Epidaurus Limera

Epidaurus Limera or Epidauros Limera (Ancient Greek: Ἐπίδαυρος ἡ Λιμηρά) was a town on the eastern coast of ancient Laconia, situated on Cape Maleas at the head of a spacious bay. It was a colony from Epidaurus in Argolis, and is said to have been built in consequence of an intimation from Asclepius, when an Epidaurian ship touched here on its way to Cos. Its foundation probably belongs to the time when the whole of the eastern coast of Laconia, as far as the promontory of Cape Maleas, acknowledged the supremacy of Argos.

The epithet Limera was considered by the best ancient critics to be given to the town on account of the excellence of its harbours, though other explanations were proposed of the word. Pausanias describes the town as situated on a height not far from the sea. He mentions among its public buildings temples of Aphrodite and Asclepius, a temple of Athena on the acropolis, and a temple of Zeus Soter in front of the harbour.

South of Epidaurus, Pausanias mentions a promontory (ἄκρα) extending into the sea, called Minoa. This promontory is now an island, connected with the mainland by a bridge of 14 small arches; it is not improbable that it was originally part of the mainland, and afterwards separated from it.

Archaeology

The ruins of Epidaurus are situated at the spot now called Palaia Monemvasia (Old Monemvasia). William Martin Leake, who visited in the 19th century wrote that the walls, both of the acropolis and town, were traceable all round; and in some places, particularly towards the sea, they remained to more than half their original height.