Chaps. 30-32.

Chap. 30.—Lydia.

Lydia, bathed by the sinuous and ever-recurring windings of the river Mæander, lies extended above Ionia; it is joined by Phrygia on the east and Mysia on the north, while on the south it runs up to Caria: it formerly had the name of Mæonia [By this name alone it is known to Homer.]. Its place of the greatest celebrity is Sardes [Its ruins, now called Sart, are very extensive, though presenting nothing of importance. Its citadel, situated on a rock, was considered to be almost impregnable.], which lies on the side of Mount Tmolus [Now called Kisilja Musa Dagh. It was famous for its wine, saffron, and gold.], formerly called Timolus. From this mountain, which is covered with vineyards, flows the river Pactolus [Now called the Sarabat. It was famous for its gold-producing sands.], also called the Chrysorroas, and the sources of the Tarnus: this famous city, which is situate upon the Gygæan Lake [On the road between Thyatira and Sardes: near it was situate the necropolis of Sardes.], used to be called Hyde [Strabo says that some persons called the citadel only by that name.] by the people of Mæonia. This jurisdiction is now called that of Sardes, and besides the people of the places already mentioned, the following now resort to it—the Macedonian Cadueni [There was a city of Mysia or Phrygia of the name of Cadus or Cadi; but nothing is known of the place here alluded to, whose people would appear to have been a colony from Macedonia.], the Loreni, the Philadelpheni [The people of Philadelphia, now Ala-Cher, or the “Fine City,” twelve leagues south-east of Sardes, and nine leagues south of Attalia.], the Mæonii, situate on the river Cogamus at the foot of Mount Tmolus, the Tripolitani, who are also called the Antoniopolitæ, situate on the banks of the Mæander, the Apollonihieritæ [So called from the Greek Ἀπόλλωνος ἱερὸν, “the temple of Apollo,” in the vicinity of which, south-east of Pergamus, their town was probably situate. Nothing is known of these localities.], the Mesotimolitæ [Dwellers in Mesotmolus, a town which, from its name, would appear to have been situate on the middle of Mount Tmolus.], and some others of no note.

Chap. 31.—Ionia.

Ionia begins at the Gulf of Iasos, and has a long winding coast with numerous bays. First comes the Gulf of Basilicum [Now called the Gulf of Melasso.], then the Promontory [Now the Cape of Melasso.] and town of Posideum, and the oracle once called the oracle of the Branchidæ [The remains of the Temple of Didymæan Apollo at Branchidæ are still visible to those sailing along the coast. It was in the Milesian territory, and above the harbour Panormus. The name of the site was probably Didyma or Didymi, but the place was also called Branchidæ, from that being the name of a body of priests who had the care of the temple. We learn from Herodotus that Crœsus, king of Lydia, consulted this oracle, and made rich presents to the temple. The temple, of which only two columns are left, was of white marble.], but now of Didymæan Apollo, a distance of twenty stadia from the sea-shore. One hundred and eighty stadia thence is Miletus [The ruins of this important city are difficult to discover on account of the great changes made on the coast by the river Mæander. They are usually supposed to be those at the poor village of Palatia on the south bank of the Mendereh; but Forbiger has shown that these are more probably the remains of Myus, and that those of Miletus are buried in a lake formed by the Mendereh at the foot of Mount Latmus.], the capital of Ionia, which formerly had the names of Lelegëis, Pityusa, and Anactoria, the mother of more than ninety cities, founded upon all seas; nor must she be deprived of the honour of having Cadmus [See B. vii. c. 57. Josephus says that he lived very shortly before the Persian invasion of Greece.] for her citizen, who was the first to write in prose. The river Mæander, rising from a lake in Mount Aulocrene, waters many cities and receives numerous tributary streams. It is so serpentine in its course, that it is often thought to turn back to the very spot from which it came. It first runs through the district of Apamea, then that of Eumenia, and then the plains of Bargyla; after which, with a placid stream it passes through Caria, watering all that territory with a slime of a most fertilizing quality, and then at a distance of ten stadia from Miletus with a gentle current enters the sea. We then come to Mount Latmus [Now called the Monte