Asea
A´SEA (ἡ Ἀσέα· Ἀσεάτης), a town of Arcadia in the district Maenalia, situated near the frontier of Laconia, on the road from Megalopolis to Pallantium and Tegea. Asea took part in the foundation of Megalopolis, to which city most of its inhabitants removed (Paus. 8.27.3, where for Ἰασαία we ought to read Ἀσαία or Ἀσέα); but Asea continued to exist as an independent state, since the Aseatae are mentioned, along with the Megalopolitae, Tegeatae, and Pallantieis, as joining Epaminondas before the battle of Mantineia, B.C. 362. (Xen. Hell. 6.5. 5) At a later time, however, Asea belonged to Megalopolis, as we see from the descriptions of Strabo and Pausanias. The city was in ruins in the time of Pausanias, who mentions its acropolis. In its territory, and at the distance of 5 stadia from the the city, on the road to Pallantium, were the sources of the Alpheius, and near them those of the Eurotas. The two rivers united their streams, and, after flowing in one channel for 20 stadia, disappeared beneath the earth; the Alpheius rising again at Pegae, and the Eurotas at Belemina in Laconia. North of Asea, on the road to Pallantium, and on the summit of Mt. Boreium (Krâvari), was a temple of Athena Soteira and Poseidon, said to have been founded by Odysseus on his return from Troy, and of which the ruins were discovered by Leake and Ross. The remains of Asea are to be seen on the height which rises above the copious spring of water called Frangóvrysi, Frank-spring,t he sources of the Alpheius. (Strab. pp. 275, 343; Paus. 8.3.4, 8.44.3, 8.54.2; Steph. B. s. v.; Leake, Morea, vol. 1. p. 84, vol. 3. p. 34, Peloponnesiaca, p. 247; Ross, Reisen im Peloponnes, vol. 1. p. 63.)
The site is on a steep hill overlooking a valley between Tripolis and Megalopolis. Remains of a circuit wall around the top of the hill and of two spur walls which surround a lower town at E are dated to mid 3d c. B.C. Some houses belong to the Hellenistic period. One of them is of the Priene type, previously known only outside of Greece. The Hellenistic site seems to have existed into the 1st c. B.C. Ancient sources mention an Asea also during the Classical period, but this town must have lain somewhere else in the valley. Immediately below the Hellenistic stratum on the hill are the remains of a Middle Helladic settlement, which ceased at a time corresponding to the transition between MH II and MH III.
BIBLIOGRAPHYXen., Hell. 6.5, 11, 15; 7.5.5; Paus. 8.27.3; E. J. Holmberg, The Swedish Excavations at Asea in Arcadia (1944).
E. J. HOLMBERG- Paus. 8.3.4, Paus. 8.54.2
- its ruins: Paus. 8.44.3