IN THE MOREA. 37 



a small party of Janissaries was stationed here for that purpose, and 

 for the defence of the town against the Mainiots. 



While preparations were making for our journey into Maina, we 

 proceeded to examine the different objects of antiquity in the vici- 

 nity of Calamata. We mounted our horses, and proceeded north- 

 ward along the plain to Palseo-castro, where from the name of the 

 place we expected the ruins of an ancient city, and from the distance 

 and direction those of Thuria. " Pharse is at the distance of six 

 " stadia from the sea. From hence the city of Thuria is at the dis- 

 " tance of eighty stadia, to a traveller who is proceeding to the inland 

 " part of Messenia. It is supposed to be the same city which in 

 " Homer's poem is called Anthea. The inhabitants of Thuria leav- 

 " ing their city, which had originally been built upon an eminence, 

 " descended into the plain and dwelt there. They did not however 

 " entirely abandon the upper city, but the ruins of the walls remain 

 " there, and a temple of the Syrian goddess. The river Aris flows 

 " near the city of the plain."* Strabo says that the ancient name 

 of Thuria was Aipeia, a name derived from its lofty situation, though 

 he also mentions the fact that some topographers placed Anthea here, 

 and Aipeia at Methone. 



Leaving Calamata we passed the village of Kutchukmaina, and 

 skirting the mountain of Taygetus which rose on our right hand, we 

 came in about an hour to the ruin of ancient baths, of which the 

 buildings that remain are very considerable. The construction is of 

 brick, and the principal entrance to the south. This leads into a 

 large vaulted hall with groined semi-circular arches ; on each side of 

 the entrance are rooms which had rows of pipes in the walls for the 

 conveyance of hot water, of which pipes the fragments still remain. 

 The hall has a large arch on each side, and extends beyond the arches 

 to the east and west extremity of the building. An arched passage 

 between other bath-rooms corresponding with the entrance leads from 

 the north side of the hall into a spacious saloon, the ceiling of which 



* Pausan. lib. iv. c. 31. 



