Six miles distance from the city of Mykenae (Mycenae), lay the ancient city of Argos. Founded by Phoroneus and named after his son, Argos is the second oldest city of Greece. In the old times, it was of such significance, that Homer called all the Peloponnesians and often the rest of Greeks, Argians.
During the 7th century BC, at the times of the tyrant Pheidon, who introduced weights and measures in Peloponnese and according to Aristotle he invented coinage, Argos reached its highest  power.
Unlike Sparta, the culture of Argos survived after the coming of the Dorians. Though Argives were able warriors, defeating Sparta at Hysiae and in the battle of Champions, at the same time they cultivated the arts, producing masterpieces, reaching their highest point culturally, at the times of Ageladas and Polykleitos.