Lepreon
About 7 km from the coast, on a steep hill N of Strovitsi village. The hill falls sharply to the N. It is said to have been founded by Minyans, who drove out the original Kaukonians (Hdt. 4.148). Although the Triphylians claimed to be part of Arkadia, Lepreon was dependent upon Elis through much of its history (Paus. 5.5.3). From the early 4th to the mid 2d c. it was drawn at various times into the orbits of Sparta, the Arkadian League, Philip V, and, finally, the Achaian League. In 146 it was permanently assigned to Elis, and was of little importance in Pausanias' day. Men of Lepreon fought at Plataia (Hdt. 9.28,31; Paus. 5.23.2).
There are considerable remains of the fortified citadel, with several towers, and an enclosed “keep” at the NE corner. On the W, traces of a wall descend towards the valley. The walls include several styles of masonry, but probably only two periods are represented; the earlier of these may be 4th c. work, but the remains are mostly Hellenistic.
Rectangular foundations, probably of two temples, have been observed on the citadel hill. Numerous tombs have been found by peasants in the valley to the S around Strovitsi; and there is an ancient well below the “keep” to the N.
BIBLIOGRAPHYBlouet, Expédition de Morée I (1831) pls. 50-52MPI; J. G. Frazer, Paus. Des. Gr. (1898) III 473ff; Fiehn, RE Suppl. V (1931) 550ff; R. L. Scranton, Greek Walls (1941) 106, 169, 172, 180.
F. E. WINTER