Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
3,921,520,213 visitors served.
forum Join the Word of the Day Mailing List For webmasters
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

Aegina
(redirected from Oenopia)

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.

Aegina, in Greek mythology

Aegina (ējī`nə), in Greek mythology, river nymph, daughter of the river god Asopus. She was abducted by Zeus to the island Oenone, where she bore him a son, Aeacus Aeacus , in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and the nymph Aegina. He was the father of Peleus and Telamon. After a plague had nearly wiped out the inhabitants of his land, Zeus rewarded the pious Aeacus by changing a swarm of ants to men (known as Myrmidons).
..... Click the link for more information.
. Aeacus later renamed the island in her honor.

Aegina, island, Greece

Aegina or Aíyina (ā`yēnä), island (1991 pop. 12,430), 32 sq mi (83 sq km), off SE Greece, in the Saronic Gulf (or Gulf of Aegina), near Athens. Sponge fishing and farming (figs, almonds, grapes, olives, and pistachios) are the most important occupations. Tourism is also important. The chief town is Aegina on the northwest shore. Points of interest include the temple of Aphaia, where the Aeginetan Marbles (see Aegina Aegina, c.500–480 B.C., marble sculptures from the temple of Aphaia discovered in 1811 and erroneously restored by Thorvaldsen. They originally decorated the pediments of the temple and represent scenes from the Trojan War. They are now in the Glyptothek at Munich.
..... Click the link for more information.
, marble sculptures) were discovered in 1811.

The island, inhabited from late Neolithic times, was named for the mythological figure Aegina Aegina , in Greek mythology, river nymph, daughter of the river god Asopus. She was abducted by Zeus to the island Oenone, where she bore him a son, Aeacus. Aeacus later renamed the island in her honor.
..... Click the link for more information.
. Its culture was influenced by Minoan Crete. Conquered by Dorian Greeks, it grew rapidly as a commercial state and struck the first Greek coins. In 431 B.C. the Athenians, against whom Aegina sided in the Peloponnesian War Peloponnesian War , 431–404 B.C., decisive struggle in ancient Greece between Athens and Sparta. It ruined Athens, at least for a time. The rivalry between Athens' maritime domain and Sparta's land empire was of long standing. Athens under Pericles (from 445 B.
..... Click the link for more information.
, expelled the population of the island, and Aegina fell into insignificance. In the 12th cent. it served as a haven for pirates, and the Venetians, in suppressing the outlaws, conquered the island. Albanians settled there in the 16th cent. During the Greek War of Independence the town of Aegina was (1828–29) the capital of Greece.


Aegina, sculptures

Aegina, c.500–480 B.C., marble sculptures from the temple of Aphaia discovered in 1811 and erroneously restored by Thorvaldsen Thorvaldsen or Thorwaldsen, Albert Bertel , 1770–1844, Danish sculptor, b. Copenhagen. In 1797 he went to Rome, where he shared with Canova the leadership of the neoclassicists.
..... Click the link for more information.
. They originally decorated the pediments of the temple and represent scenes from the Trojan War. They are now in the Glyptothek at Munich.

Aegina

Enlarge picture
The temple of Aphaea, Aegina, Greece
(credit: Susan McCartney-Photo Researchers)
Island in the Saronic group of Greece. Located 16 mi (26 km) southwest of Piraeus, it has an area of 32 sq mi (83 sq km). Its chief town and port, Aegina, lies over the ancient town of the same name. Inhabited since c. 3000 BC, it became a maritime power after the 7th century BC; its period of glory, reflected in Pindar's poetry, was in the 5th century BC. Its economic rivalry with Athens led to frequent warfare, and in 431 BC the Athenians deported all its population. It came under Roman rule in 133 BC. It was briefly the capital of independent Greece (1826–28).


Aegina
1. an island in the Aegean Sea, in the Saronic Gulf. Area: 85 sq. km (33 sq. miles)
2. a town on the coast of this island: a city-state of ancient Greece
3. Gulf of. another name for the Saronic Gulf


Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Feedback
Mentioned in?   Encyclopedia browser?   Full browser?
No references found
 
 
 
Encyclopedia
?

Terms of Use | Privacy policy | Feedback | Advertise with Us | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc.
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.