Који од три пилоса? Несторов пилос у Страбоновој Географији
Which one of three pyloses is Nestor’s pylos in Strabo’s Geography?

Summary/Abstract: The paper deals with Strabo’s search for Nestor’s “Sandy Pylos” from the Homeric epics. The existence of various toponyms named Pylos (Πύλος) in different regions of the Peloponnese has sparked discussions about the most likely location of the city and region of the same name, which was traditionally ruled by the hero Nestor and the Neleids, descendants of Neleus. Given the importance of tradition and the Homeric epics in the life of the ancient Greeks, these discussions far exceeded mere scholarly curiosity and the pursuit of historical accuracy. The picture of such a situation and centuries-old debate is exhaustively conveyed to us by Strabo in Book 8 of his Geography, especially in the part that deals mainly with Elis (8.3, C 336–358). He examines three localities often identified as Nestor’s Pylos in antiquity: the Eleian Pylos (ὁ Ἠλειακος) in the so-called “Hollow” or Lowland Elis, the Triphylian Pylos (ὁ Τριφυλιακός) south of the Alpheus River, and the Messenian Pylos (ὁ Μεσσηνιακός), located farther south in Pylos Bay (the Bay of Navarino) on the Coryphasium promontory, opposite the island of Sphacteria. Strabo believed this Triphylian Pylos to be the Pylos of Nestor, considering its location to correspond most closely to what is written in The Iliad and The Odyssey. In accordance with his general opinion that the poet Homer is the true father of geography, Strabo tries to show the accuracy and precision of Homeric geography wherever possible. He would also passionately argue against predecessors and scholars who denied that Homer, as a poet, could have obtained reliable geographical knowledge and information. Viewed from this perspective, the extensive discussion of Nestor’s Pylos in Book 8 of Strabo’s Geography can be seen as a test of the accuracy and reliability of Homeric geography. Although the information from the Homeric epics may seem imprecise and often contradictory, Strabo ultimately concludes that it leads to the same result: Nestor’s “sandy” (ἠμαϑόεις) Pylos can only be the Triphylian Pylos (ὁ Τριφυλιακὸς Πύλος). It is worth noting that modern scholarship and research in fields such as archaeology and Mycenaean studies have not only challenged the Triphylian location of Pylos but also questioned all three sites of Nestor’s Pylos discussed by Strabo. They have revealed that the Pylos of the “heroic” age was located in a place entirely unknown to Strabo and his contemporaries. However, this does not diminish the value of Strabo’s exhaustive account, as he preserved a learned and, above all, interesting discussion on the localization of the Nestor’s Pylos. In the form in which it has reached us, Strabo’s account is clearly shaped by his sources, particularly the Homeric commentators who influenced him, such as Apollodorus of Athens and Demetrius of Scepsis. Additionally, it subtly reflects how the quest to identify a city from a distant, mythical past could influence the historical and political realities of later periods. This is particularly evident during the Classical and Hellenistic periods, when certain Greek ethne and poleis – such as the Eleians, Spartans, Arcadians, and Messenians – in their mutual relations could invoke Nestor’s Pylos to assert claims and gain an advantage over their neighbours and rivals.

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