di Palatia.], the towns of Heraclea [Generally called “Heraclea upon Latmus,” from its situation at the western foot of Mount Latmus. Ruins of this town still exist at the foot of that mountain on the borders of Lake Baffi.], also called by the same name as the mountain, Carice, Myus [Its ruins are now to be seen at Palatia. It was the smallest city of the Ionian Confederacy, and was situate at the mouth of the Mæander, thirty stadia from its mouth.], said to have been first built by Ionians who came from Athens, Naulochum [Mannert says that its ruins are to be seen at a spot called by the Turks Sarasun-Kalesi.], and Priene [One of the twelve Ionian cities, situate at the foot of Mount Mycale. It stood originally on the shore, but the change in the coast by the alluvial deposits of the Mæander left it some distance from the land. It was celebrated as being the birth-place of the philosopher Bias. Its ruins are to be seen at the spot called Samsun.]. Upon that part of the coast which bears the name of Trogilia [Now called Cape Santa Maria, or Samsun.] is the river Gessus. This district is held sacred by all the Ionians, and thence receives the name of Panionia. Near to it was formerly the town of Phygela, built by fugitives, as its name implies [He implies that it is derived from φυγὴ “flight.”], and that of Marathesium [Between Ephesus and Neapolis. It belonged to the Samians who exchanged with the Ephesians for Neapolis, which lay nearer to their island. The modern Scala Nova occupies the site of one of them, it is uncertain which.]. Above these places is Magnesia [Its ruins are to be seen at the modern Inek-Bazar. It was situate on the river Lethæus, a tributary of the Mæander. It was famous for its temple of Artemis Leucophryene, the ruins of which still exist.], distinguished by the surname of the “Mæandrian,” and sprung from Magnesia in Thessaly: it is distant from Ephesus fifteen miles, and three more from Tralles. It formerly had the names of Thessaloche and Androlitia, and, lying on the sea-shore, it has withdrawn from the sea the islands known as the Derasidæ [See B. ii. c..] and joined them to the mainland. In the interior also is Thyatira [Now known as Ak-Hissar or the “White Castle.” Strabo informs us that it was founded by Seleucus Nicator.], washed by the Lycus; for some time it was also called Pelopia and Euhippia [From the excellence of its horses.].

Upon the coast again is Mantium, and Ephesus [Its ruins are to be seen near the modern Ayazaluk. It was the chief of the twelve Ionian cities on the coast of Asia Minor, and devoted to the worship of Artemis, whose temple here was deemed one of the wonders of the world. Nothing, except some traces of its foundations, is now to be seen of this stupendous building.], which was founded by the Amazons [It was more generally said to have been founded by the Carians and the Leleges.], and formerly called by so many names: Alopes at the time of the Trojan war, after that Ortygia and Morges, and then Smyrna, with the surname of Trachia, as also Samornion and Ptelea. This city is built on Mount Pion, and is washed by the Caÿster [Now called the Kara-Su, or Black River, or Kuchuk-Meinder, or Little Mæander.], a river which rises in the Cilbian range and brings down the waters of many streams [It has been observed that though Pliny seems to say that the Caÿster receives many streams, they must have had but a short course, and could only be so many channels by which the rivers descend from the mountain slopes that shut in the contracted basin of the river.], as also of Lake Pegasæus [This lake or marsh seems to be the morass situate on the road from Smyrna to Ephesus, into which the Phyrites flows, and out of which it comes a considerable stream.], which receives those discharged by the river Phyrites [The Phyrites is a small river that is crossed on the road from Ephesus to Smyrna, and joins the Caÿster on the right bank ten or twelve miles above Ayazaluk, near the site of Ephesus.]. From these streams there accumulates a large quantity of slime, which vastly increases the soil, and has added to the mainland the island of Syrie [See B. ii. c.. for further mention of this island.], which now lies in the midst of its plains. In this city is the fountain of Calippia [Said to be derived from the Greek, meaning “The beautiful (stream) from Pion.”] and the temple of Diana, which last is surrounded by two streams, each known by the name of Selenus, and flowing from opposite directions.

