Description of Greece

​For the Pellenians, the city is upon a hill rising to a sharp point at its topmost summit. This part indeed is precipitous and because of this is uninhabited; but on the lower part their city is built, which is not continuous but is divided into two portions by the summit that rises up between them. For those who go to Pellene, there is along the road an image of Hermes, surnamed Dolios (the Crafty), ready to accomplish the prayers of humans; its shape is four-cornered, and it has a beard and is fashioned with a felt cap on its head.

​Along the road to the city itself is a temple of Athena built of local stone, but her image is of ivory and gold; they say that the craftsman who made it was Pheidias, even prior to his making the images of Athena on the Acropolis of the Athenians and at Plataea. And the Pellenians say also that a sanctuary-chamber (adyton) of Athena goes down into the depth of the earth, and that this chamber is under the pedestal of the image, and that the air from the chamber is damp, and for this reason suitable for the ivory.

​Above the temple of Athena is a grove enclosed by a wall of Artemis surnamed Soteira (the Savior), and they swear by her on the most important matters; and entrance is permitted to no other human being except the priests. The priests are men from among the locals, chosen chiefly according to the reputation of their family. Opposite the grove of Soteira is a sanctuary of Dionysus surnamed Lampter (the Torch-bearer); for him they also celebrate a festival called Lampteria, and they carry torches to the sanctuary at night and set up mixing-bowls of wine throughout the whole city.

​There is also a sanctuary for the Pellenians of Apollo Theoxenios, and the image is made of bronze; and they celebrate games called Theoxenia for Apollo, setting silver as prizes of victory, and men from among the locals compete. Near the Apollo is a temple of Artemis; the goddess presents the posture of one shooting an arrow. There has also been built a reservoir for a spring in the marketplace, and the water from the god is used by them for baths, since indeed there are not many springs under the city for drinking; and the place where the springs are they name Glykeiai (the Sweet Springs).

​There is also an ancient gymnasium, which is chiefly set apart for the practice of the youths (ephebes); nor is it established for anyone to be registered in the citizen list before they have served as youths. Here stands a Pellenian man, Promachus, son of Dryon, who won victories in the pankration, one at Olympia, three at the Isthmian games, and two at Nemea; and the Pellenians, having made images of him, dedicated one at Olympia, and the other in the gymnasium, this latter being of stone and not of bronze.