Stymphalos

Stymphalos, also known as Stymphalus in English, refers to an ancient town and the adjacent Lake Stymphalus in the Peloponnesian region of Arcadia, in southern Greece. The site is located in the Arcadian basin near the modern village of Stymfalia in the regional unit of Arcadia. In antiquity the lake and the town shared the same name and were recognized as a distinct locality within Arcadia.

Geography and environment: Lake Stymphalus is a freshwater body set in a basin surrounded by hills. Its marshy shores and reed beds supported wetland habitats and contributed to the site’s notable ecological and cultural character in antiquity and in later descriptions.

History and sources: The settlement is mentioned in classical literature and is described by Pausanias in his Description of Greece as a place with remains from the Classical and Hellenistic periods; the area included sanctuaries and other monuments that reflected its regional importance.

Myth: The lake is famous in Greek myth as the home of the Stymphalian birds, which Heracles was tasked to destroy as one of his Twelve Labors. In most versions, Athena provides Heracles with a rattling instrument to startle the birds, enabling him to strike them down with arrows.

Archaeology and modern: Archaeological work at the site near Stymfalia has uncovered remains dating to the Classical and later periods. Today the area remains a geographic landmark within Arcadia, with the modern village of Stymfalia nearby and the lake retained as a notable feature of the landscape.