TANAGRA, an ancient town of Greece, in Bœotia, in a fertile plain on the left bank of the Asopus, about 16 miles W. of Oropus, and 25 E. by N. of Plataea. Some ancient writers have identified this town with the Graea of Homer; but as others have given a different opinion, this must remain a doubtful point. It was sometimes called, in ancient times, Poemandria, from the fertility of its neighbourhood, which at one time produced a highly-esteemed wine. The chief temple in the town was dedicated to Bacchus, and contained a celebrated statue by Calamis. There were also several other temples, a theatre, and a gymnasium, the latter containing a picture of the poetess Corinna, who was a native of the town. Tanagra is chiefly important in history on account of the military operations carried on in its vicinity between the Athenians and the Spartans and Bœotians, in the 5th century B.C. In 457 a Lacedæmonian army, on its return from an expedition to Doris, was met at Tanagra by a body of Athenians, Argives, and Thessalians. The Athenians were on this occasion defeated, owing chiefly to the desertion of the
Thessalian troops; but about two months after, early in the following year, they again invaded the country, and gained a decisive victory at Enaphyta near Tanagra. In 426 they made another incursion; and on this occasion, too, defeated the Bœotian forces. Some traces of the ancient city still mark the site of Tanagra, which is now known by the name of Grimalda or Grimala.