The cult of Orthia was common to the four villages originally constituting Sparta: Limnai, in which it is situated, Pitana, Kynosoura and Mesoa. Chronologically speaking, it probably came after the cult to the city-goddess Athena / Polioũkhos "protectress of the city" or Χαλκίοικος / Khalkíoikos "of the bronze house".