After leaving Ephesus there is another Mantium, belonging to the Colophonians, and in the interior Colophon [One of the twelve Ionian cities of Asia, founded by Andræmon. Notium was its port. There do not seem to be any remains of either of these places.] itself, past which the river Halesus [Called also the Hales or Ales, and noted for the coolness of its waters.] flows. After this we come to the temple [At Clarus, near Colophon. When Germanicus was on his way to the East, this oracle foretold to him his speedy death. Chandler is of opinion that he discovered the site of this place at Zillé, where he found a spring of water with marble steps to it, which he considers to have been the sacred fountain. Others again suggest that these ruins may be those of Notium.] of the Clarian Apollo, and Lebedos [Its site was probably near the modern Ekklesia, but no traces of the city itself are to be found.]: the city of Notium [Implying that in his time Notium was not in existence, whereas in reality Notium superseded Old Colophon, of which it was the port, and was sometimes known as New Colophon.] once stood here. Next comes the Promontory of Coryceium [Now known as Cape Curco.], and then Mount Mimas, which projects 150 miles into the sea, and as it approaches the mainland sinks down into extensive plains. It was at this place that Alexander the Great gave orders for the plain to be cut through, a distance of seven miles and a half, for the purpose of joining the two gulfs and making an island of Erythræ [The site of this place is now known as Ritri, on the south side of a small peninsula, which projects into the bay of Erythræ. The ruins are considerable.] and Mimas. Near Erythræ formerly stood the towns of Pteleon, Helos, and Dorion; we now find the river Aleon, Corynæum, a Promontory of Mount Mimas, Clazomenæ [On the south side of the bay of Smyrna. In Strabo’s time this city appears to have been removed from Chytrium, its original site. Chandler found traces of the city near Vourla, from which he came to the conclusion that the place was very small and inconsiderable.], Parthenie [According to Nicander, this was a mountain of the territory of Clazomenæ, almost surrounded by sea.], and Hippi [Or “the Horses,” originally four islands close to the mainland, off Clazomenæ.], known by the name of Chytrophoria, when it formed a group of islands; these were united to the continent by the same Alexander, by means of a causeway [This was probably the same causeway that was observed by Chandler in the neighbourhood of Vourla, the site of ancient Clazomenæ.] two stadia in length. In the interior, the cities of Daphnus, Hermesia, and Sipylum [See B. ii. c., where he speaks of this place as being swallowed up in the earth.], formerly called Tantalis, and the capital of Mæonia, where Lake Sale now stands, are now no longer in existence: Archæopolis too, which succeeded Sipylum, has perished, and in their turns Colpe and Libade, which succeeded it.

On returning thence [From Clazomenæ.] towards the coast, at a distance of twelve miles we find Smyrna [Now called Izmir by the Turks, Smyrna by the western nations of Europe; the only one of the great cities on the western coast of Asia Minor that has survived to the present day. This place stood at the head of the cities that claimed to be the birth-place of Homer; and the poet was worshipped here for a hero or demi-god in a magnificent building called the Homereum. There are but few remains of the ancient city: the modern one is the greatest commercial city of the Levant.], originally founded by an Amazon [of that name], and rebuilt by Alexander; it is refreshed by the river Meles, which rises not far off. Through this district run what may almost be called the most famous mountains of Asia, Mastusia in the rear of Smyrna, and Termetis [Hardouin takes this to be the name of a town, but Ortelius and Pinetus seem to be more correct in thinking it to be the name of a mountain.], joining the foot of Olympus. Termetis is joined by Draco, Draco running into Tmolus, Tmolus into Cadmus [It does not appear that all these mountains have been identified. Cadmus is the Baba Dagh of the Turks.], and Cadmus into Taurus. Leaving Smyrna, the river Hermus forms a tract of plains, and gives them its own name. It rises near Dorylæum [Mentioned in C. of the present Book.], a city of Phrygia, and in its course receives several rivers, among them the one called the Phryx, which divides Caria from the nation to which it gives name; also the Hyllus [In the time of Strabo this tributary of the Hermus seems to have been known as the Phrygius.] and the Cryos, themselves swollen by the rivers of Phrygia, Mysia, and Lydia. At the mouth of the Hermus formerly stood the town of Temnos [Its site is now called Menemen, according to D’Anville. The Cryus was so called from the Greek κρύος, “cold.”]: we now see at the extremity of the gulf [The present Gulf of Smyrna.] the rocks called Myrmeces [Or the “Ants.”], the town of Leuce [Probably so called from the whiteness of the promontory on which it was situate. It was built by Tachos, the Persian general, in B.C. 352, and remarkable as the scene of the battle between the Consul Licinius Crassus and Aristonicus in B.C. 131. The modern name of its site is Lefke.] on a promontory which was once an island, and Phocæa [Its ruins are to be seen at Karaja-Fokia or Old Fokia, south-west of Fouges or New Fokia. It was said to have been founded by Phocian colonists under Philogenes and Damon.], the frontier town of Ionia.

