Amyclae

Amȳclae, ārum, f.: a town of Latium, 10.564.

Ămȳclae, ārum, f., = Ἀμύκλαι.

• A town in Laconia, in a beautiful, fertile region, the residence of Tyndarus and the birthplace of Castor and Pollux; also renowned on account of its temple and Colossus of Apollo, now Agios Kyriaki, Mart. 9, 104; Ov. M. 8, 314; cf. Mann. Graec. 616. —
• II An unknown town in Latium, between Cajeta and Tarracina, Verg. A. 10, 564, called tacitae, as being conquered because it was forbidden to announce the approach of an enemy; cf. Serv. ad h. l.; Sil. 8, 35, and Mann. Ital. 1, 681.—Hence,
• III Derivv.
• • A Ămȳclaeus, a, um, of Amyclae (in Laconia): canis, Verg. G. 3, 345: fratres, Castor and Pollux, Stat. Th. 7, 413; cf. Ov. H. 8, 71: corona, which were received in pugilistic games, very freq. in Amyclae, Mart. 9, 74.—Poet for Spartan, Sil. 6, 504.—
  • B Ămyclānus, a, um, belonging to Amyclae in Latium, Plin. 14, 6, 8, § 61.

Amyclae (Amynclae, Amunclae, Amunculae), ārum, f. (Ἀμύκλαι), I) Stadt in Lakonien, in der Nähe von Therapnä, 20 Stadien südöstl. von Sparta, Sitz des Tyndarus, Heimat der Dioskuren, der Helena u. Klytämnestra, mit einem Heiligtum u. Koloß des Apollo Amykläus, bei dem jährlich die Hyazinthien ( Hyacinthia) gefeiert wurden, *Acc. tr. 266. Liv. 34, 28, 12. Ov. met. 8, 314. Sil. 2, 434; 4, 358: virides, Stat. Theb. 9, 769. Vgl. unten no. II. – II) alte (nach der Sage achäisch-lakonische Pflanz-)Stadt in Latium zwischen Kajeta u. Terracina, an dem nach ihr benannten sumpfigen sinus Amyclanus (s. unten), von den Bewohnern wegen giftiger Schlangen verlassen, nach Plin. 3, 59 (wo Amyclae sive Amynclae od. Amunclae) u. 8, 104 (wo Amynclae; vgl. unten Amyclanus a.E.). Solin. 2, 32 (wo Amunclae): Fundanae Am., die fundanische Flur von Am., Mart. 13, 115 (vgl. Fundi): Am. tacitae, das schweigsame A. (nach einer andern Auslegung übtr. von Amyclae no. I, das von den Dorern überrumpelt wurde, weil man, ärgerlich über falsche Gerüchte von dem Anrücken eines Feindes, durch ein Gesetz verbot, ferner von den Feinden zu sprechen), Verg. Aen. 10, 564 (s. Serviuszur St.); vgl. Amunculas tacendo periisse audio, Afran. 275: quas evertere silentia, Amyclae, Sil. 8, 528; u. so Pervig. Ven. 92: u. sprichw., Amyclis ipsis taciturnior ero, Sidon. ep. 8, 6; vgl. taciturne, Amyclas qui silendo viceris, Auson. prof. 16, 6. p. 65 Schenkl. – Dav.: a) Amyclaeus, a, um, zu Amyklä (in Lakonien) gehörig, amykläisch, fratres, die Dioskuren, Verg.: mater, Leda, Stat.: olores, weil Jupiter als Schwan zu Leda kam, Stat.: pluma, Schwanenfeder, Mart.: ductor, Xanthippus aus Amyklä, Sil.: Canopus, so benannt nach Kanopus aus A., dem Steuermann des Menelaus, Sil.: corona, in den Kampfspielen der Hyazinthien errungen (s. oben), Mart. – dah. poet. = spartanisch, canis, Verg.: ahena, lakonischer Purpur, Ov.: dass. venenum, Mart.: nepos, Klaudius Nero, weil die Klaudier ( gens Claudia) von Sabinern u. diese von Spartanern abstammen sollten, Sil. – b) Amynclānus, a, um, zu Amyklä (in Latium) gehörig, amyklanisch, sinus, der Meerbusen von Kajeta, j. »Bai von Gaëta«, Plin. 14, 61.

Ămyclæ, (14) ārum, f. , ¶ 1 ville de Laconie : Mart. 9, 103, 5 ; Ov. M. 8, 314 ¶ 2 ville du Latium détruite par des serpents : Plin. 8, 104 ; [ Serv. En. 10, 564 donne aussi une autre tradition] ; Virg. En. 10, 564 || -clæus, a, um, dʼAmycles [Laconie] : Virg. G. 3, 345 || -clānus, a, um, dʼAmycles [Latium] : Suet. Frg. 243.

Amȳclae ārum, f

• , Αμύκλαι.
• II. A town of Laconia, O.—
• IIII. A town of Latium, V.

