Aroanius

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The Aroanios (Greek: Αροάνιος; Ancient Greek: Ἀροάνιος; Latin: Aroanius) is a river in the southern part of Achaea, Greece and a tributary of Ladon river. The water comes from the carbonate mountain range Aroania (1500-2300m). After 12 km, it meets the Ladonas (near to Pangrataika Kalyvia) in the area of "Helongospilia” (Χελωνοσπηλιά).

Pausanias (110-180 AD) in his book “Description of Greece” (Ancient Greek: Ἑλλάδος Περιήγησις) already used the name “Aroanios” for the valley's river. The preserved publications of Polybios (208-125 BC, “Historíai”) and of Pliny The Elder (AD 23-79, “Naturalis historia”) confirm Pausanias’ description, but are less precise and informative. Aroanios is the river's official name. But at some point in the past the river bore the name Katzanas or Katsanas (Κατσάνας, en: Katzánas). The cited ancient book authors also report on the antique city Cleitor as predecessor of modern Kleitoria - again Pausanias is the most precise. Wall remnants are still visible in the valley only 1300m west of the modern town. At Kleitoria's position - in the middle of the broad valley - the three small river waters merge with River Aroanios. The River Aroanios must not be confused with another, smaller river of the same name. That river flows generally southwest bound and pours into River Erymanthos at the community Psofida.