Surrounded by towering Cyclopean walls, the ancient Greek city of Tiryns predated Mycenae. Its history began around 7,000 years ago, during the Neolithic period, long before the Bronze Age. Archaeological evidence indicates that Tiryns reached its peak between 1400 and 1200 BC, becoming one of the most significant centers of the Mycenaean civilization.
The ancients Greeks believed it was founded by Proetus, brother of the king of Argos, Acrisius, and grandfather of Perseus, founder of Mycenae: “…Akrisios stayed in Argos, Proitos took the Heraion, and Mideia, Tiryns” (Pausanias, 166). Archaeological evidence supports Pausanias’ claim that Tiryns was fortified two generations prior to Mycenae.
There are two myths associated with Tiryns. The first concerns Heracles, who was said to have performed two of his Twelve Labors in Tiryns. Heracles used the citadel as a base to carry out the first two of his legendary labors: the slaying of the Nemean Lion and the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra, both terrifying creatures that plagued the surrounding region. Heracles later used the lion’s impenetrable hide as a cloak.
The second myth is almost too extraordinary to believe. It concerns the fortification walls, built from limestone blocks up to eight meters (26 feet) thick and thirteen meters (42.5 feet) high, some weighing over ten tons. Calling them Cyclopean is not an exaggeration, as if they had been built by Cyclops, the mythical giants from Lycia—hence the term “Cyclopean masonry.” Homer also referenced the walls in his epics: “Tiryns of the mighty walls.”
The ancient Greek city of Tiryns: History and myth
As with other iconic ancient Greek cities, the stories of myth and history intertwine to form a fascinating narrative. Tradition associates the Cyclopean walls with Proetus and his brother, Acrisius. The king of Argos, fearing that his brother would attempt to seize the throne, had ordered him killed. Proetus fled to Lycia, where he arranged with the Lycians to return to Argolis with their support and claim Tiryns.
Upon his return to Argolis with the Lycians, Proetus attacked Tiryns and occupied it. He then proceeded to fortify it with the help of the Cyclopes. In this way, legend links three historic ancient Greek cities in Argolis with three mythical heroes: Acrisius, founder of the Doric colony of Argos; his brother Proetus, founder of Tiryns; and his grandson Perseus, founder of Mycenae.
Emerging from the Bronze Age, the history of Tiryns is intertwined with that of Mycenae even though the site has been inhabited since approximately 2500 BC as an early pre-Hellenic settlement.
The Cyclopean walls of the ancient Greek city of Tiryns
The enormous fortification walls of Tiryns were constructed to protect a large palace complex, an important center of regional power in the Argolis region. Completed at the end of the 13th century BC, the walls enclose the citadel with a total perimeter of approximately 750 meters (2,460 feet). The impressive building stones are even larger than those found at Mycenae.
The Greek traveler and geographer Pausanias, who visited the ruined site in the 2nd century AD, noted that a pair of mules pulling together could not so much as move the smaller stones. “They say this is the work of Kyklopes, who built the wall of Tiryns for Proitos” (Pausanias, 167). Whatever their origin, the walls underscore the ancient Greek city’s obsession with defense and strategic control.
The great palace
The imposing stone gateway on the east side of the citadel, featuring a carved relief of two rampant lions flanking a central column, is similar to the famous Lion Gate of Mycenae. This symbol represented the power and authority of the Mycenaean rulers. The gateway opens onto a labyrinthine complex of courtyards, corridors, and buildings that make up the interior of the upper citadel.
Then there is an impressive palace that preceded the one at Mycenae, with a large reception hall known as a “megaron,” complete with a columned porch and an anteroom (prodomos).
The layout of the megaron includes a large circular hearth and an elevated throne, which served as the seat of the king’s power and as the focal point for the city’s social and administrative activities. A complex network of private apartments with baths and drains radiates outward from the megaron, a characteristic feature of contemporary palace sites in mainland Greece, including Thebes and Pylos. Archaeologists believe that the apartments were decorated with colorful wall frescos, suggesting that they likely served as the living quarters for members of the royal family.
Inhabitants who were not directly involved in the palace’s day-to-day administrative activities lived in the lower citadel, alongside workshops and places of worship. Two tholos tombs with corbeled domes, located just one kilometer (0.6 miles) from the main site, indicate that this area served as a royal cemetery.
Tiryns’ strategic location
The citadel’s strategic position overlooked the fertile Argolid lands and the nearby Argolic Gulf, allowing the city to control both agricultural production and trade routes. Tiryns reached its height in the 13th century BC, emerging as one of the most important centers in the Mycenaean world.
Beyond the immense walls, the ancient Greek city also featured a unique technical achievement of the Mycenaean civilization. An enormous embankment, originally lined with boulders at its ends—some of which can still be seen today—was constructed to divert the rainwater from the Manesis torrent, which apparently flowed toward Tiryns and caused floods during the Early Bronze Age.
There are signs that the inhabitants of Tiryns had advanced knowledge of water management. Alongside the construction of the dam, a diversion channel was opened toward the southwest, carrying water south of modern-day Profitis Ilias hill into the bed of another torrent (Ramadani). The dam is dated to the 13th century BC, during Tiryns’ heyday, and is comparable to the Mycenaeans’ large-scale drainage works at Lake Kopais in Boeotia.
Decline and destruction
During the Classical period, Tiryns and Mycenae lost their former prominence. Herodotus writes that when Cleomenes I of Sparta defeated the Argives in the 5th century BC, he allowed his slaves to live in Tiryns for many years.
The kings of Argos were constantly opposed to Tiryns in their quest to become the dominant power in Argolis and the northwestern Peloponnese. After Tiryns briefly contributed some four hundred hoplites to the Persian War, Argos seized the opportunity to destroy the once-great city. The Argives exiled all of Tiryns’ inhabitants and transferred some sacred objects, including the statue of Hera, from the city to the Argos Heraion.
Today, a large part of Tiryns’ Cyclopean walls still stands proudly along the road connecting Argos and Nafplio, two of the most historic cities of Greece.
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