AMYCLAE

AMYCLAE(Ἀμύκλαι: Eth. Ἀμυκλαῖος, Ἀμυκλαιεύς, Amyclaeus), an ancient town of Laconia, situated on the right or eastern bank of the Eurotas, 20 stadia S.. of Sparta, in a district remarkable for the abundance of its trees and its fertility. (Plb. 5.19; Liv. 34.28.) Amyclae was one of the most celebrated cities of Peloponnesus in the heroic age. It is, said to have been founded by the Lacedaemonian king Amyclas, the father of Hyacinthus, and to have been the abode of Tyndarus, and of Castor and Pollux, who are hence called Amyclaei Fratres. (Paus. 3.1.3; Stat. Theb. 7.413.) Amyclae is mentioned by Homer (II. 2.584), and it continned to maintain its independence as an Achaean town long after the conquest of Peloponnesus by the Dorians. According to the common tradition, which represented the conquest of Peloponnesus as effected in one generation by the descendants of Hercules, Amyclae was given by the Dorians to Philonomus, as a reward for his having betrayed to them his native city Sparta. Philonomus is further said to have peopled the town with colonists from Imbros and Lemnos; but there can be no doubt that the ancient Achaean population maintained themselves in the place independent of Sparta for many generations. It was only shortly before the first Messenian war that the town was conquered by the Spartan king Teleclus. (Strab. p. 364; Conon, 36; Paus. 3.2.6.) The tale ran, that the inhabitants of Amyclae had been so often alarmed by false reports of the approach of the enemy, that they passed a law that no one should mention the subject; and accordingly, when the Spartans at last came, and no one dared to announce their approach, Amyclae perished through silence:hence arose the proverb Amyclis ipsis taciturnior. (Serv. ad Virg. Aen. 10.564.) After its capture by the Lacedaemonians Amyclae became a village, and was only memorable by the festival of the Hyacinthia celebrated at the place annually, and by the temple and colossal statue of Apollo, who was hence called Amyclaeus.The throne on which this statue was placed was a celebrated work of art, and was constructed by Bathycles of Magnesia. It was crowned by a great number of bas-reliefs, of which an account is given by Pausanias (Paus. 3.18.9, seq.; Dict. of Biogr. art. Bathycles).

The site of Amyclae is usually placed at Sklavokhóri, where the name of Amyclae has been found on inscriptions in the walls. But this place is situated nearly 6 miles from Sparta, or more than double the distance mentioned by Polybius. Moreover, there is every probability that Sklavokhóriis a Sclavonian town not more ancient than the 14th century; and becoming a place of importance, some of its buildings were erected with the ruins of Amyclae. Accordingly Leake supposes Amyclae to have been situated between Sklavokhóriand Sparta, on the hill of Aghía Kyriakí, half a mile from the Eurotas. At this place Leake discovered, on an imperfect inscription, the letters ΑΜΥfollowing a proper name, and leaving little doubt that the incomplete word was ΑΜΥΚΛΑΙΟΥ. (Leake, Morea, vol. 1. p. 135, seq., Peloponnesiaca, p. 162.)

AMYCLAE

AMYCLAEa city on the coast of Campania, between Tarracina and Caieta, which had ceased to exist in the time of Pliny, but had left the name of Sinus Amyclanus to the part of the coast on which it was situated. (Plin. Nat. 14.8; Tac. Ann. 4.59.) Its foundation was ascribed to a band of Laconians who had emigrated from the city of the same name near Sparta; and a strange story is told by Pliny and Servius of the inhabitants having been compelled to abandon it by the swarms of serpents with which they were infested. (Plin. Nat. 3.5. s. 9, 8.29. s. 43; Serv. ad Aen.10.564.) Other writers refer to this city the legend commonly related of the destruction of the Laconian Amyclae, in consequence of the silence of its inhabitants; and the epithet applied to it by Virgil of tacitae Amyclaeappears to favour this view. (Verg. A. 10.564; Sil. Ital..) The exact site is unknown, but it must have been close to the marshes below Fundi; whence Martial terms it Amyclae Fundanae(13.115). In the immediate neighbourhood, but on a rocky promontory projecting into the sea, was a villa of Tiberius, called SPELUNCAE,from the natural caverns in the rock, in one of which the emperor nearly lost his life by the falling in of the roof, while he was supping there with a party of friends. (Tac. Ann. 4.59; Suet. Tib. 39; Plin. Nat. 3.5. s. 9.) The ancient name of the locality is retained, with little variation, by the modern village of Sperlonga, about 8 miles W. of Gaeta, where the grottoes in the rock are still visible, with some remains of their ancient architectural decorations. (Craven's Abruzzi, vol. 1. p. 73.)

[E.H.B]

Amȳclae

(Ἀμύκλαι). (1) An ancient town of Laconia, on the Eurotas, twenty miles southeast of Sparta. It is said to have been the abode of Tyndarus, and of Castor and Pollux, who are hence called Amyclaei Fratres. After the conquest of Peloponnesus by the Dorians, the Achaeans maintained themselves in Amyclae for a long time; but it was at length taken and destroyed by the Lacedaemonians under Teleclus. Amyclae still continued memorable by the festival of the Hyacinthia celebrated at the place annually, and by the colossal statue of Apollo, who was hence called Amyclaeus.

(2) An ancient town of Latium, east of Terracina, on the Sinus Amyclanus, claimed to be an Achaean colony from Laconia. The inhabitants were said to have deserted it on account of its being infested by serpents; whence Vergil speaks of tacitae Amyclae (Aen. x. 564.)