The history of Elis, one of the most important cities and capital of a state in the ancient world, is lost in the depths of the centuries.
Having under its control the glorious sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, it gained fame and respect among the Greeks as the metropolis of the Olympic Games.
The entire territory of the ancient state of Elis, whose boundaries roughly coincide with present-day Ilia prefecture, was sacred and under the protection of Zeus, due to the sanctuary of Olympia, something that the rest of the Greeks recognized and respected.
The extensive archaeological site of Elis includes the ancient agora with the theater and the stoas, part of the urban grid with houses, shops, baths and workshops, as well as the cemeteries. The relics of the ancient buildings in combination with the findings that came to light, reveal the numerous aspects of the daily life of the inhabitants of the ancient city.
Furthermore, the city’s acropolis, located in a strategic site, on top of the hill supervising the area, offers impressive views and helps in understanding and consolidating history.
Few parts of the ancient city have been excavated so far, but the findings are enough to give us a representative impression of its rich cultural heritage, which makes Elis quite fascinating for scholars and visitors.
Ψηφιδωτό δάπεδο με παράσταση των συμβόλων των εννέα Μουσών. Στο κέντρο η λύρα του μουσαγέτη Απόλλωνα. Ήλιδα
…did you know…:
….The Museum of Ancient Elis was inaugurated and began welcoming the public in March 2004, a few months before the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games….
….It succeeded the small Archaeological Collection which had been operating since the early 1980s near the ancient theater and which displayed a few exhibits. ….
at the foot of the hill of the ancient acropolis
the museum of ancient elis
hosts impressive findings from excavations and gatherings in the ancient city and the surrounding area…