A great part also of Æolia, of which we shall have presently to speak, has recourse to the jurisdiction of Smyrna; as well as the Macedones, surnamed Hyrcani [The people of Hyrcania, one of the twelve cities which were prostrated by an earthquake in the reign of Tiberius Cæsar; see B. ii. c..], and the Magnetes [The people of Magnesia “ad Sipylum,” or the city of Magnesia on the Sipylus. It was situate on the south bank of the Hermus, and is famous in history as the scene of the victory gained by the two Scipios over Antiochus the Great, which secured to the Romans the empire of the East, B.C. 190. This place also suffered from the great earthquake in the reign of Tiberius, but was still a place of importance in the fifth century.] from Sipylus. But to Ephesus, that other great luminary of Asia, resort the more distant peoples known as the Cæsarienses [The people, it is supposed, of a place called Hierocæsarea.], the Metropolitæ [The people probably of Metropolis in Lydia, now Turbali, a city on the plain of the Caÿster, between Ephesus and Smyrna. Cilbis, perhaps the present Durgut, was their chief place.], the Cilbiani [A people dwelling in the upper valley of Caÿster.], both the Lower and Upper, the Mysomacedones [Or Mysian Macedonians.], the Mastaurenses [The people of Mastaura in Lydia. Its site is still known as Mastaura-Kalesi.], the Briulitæ [The people of Briula, the site of which is unknown.], the Hypæpeni [The people of Hypæpæ, a small town of Lydia, on the southern slope of Mount Tmolus, forty-two miles from Ephesus. Under the Persian supremacy, the worship of Fire was introduced at this place. Arachne, the spinner, and competitor with Minerva, is represented by Ovid as dwelling at this place; he calls it on two occasions “the little Hypæpæ.” Leake is of opinion that the ruins seen at Bereki belong to this place.], and the Dioshïeritæ [The people of Dios Hieron, or the “Temple of Jupiter.” This was a small place in Ionia between Lebedus and Colophon. It has been suggested that it was on the banks of the Caÿster, but its site is uncertain.].

Chap. 32. (30.)—Æolis.

