View source for Mount Kyllini

{{short description|Mountain in Greece}}
{{About|the mountain in Greece|the nymph in Greek mythology|Cyllene (nymph)|Other uses|Kyllini (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect-distinguish-text|Zyria|[[Syria]]}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Mount Kyllini
| photo = Stymfalia-north 2006.jpg
| photo_caption = Mount Kyllini as seen from [[Stymfalia]]
| elevation_m = 2376
| elevation_ref = <ref name=uib>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ii.uib.no/~petter/mountains/europf.html#ziria|title = Mountain Info}}</ref>
| prominence_m = 1870
| prominence_ref = <ref name=uib/>
| listing = [[Ultra-prominent peak|Ultra]]
| map = Greece
| map_caption = Location in Greece
| map_size = 280
| label = Mount Kyllini
| label_position = right
| location = Western [[Corinthia]], [[Greece]]
| coordinates = {{coord|37|56|23|N|22|23|49|E|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = <ref name=uib/>
| first_ascent = 
| easiest_route = YDS class 2
}}

'''Mount Kyllini''' or '''Mount Cyllene''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ɪ|ˈ|l|iː|n|iː}}; {{langx|grc|Κυλλήνη}} {{IPA|el|kylˈlːɛːnɛː|}}, {{IPA|el|ciˈlini|label=[[Modern Greek]]:}}), also known as '''Mount Ziria''' ({{lang|el|Ζήρια}}, {{IPA|el|ˈzirja|label=[[Modern Greek]]:}}), is a [[mountain]] on the [[Peloponnese]] in [[Greece]] famous for its association with the god [[Hermes]]. It rises to {{convert|2376|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above [[sea level]], making it the second highest point on the peninsula.  It is located near the border between the historic regions of [[Arcadia (ancient region)|Arcadia]] and [[Achaea]]—in the northeast of Arcadia, and entirely within modern [[Corinthia]].  It is located west of [[Corinth]], northwest of [[Stymfalia]], north of [[Tripoli, Greece|Tripoli]], and south of [[Derveni, Corinthia|Derveni]].  Several modern places are also named ''[[Kyllini (disambiguation)|Kyllini]]''.

==Description==
Much of the mountain is barren and rocky, although the area below {{convert|2000|m}} is largely forested.  There is [[Kryoneri Observatory|an observatory]] at {{convert|908|m}}, at 22.67 east longitude and 37.97 north latitude. From the top a large portion of northeastern Peloponnesus is visible, including the eastern part of Achaia and Chelmos, the [[Gulf of Corinth]] and most of Corinthia, the southern part of Corinthia and parts of northeastern Arcadia. The nearest mountain ranges are [[Oligyrtos]] to the south and [[Aroania (mountain)|Chelmos/Aroania]] to the west.  Roads pass near the southern and western slopes, but there are not many on the mountain itself, as much of the mountain is part of a park. The municipal boundary of [[Stymfalia]]–[[Feneos]]–[[Evrostina|Evrostini]] and [[Xylokastro]] passes through the mountain.

== Mythology ==
{{main|Cyllene (nymph)}}
[[Cyllene (nymph)|Cyllene]] (or Kyllene) herself was a mountain [[nymph]] who had taken for her consort [[Pelasgus|Pelasges]] in the most ancient times recounted by Greek mythographers.
There was a port in [[ancient Elis|Elis]] in antiquity named [[Cyllene (Elis)|Cyllene]] near the mouth of the [[Alfeios]], where the traveler [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] noted the image of Hermes, "most devoutly worshiped by the inhabitants, is merely the male member upright on the pedestal."

In [[Greek mythology]], [[Hermes]] was born in a sacred cave on the mountain, and so ''Cyllenius'' is a frequent [[epithet]] of his. The [[Homeric Hymns|Homeric Hymn]] ''Hymn to Pan'' recalled that "Hermes ... came to Arkadia ... there where his sacred place is as god of Kyllene. For there, though a god, he used to tend curly-fleeced sheep." 
In ancient times there was a temple and statue dedicated to him on the mountain's summit, which by the time of Pausanias had fallen into ruins:<ref>{{Cite Pausanias|8|17|1}}</ref> 
:The highest mountain in Arkadia is Kyllene, on the top of which is a dilapidated temple of Hermes Kyllenios (of Mt Kyllene). It is clear that Kyllenos, the son of Elatos, gave the mountain its name and the god his surname. In days of old, men made wooden images, so far as I have been able to discover, from the following trees ebony, cypress, cedar, oak, yew, lotus. But the image of Hermes Kyllenios is made of none of these, but of juniper wood. Its height, I conjecture, is about eight feet.<ref>Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 17. 1 - 2</ref>
This temple was said to be of the oldest temples ever built: 
:Those who first built temples to the gods . . . Lycaon [the mythical first king of Arkadia], son of Pelasgus, built a temple [the first] to Mercurius [Hermes] of Cyllene in Arcadia.<ref>Hyginus, Fabulae 225 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.)</ref>
The [[Pleiades (Greek mythology)|Pleiades]] were born on Mount Kyllini.<ref>Apollodoros, 3.10. 1</ref> [[Gaius Julius Hyginus]] records that it was on Cyllene that the seer [[Tiresias]] changed sex when he struck two copulating snakes.<ref>Hyginus, Fabulae 75</ref>

== Nearest places ==
* [[Feneos]], west
* Kastania (Mt Cnacalus), 1,000 m
* [[Kessari]], southeast
* [[Goura, Corinthia|Goura]], southwest

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{EB1911 poster|Cyllene}}
* [https://www.vanlife.one/Miscellaneous-galleries/Greek-Mountain-Flora/ Greek Mountain Flora]
* [http://www.pbase.com/dead_poet/ziria Mount Ziria: a lair for divine herbs]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050404193112/http://gianniskofinas.com/Vouna/ziria/z.htm Ζήρια] (photos)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050412014831/http://victorian.fortunecity.com/degas/455/ziria.htm Ζήρια ή Κυλλήνη] {{in lang|el}}

{{Ultras of Europe}}

[[Category:Landforms of Corinthia]]
[[Category:Two-thousanders of Greece|Kyllini]]
[[Category:Mountains of Peloponnese (region)|Kyllini]]
[[Category:Places in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Ultra-prominent peaks of Europe]]