Irakleia, Elis


Irakleia is a village in the municipality of Ancient Olympia, Elis, Greece. Its population in 2011 was 272. Irakleia is located 3 km northwest of Pelopio, 6 km southeast of Karatoula, 7 km northwest of Olympia and 15 km northeast of Pyrgos.

Population

History

Irakleia was named after Heracleia, a town of the ancient Eleans, located about 50 stadia from Olympia and near the river Kytheros. It had a spring and a sanctuary of the Ionides: the nymphs Calliphaea, Synallasia, Pegaea and Iasis. It was believed that the spring water cured all sorts of aches and pains.