Æolis [Æolis, properly so called, extended as far north as the promontory of Lectum, at the northern entrance of the bay of Adramyttium.] comes next, formerly known as Mysia, and Troas which is adjacent to the Hellespont. Here, after passing Phocæa, we come to the Ascanian Port, then the spot where Larissa [Near Cyme, a place of Pelasgian origin. It was called Egyptian Larissa, because Cyrus the Great settled here a body of his Egyptian soldiers. According to D’Anville its site is still known as Larusar.] stood, and then Cyme [Said to have been so called from Cyme an Amazon. It was on the northern side of the Hermus: Herodotus gives it the surname of Phriconis. Its site is supposed to be at the modern Sanderli or Sandarlio. The father of the poet Hesiod was a native of this place.], Myrina, also called Sebastopolis [It was probably so called in honour of the Emperor Augustus.], and in the interior, Ægæ [Situate at a short distance from the coast. We learn from Tacitus that it suffered from the great earthquake in the time of Tiberius. Its site is called Guzel-Hissar, according to D’Anville.], Attalia [Originally named Agroeira or Alloeira. There is a place still called Adala, on the river Hermus, but Hamilton found no remains of antiquity there.], Posidea, Neontichos [Or the “New Walls.” Strabo speaks of it as distant thirty stadia from Larissa.], and Temnos [Its site is unknown; but it must not be confounded with the place of that name mentioned in the last Chapter, which stood on the sea-coast. It suffered from the great earthquake in the reign of Tiberius Cæsar.]. Upon the shore we come to the river Titanus, and the city which from it derives its name. Grynia [Or Grynium, forty stadia from Myrina, and seventy from Elæa. It contained a sanctuary of Apollo with an ancient oracle and a splendid temple of white marble. Parmenio, the general of Alexander, took the place by assault and sold the inhabitants as slaves. It is again mentioned by Pliny in B. xxxii. c. 21.] also stood here on an island reclaimed from the sea and joined to the land: now only its harbours are left [This passage seems to be in a corrupt state, and it is difficult to arrive at Pliny’s exact meaning.]. We then come to the town of Elæa [The port of the Pergameni. Strabo places it south of the river Caïcus, twelve stadia from that river, and 120 from Pergamum. Its site is uncertain, but Leake fixes it at a place called Kliseli, on the road from the south to Pergamum.], the river Caïcus [Its modern name is said to be Ak-Su or Bakir.], which flows from Mysia, the town of Pitane [On the coast of the Elaitic gulf. It was almost destroyed by an earthquake in the reign of the Emperor Titus. Its site is by some thought to have been at Sanderli.], and the river Canaïus. The following towns no longer exist—Canæ [Supposed to have been situate near the modern Cape Coloni. It was here that in the war with Antiochus, B.C. 191-190, the Roman fleet was hauled up for the winter and protected by a ditch or rampart.], Lysimachia [So called from Lysimachus, the son of Agathocles.], Atarnea [A strong place opposite to Lesbos. It was on the road from Adramyttium to the plain of the Caïcus. Its site is generally fixed at Dikeli Koi.], Carene [Or Carine. The army of Xerxes, on its route to the Hellespont, marched through this place. Its site is unknown.], Cisthene [It lay outside of the bay of Adramyttium and the promontory of Pyrrha.], Cilla [Mentioned in the Iliad with Chryse and Tenedos.], Cocylium [A place called Kutchulan, or, as some write it, Cotschiolan-Kuni, is supposed to occupy its site.], Theba [Or Thebes, in the vicinity of Troy.], Astyre [In the plain of Thebes between Antandros and Adramyttium. It had a temple of Artemis, of which the Antandrii had the superintendence. Its site does not appear to have been ascertained.], Chrysa [Not improbably the Chryse, mentioned by Homer in the Iliad, B. i. ll. 37, 390, 431; but there were several places of this name.], Palæscepsis [See the note to Scepsis in the present Chapter.], Gergitha [Or Gergis, Gergithus, or Gergithes, a town in the Troad, north of Scamander. It was a place with an acropolis and strong walls. Attalus, king of Pergamus, transplanted the people of Gergis to another spot near the sources of the Caïcus, whence we afterwards find a place called Gergetha or Gergithion, in the vicinity of Larissa. The old town of Gergis was by some said to have been the birth-place of the Sibyl, and its coins have her image impressed on them.], and Neandros [Also called Neandria, upon the Hellespont.]