Orchomenus or Orchomenos (Greek: Ὀρχομενός) was an ancient city of Arcadia, Greece, called by Thucydides (v. 61) the Arcadian Orchomenus (Ὀρχομενός ὁ Ἀρκαδικός), to distinguish it from the Boeotian town.
Originating as a prehistoric settlement, Orchomenus became one of the powerful cities in West Arcadia along with Tegea and Mantineia. The heyday of the city was between 7th–6th century BC and it became a rich city which minted its own currency.
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The Minyades (Ancient Greek: Μινυάδες) were three Orchomenian (Arcadian) princesses in Greek mythology. These sisters were protagonists of a myth about the perils of neglecting the worship of Dionysus.
Orchomenus (Ancient Greek: Ὀρχομενός Orchomenos), the setting for many early Greek myths, is best known today as a rich archaeological site in Boeotia, Greece, that was inhabited from the Neolithic through the Hellenistic periods. It is often referred to as "Minyan Orchomenus", to distinguish it from a later city of the same name in Arcadia.
Alea (Ancient Greek: Ἀλέα) was a town of ancient Arcadia, between Orchomenus and Stymphalus. In the time of Pausanias, 2nd century, it contained temples of the Ephesian Artemis, of Athena Alea, and of Dionysus. It appears to have been situated in the territory either of Stymphalus or Orchomenus. Alea was never a town of importance; but some writers have, though inadvertently, placed at this town the celebrated temple of Athena Alea, which was situated at Tegea.
Its site is located near the modern Alea, which was renamed to reflect association with the ancient town.
Hymnia (Ancient Greek: Ὑμνία) was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis under which she was worshipped throughout Arcadia. She had a temple someplace between Orchomenus and Mantineia. We know from the geographer Pausanias that Orchomenus at least used to hold festivals in her honor.
The priests and priestesses of Hymnia were at first always virgins who were to remain celibate in the priesthood. They were also subject to high standards of propriety, such as being forbidden to enter into the home of a private individual. This lifetime celibacy was fairly unusual for ancient Greek priesthoods.