Argyroupoli () is a village in the municipality of Rethymno, Rethymno regional unit, Crete, Greece, with a population of 313 (2021 census) and an altitude of 260 m. It was previously known as Lappa or Lampa, Stimboli, and Polis.
Name It is the site of the ancient city (polis) of Lappa. In the Middle Ages, it was named Stimpoli(s) by reinterpretation as a single word ("in the city"), later simply Polis.cf. Names of Istanbul#Stamboul Until 1669, the name Αργυρούπολις 'Silver City' was used. In the seventeenth century, it was also called facetiously Σαμαρόπολις, Γαϊδαρόπολις 'donkey city', or Γαϊδουρόπολις. From 1868-1878, it was called Stambolköy in Turkish (that is, 'Stambol village'). The name Αργυρούπολις or Αργυρόπολις was revived in 1878.Demetrius John Georgacas, "The Names of Constantinople", Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association 78:347-367 (1947) , p. 360, footnote 80
The name of the municipality of Lappa of which it is a part is a revival of the ancient name for the city.
History
Lappa was probably a colony of Tarrha.
It was taken by storm and almost entirely destroyed by the Romans. The emperor Augustus restored it and in consideration of the aid rendered him in his struggle with Marcus Antonius, he bestowed on the citizens their freedom, and with it the right of coinage.
Population Population of the modern town of Argyroupoli:Hellenic Statistical Authority, Digital Library (ELSAT), Census (Greek and English) 1928 1940 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2021 767 836 704 669 501 453 396 402 403 313
Ecclesiastical history
Lappa or Lampa was an episcopal see, suffragan of Gortyn.
Le Quien (Oriens Christianus, II, 268) mentions the following bishops: Petrus, who attended the First Council of Ephesus, 431; Deneltius, at the Council of Chalcedon, 451; Prosdocius, in 458; John, who appealed to Rome against his metropolitan Paul, and attended the Council of Constantinople, 667; Epiphanius at the Second Council of Nicaea, 787.
The episcopal see is mentioned in the Notitiae episcopatuum as late as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
It was re-established by the Orthodox Church about the end of the nineteenth century; the bishop resides in the monastery of Preveli.
It is also a titular see of the Catholic Church under the name LappaAnnuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ), "Sedi titolari", p. 913The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church, s.v. Lappa and previously under the name Lampa.
Notes
External links Unofficial Web site of Argyroupolis