Argos: From the Neolithic Era to the Modern Greek State
The Political Evolution of Argos: From Monarchy to Democracy (6000 BC – 1830 AD)
-The Mythical and Prehistoric Era forms the cornerstone of the history of Argos, which is recognized as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe, with traces of settlement on the hills of Larisa dating back to the Neolithic Period (around 6000 BC).
-The first inhabitants are considered to have been the indigenous Pelasgians. The name Argos Pelasgikon and the name of its acropolis, Larisa, are of Pelasgian origin, indicating continuous presence before the arrival of the Greek tribes.
-The city enters its mythical prime with Inachus, son of Oceanus and Tethys, who is regarded as the first mythical king of Argos (around 2000 BC). According to tradition, he arrived from Egypt and gave his name to the local river. Under his reign, the city flourished greatly.
-He was succeeded by his son Phoroneus, a central figure. Phoroneus was revered as the founder of the city and the man who gathered the scattered inhabitants and taught them to live in an organized community—the Phoronic City, often referred to as the first city in history.
-The royal line continued with Danaus, the twin brother of Aegyptus, who took refuge in Argos (around the 16th century BC). Danaus is credited with introducing knowledge of well-digging and shipbuilding, while his name gave the region the epithet land of the Danaans. From him, the inhabitants of the region, and eventually all Greeks, came to be known as Danaans.
-Argos now became a powerful Mycenaean center, birthplace and homeland of Panhellenic heroes. Mythology connects Argos directly with Perseus (who later is said to have founded Mycenae) and with Heracles. Argos’ participation in the Trojan War under King Diomedes confirms its strength and prestige during the Late Bronze Age.
-With the Dorian invasion (late 12th century BC), Argos emerged as a center of Hellenism, establishing the “great Argive state.” Temenos of the Heracleidae became king, and Argos was transformed into the metropolis of Dorian Argolis, replacing Mycenae as the royal seat.
-In the Classical period, Argos was Sparta’s main rival in the Peloponnese, culminating in the victory of King Pheidon. However, after defeats (such as the Battle of Sepeia), its power declined.
-The adoption of a democratic constitution in Argos around 460 BC was a direct consequence of the devastating defeat by Sparta at the Battle of Sepeia (494 BC), which decimated the local aristocracy and created a political vacuum that the Demos of the city filled.
-This institutional reform led Argos into a period of political flourishing, during which it strengthened its influence in Argolis, allying itself with Athens as a counterbalance to Spartan oligarchy.
-The shift in governance was reflected architecturally by moving the center of power from the acropolis to the Agora, where the Bouleuterion (Council House) was built for the sessions of the Council, and the Ancient Theatre was expanded to host the Assemblies of the Demos, making it a central organ of popular authority.
-The city chose to maintain a neutral stance during the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, a strategy that later contributed to its decline.
-Surviving from this period are the Ancient Agora, the Ancient Theatre, and the sanctuaries of Apollo Deiradiotes and Athena Oxyderkes on the hill of Aspis.
-During Roman times, Argos remained an active city, with the construction of important works and monuments that survive to this day (e.g., the Roman Baths).
-Christianity was likely preached by the Apostle Andrew. At the end of the 9th century, Saint Peter—now the Patron Saint of Argos—was appointed Bishop of the city.
-Argos experienced periods of obscurity but also of prosperity, especially after 1189 when it became a metropolis.
-After 1204, the city was attacked and conquered by the Franks, the Venetians, and the Turks. It passed into Ottoman control in 1463, with a brief period of reconquest by the Venetians (1686–1715).
-During the Greek War of Independence in 1821, the Turks of the city moved to Nafplio for safety, while Argos hosted the First National Assembly of Epidaurus (1821–1822) and later became an important center of the newly founded Greek state.
-With the establishment of the modern Greek State (1830), Ioannis Kapodistrias designed the urban layout of Argos, resulting in the construction of important public buildings such as the Kapodistrias Barracks (originally a Venetian hospital, later a barracks, today the Byzantine Museum and cultural center).