. We then come to the city of Perperene [South of Adramyttium; in its vicinity were copper-mines and celebrated vineyards. It was here that Thucydides is said to have died.], which still survives, the district of Heracleotes, the town of Coryphas [In the district of Coryphantes, opposite to Lesbos, and north of Atarneus. Pliny speaks of the oysters of Coryphas, B. xxxii. c. 6.], the rivers Grylios and Ollius, the region of Aphrodisias [This Aphrodisias does not appear to have been identified.], which formerly had the name of Politice Orgas, the district of Scepsis [Again mentioned by Pliny in B. xi. c. 80. Scepsis was an ancient city in the interior of the Troad, south-east of Alexandria, in the mountains of Ida. Its inhabitants were removed by Antigonus to Alexandria; but being permitted by Lysimachus to return to their homes, they built a new city, and the remains of the old town were then called Palæscepsis. This place is famous in literary history for being the spot where certain MSS. of Aristotle and Theophrastus were buried to prevent their transfer to Pergamus. When dug up they were found nearly destroyed by mould, and in this condition were removed by Sylla to Athens.], and the river Evenus [Sometimes called the Lycormas, now known as the Fidhari or Fidharo.], on whose banks the towns of Lyrnesos [Frequently mentioned by Homer.] and Miletos have fallen to decay. In this district also is Mount Ida [Still known as Ida or Kas-Dagh.], and on the coast Adramytteos [More generally known as Adramyttium or Adramyteum, now Adramiti or Edremit. According to tradition it was founded by Adramys, the brother of Crœsus, king of Lydia. It is mentioned as a sea-port in the Acts, xxvii. 2. There are no traces of ancient remains on its site.], formerly called Pedasus, which gives its name to the gulf and the jurisdiction so called. The other rivers are the Astron, Cormalos, Crianos, Alabastros, and Hieros, flowing from Mount Ida: in the interior is Mount Gargara [One of the heights of Mount Ida in the Troad, now called Kaz-Dag. The territory in this vicinity, as we learn from Virgil and Seneca, was famous for its fertility. The modern village of Iné is supposed to occupy the site of the ancient town of Gargara.], with a town of the same name. Again, on the coast we meet with Antandros [Now Antandro, at the head of the Gulf of Adramyttium. Aristotle also says that its former name was Edonis, and that it was inhabited by a Thracian tribe of Edoni. Herodotus as well as Aristotle also speak of the seizure of the place by the Cimmerii in their incursion into Asia.], formerly called Edonis, and after that Cimmeris and Assos, also called Apollonia. The town of Palamedium also formerly stood here. The Promontory of Lecton [Now Cape Baba or Santa Maria, the south-west promontory of the Troad.] separates Æolis from Troas. In Æolis there was formerly the city of Polymedia, as also Chrysa, and a second Larissa. The temple of Smintheus [Or Sminthian Apollo. This appears to have been situate at the Chrysa last mentioned by Pliny as no longer in existence. Strabo places Chrysa on a hill, and he mentions the temple of Smintheus and speaks of a symbol which recorded the etymon of that name, the mouse which lay at the foot of the wooden figure, the work of Scopas. According to an ancient tradition, Apollo had his name of Smintheus given him as being the mouse-destroyer, for, according to Apion, the meaning of Smintheus was a “mouse.”] is still standing; Colone [According to tradition this place was in early times the residence of Cycnus, a Thracian prince, who possessed the adjoining country, and the island of Tenedos, opposite to which Colone was situate on the mainland. Pliny however here places it in the interior.] in the interior has perished. To Adramyttium resort upon matters of legal business the Apolloniatæ [The site of this Apollonia is at Abullionte, on a lake of the same name, the Apolloniatis of Strabo. Its remains are very inconsiderable.], whose town is on the river Rhyndacus [Or Lycus, now known as the Edrenos.], the Erizii [Of this people nothing whatever is known.], the Miletopolitæ [D’Anville thinks that the modern Bali-Kesri occupies the site of Miletopolis.], the Pœmaneni [Stephanus Byzantinus mentions a place called Pœmaninum near Cyzicus.], the Macedonian Asculacæ, the Polichnæi [The inhabitants of Polichna, a town of the Troad.], the Pionitæ [The people of Pionia, near Scepsis and Gargara.], the Cilician Mandacadeni, and, in Mysia, the Abrettini [They occupied the greater part of Mysia Proper. They had a native divinity to which they paid peculiar honours, by the Greeks called Ζεὺς Ἀβρεττηνὸς.], the people known as the Hellespontii [The same as the Olympeni or Olympieni, in the district of Olympene at the foot of Mount Olympus; next to whom, on the south and west, were the Abretteni.], and others of less note.