sculptor and architect Skopas, and in the 6th century AD this temple was destroyed by an earthquake. These are the remains that we see today.