Argolis is one of the most mythologically rich regions in Greece. On this tour we will explore sites related to goddess Hera and her detested demigod Hercules, son of her husband Zeus with a mortal woman. Two sites are dedicated to Hera's worship and two more locations are tied directly to the legendary Labours of Hercules.
- The Kanathos Spring & Agia Moni
Our tour begins at Kanathos Spring where according to the ancient travel writer Pausanias, Hera bathed there annually to renew her beauty and youth:
“Nafplion possesses a harbour as well as a spring called Kanathos. The Argeians (citizens of Argos) say that every year Hera bathes in it and becomes a virgin once again. This is a secret matter they speak of during a mystic ritual”.
Today the site bridges ancient myth with Christian tradition. Nestled by the ancient spring, that is no longer active, is the 12th-century byzantine monastery of Agia Moni (built in 1149), dedicated to the Virgin Mary as the “Life-Giving Spring”. The church features beautiful imperial grandeur utilising repurposed ancient materials.
- The Mycenaean Dam of Tiryns
Next we visit the massive Mycenaean Dam of Tiryns, a Bronze Age engineering marvel directly tied to Hercules's Labours and also the first hydraulic work in Europe. Before the 13th century BC Tiryns suffered devastating floods so they built a massive dam and a canal to divert the torrent into a safer riverbed.
The connection is with the Fifth Labour: Hercules was ordered by King Eurystheus to clean the filthy stables of King Avgeias in a single day. Hercules used his strength to divert a river and flush the stables clean. The parallel between real-world Mycenaean flood diversion and the myth is striking. We will walk also the ancient riverbed to trace its route towards Tiryns.
- The Acropolis of Tiryns
We then move to the majestic 13th-century BC Acropolis of Tiryns. In myth, this fortress was the palace of King Eurystheus, the very place where Hercules received the commands for his twelve grueling Labours. As we wander the ruins we will see the monumental “Cyclopean” stone walls, so large that ancients believed only giants could lift them. The site was excavated in the 19th century by Heinrich Schliemann, the archaeologist who discovered Troy too.
- The Heraion Sanctuary
Our final stop is Heraion, the grand sanctuary where Hera was worshipped as the patron goddess of Argos. Perched on a panoramic hillside this was once the religious heart of the region. At its slope the magnificent temple housed a colossal statue of Hera made of gold and ivory, crafted by the famed local sculptor Polykleitos.
