AR'GOLIS (Gk. 'ApyoXic). A division of ancient Greece. In its wider sense it is the northeast portion of the Peloponnesus, bounded on the west by Acluea, Arcadia, and Laconia ; on the north bordering on the Corinthian and Saronic Gulfs: and penetrated on the south by the Argotic Gulf, which separates the portion bor dering on Laconia, the Kynuria, from the east ern peninsula. This district, containing about 1700 square miles, is filled with mountains, and never in historical times formed one kingdom; and the northern states—Sicyon, Corinth, and Phlius—were often considered outside of Argolis proper. The chief towns of the eastern penin sula were Epidaurus. Trcezen, and Hennione. The plain of Argos, in the middle portion, was famed for its fertility, and contained the cities of Myeena., Tiryns. and Argos, and was called Argeia. The edge of this plain is now swampy; and the southeast portion contained, even in ancient times, the swamp of Lerna, home of the Hydra (q.v.), slain by Hercules. In the legends Argolis plays an important part. is the home of Agamemnon and the capital, though other chiefs rule at Argos, :Stirlen, and Tirvns. Here, also, was placed the birth of Hercules, and his contests with the Nemean lion and the Lernean hydra. Still earlier, the plain was the scene of the story of Inachus and his daughter, lo, of Danaus and his daughters, and of the rule of Perseus and Pelops.
In historic times the chief city was Argos, which held possession of the Argive plain, and was at the head of a somewhat loosely organized league of several of the Argotic States, which under Icing Phiedon (c.070 n.c.) became a great power in the Peloponnesus. Later the growing power of Sparta greatly lessened the influence of Argos, which, however. always remained a jealous rival, and during the Fifth and Fourth centuries B.C. usually appears in alliance with Athens.
The principal divinity of Argos was Hera, who had a very ancient sanctuary to the east of the city, the Hernum, where was a celr brated gold and ivory statue of the goddess, the work of Polveletus. This sanctuary was excavated by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, from 1S92 to 1895, result ing in the discovery of a large number of build ings, including the earlier and later temples, much interesting sculpture, and a great mass of pottery, showing that this had been a place of worship from the earliest times. Argos was the seat of a celebrated school of artists in bronze, and was also famed for its musicians. The modern town is a flourishing place on the site of the ancient city, of which few traces re main in sight. Argolis is one of the names of the kingdom of Greece. The capital is Nauplia.