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Psophis (Ancient Greek: Ψωφίς, Ethnic group Ψωφίδιος) was an ancient Greece city in the northwest end of Arcadia, bounded on the north by Achaea, and on the west by ancient Elis. It was located near the modern village Psofida, part of the municipality of Kalavryta.
The city was said to have been renamed "Psophis" by Echephron and Promachus, two sons of Heracles, who are said to have come from Sicily, and who named the town after their mother, Psophis.
The city, while still called "Phegia", was celebrated as the residence of Alcmaeon, who fled here from Ancient Argos after matricide. Here Alcmaeon married Arsinoe or Alphesiboea in some versions), daughter of Phegeus. In consequence of their connection with Alcmaeon, the Psophidians took part in the second expedition against Thebes, and refused to join the other Greeks in the Trojan War.
About 300 feet below the junction of the two rivers the united stream is joined by a third, smaller river, called the Lopesi, or Skupi, which rises on the frontiers of Cleitor near Seirae. From these three rivers the place is now called Tripotama. The banks of the Erymanthus are precipitous, but not very high; and between them and the steep summit of the hill upon which the town stood there is a small space of level or gently-rising ground. The summit is a sharp ridge, sending forth two roots, one of which descends nearly to the angle of junction of the two streams, the other almost to the bank of the Erymanthus at the eastern extremity of the city.
Philip, in his attack on Psophis, crossed the bridge over the Erymanthus, and then drew up his men in the narrow space between the river and the walls. While the were attempting to scale the walls in three separate parties, the Ancient Elis made a sally from the gate in the upper part of the town. Euripidas and the garrison then retreated into the Citadel of Zakynthos, and shortly afterwards surrendered to Philip.
Psophis was about two miles in circumference. The town walls followed the crest of the ridge to the north, and the bank above the two rivers on the opposite side; and at least up through the 19th century they were traceable nearly throughout the entire circuit of the place. On the north-eastern side of the town, which is the only part not protected by the two rivers or by the precipices at the back of the hill, there was a double enclosure surrounding the citadel, although this has since entirely disappeared.
At a distance of 30 stadia (roughly 3.4 miles) from Psophis was the Seirai (Σείραι]]), which Pausanias describes as the boundary of the Psophians and the Clitorians.Pausanias, Description of Greece viii. 23. § 9, 24. § 3 On the road from Psophis to Thelpusa lay Tropaea, upon the left bank of the Ladon River, near which was the grove Aphrodisium, after which came a column with an ancient inscription upon it, marking the boundaries of Psophis and Thelpusa.Ernst Curtius, Peloponnesos (1851) vol. i. p. 384, seq.
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