THESPIAE, an ancient Greek city of Boeotia, on level ground commanded by the low eastward spurs of Mount Helicon. The deity most worshipped at Thespiae was Eros, whose primitive image was an unwrought stone. The town contained many works of art, among them the Eros of Praxiteles, dedicated by Phryne in her native place, one of the most famous statues in the ancient world. It was carried off to Rome by Caligula, restored by Clau dius, and again carried off by Nero. There was also a bronze statue of Eros by Lysippus. The Thespians also worshipped the Muses, and celebrated a festival in their honour in the sacred grove on Mount Helicon. Remains of the ancient citadel are still to be seen, solidly and regularly built. To E. and S. founda tions bear witness to the extent of the ancient city. The neigh bouring village Eremokastro, on higher ground, was thought by Ulrichs to be probably the site of ancient Ceressus. In 1882 there were discovered, about 1,200 yd. east of Eremokastro, on the road to Arkopodi (Leuctra), the remains of a tomb of the 5th century B.C., with a colossal stone lion, probably that of the Thespians who fell at Plataea.
B.C. it stood almost alone among Boeotian cities in serving the national cause. Seven hundred Thespians accompanied Leonidas to Thermopylae and of their own free will shared his fate. The remaining inhabitants, though their city was burnt by Xerxes, furnished 1,800 men to the Greek army at Plataea. In 424 B.C. the Thespian contingent at Delium sustained heavy losses, and in the next year the Thebans took advantage of this to accuse Thespiae of friendship towards Athens and to dismantle its walls. In 414 they interfered again to suppress a democratic rising. In the Corinthian war Thespiae sided with Sparta, and between 379 and 372 repeatedly served the Spartans as a base against Thebes. In the latter year they were reduced by the Thebans and compelled to send a contingent to Leuctra It was prob ably shortly after this battle that the Thebans destroyed Thes piae and drove its people into exile. Later the town was rebuilt and in 171 B.C., true to its policy of opposing Thebes, sought the friendship of Rome.