Orneae retained its ancient Cynurian inhabitants, when Argos was conquered by the Dorians.
According to Pausanias, it continued independent of Argos for a long time; but it was finally conquered by the Argives, who removed the Orneatae to their own city.
[4] It might therefore be inferred that the destruction of Orneae by the Argives in 416 BCE is the event referred to by Pausanias.
"The Cynurians," says Herodotus, "have become Doricized by the Argives and by time, being Orneatae and Perioeci.
"[5] These words would seem clearly to mean that, while the other Cynurians became Perioeci, the Orneatae continued independent, an interpretation which is in accordance with the account of Thucydides.