ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF ANCIENT NEMEA

This site (Αρχαιολογικός Χώρος Νεμέας/Archaiologikos Choros Nemeas) houses the remains of the ancient sanctuary of Nemea, which was dedicated to Zeus. It lies next to the village of Archea Nemea/Αρχαία Νεμέα ("ancient Nemea", approx. 400 inhabitants) where winemakers offer tastings. Founded by the city of Cleones (9 km to the east), the sanctuary hosted the Nemean Games from 573 BC, which were one of the four great Greek sporting and artistic competitions along with those of Olympia, Delphi and Isthmia. They were held in honor of Zeus and were associated with two myths: Heracles' fight against the Nemean lion and the death of Opheltes, son of the legendary king Lycurgus, killed by a snake. They were moved to Argos in the^5th century B.C., returned to Nemea in 330 B.C., before being staged again in Argos from 270 B.C. They ended in 393 A.D. when all Panhellenic Games were banned on grounds of "paganism". The site includes a museum and two visitor areas: the sanctuary itself and the stadium, set slightly apart.

Temple columns and stadium tunnel. The museum takes visitors back to the excitement of the Games, which attracted athletes, artists and pilgrims every four years. A numismatic collection illustrates the sometimes distant origins of visitors, and a film reconstructs the events. Also on display are architectural elements, vases and stelae from the sanctuary, as well as weapons, skeletons, statuettes and jewelry from Neolithic and Mycenaean sites in the surrounding area. Behind the museum, the sanctuary is dominated by the Temple of Zeus (c. 330 BC). Nine of its Doric columns have been straightened, along with part of the entablature. Also visible are the bases of the thermal baths (under cover), the small temple of Opheltes and an inn. The ^4th-century BC stadium lies 500 m to the east of the museum. The bases of nine columns mark the site of the apodyterion, where athletes undressed. We then take the krypte, a beautiful 37 m-long tunnel that preserves ancient graffiti, including the word ΝΙΚΕ ("I have conquered"). We then reach the stadium track, 178 m long and surrounded by embankments that were covered with wooden bleachers. Since 1996, the New Nemean Games have been held here every four years at the end of June: sporting events inspired by those of antiquity, but open to all.