λοιπὴ δʼ ἐστὶ τῆς μεταξὺ Ἴστρου καὶ τῶν ὀρῶν τῶν ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα τῆς Παιονίας ἡ Ποντικὴ παραλία, ἡ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ στόματος τοῦ Ἴστρου μέχρι τῆς περὶ τὸν Αἷμον ὀρεινῆς καὶ μέχρι τοῦ στόματος τοῦ κατὰ Βυζάντιον. καθάπερ τὴν Ἰλλυρικὴν παραλίαν ἐπιόντες μέχρι τῶν Κεραυνίων ὀρῶν προὔβημεν ἔξω τῆς Ἰλλυρικῆς πιπτόντων ὀρεινῆς, ἐχόντων δέ τι οἰκεῖον πέρας, τὰ μεσόγαια δʼ ἔθνη τούτοις ἀφωρίσμεθα, νομίζοντες σημειωδεστέρας ἔσεσθαι τὰς τοιαύτας περιγραφὰς καὶ πρὸς τὰ νῦν καὶ πρὸς τὰ ὕστερον, οὕτω κἀνταῦθα ἡ παραλία, κἂν ὑπερπίπτῃ τὴν ὀρεινὴν γραμμήν, ὅμως εἰς οἰκεῖόν τι πέρας τελευτήσει τὸ τοῦ Πόντου στόμα καὶ πρὸς τὰ νῦν καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἐφεξῆς. ἔστιν οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ στόματος τοῦ Ἴστρου ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχοντι τὴν συνεχῆ παραλίαν Ἴστρος πολίχνιον ἐν πεντακοσίοις σταδίοις, Μιλησίων κτίσμα· εἶτα Τόμις, ἕτερον πολίχνιον ἐν διακοσίοις πεντήκοντα σταδίοις· εἶτα πόλις Κάλλατις ἐν διακοσίοις ὀγδοήκοντα, Ἡρακλεωτῶν ἄποικος· εἶτʼ Ἀπολλωνία ἐν χιλίοις τριακοσίοις σταδίοις, ἄποικος Μιλησίων, τὸ πλέον τοῦ κτίσματος ἱδρυμένον ἔχουσα ἐν νησίῳ τινί, ἱερὸν τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, ἐξ οὗ Μάρκος Λεύκολλος τὸν κολοσσὸν ἦρε καὶ ἀνέθηκεν ἐν τῷ Καπετωλίῳ τὸν τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, Καλάμιδος ἔργον. ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ δὲ διαστήματι τῷ ἀπὸ Καλλάτιδος εἰς Ἀπολλωνίαν Βιζώνη τέ ἐστιν, ἧς κατεπόθη πολὺ μέρος ὑπὸ σεισμῶν, καὶ Κρουνοὶ καὶ Ὀδησσὸς Μιλησίων ἄποικος, καὶ Ναύλοχος Μεσημβριανῶν πολίχνιον· εἶτα τὸ Αἷμον ὄρος μέχρι τῆς δεῦρο θαλάττης διῆκον· εἶτα Μεσημβρία Μεγαρέων ἄποικος, πρότερον δὲ Μενεβρία, οἷον Μένα πόλις, τοῦ κτίσαντος Μένα καλουμένου, τῆς δὲ πόλεως βρίας καλουμένης θρᾳκιστί· ὡς καὶ ἡ τοῦ Σήλυος πόλις Σηλυμβρία προσηγόρευται, ἥ τε Αἶνος Πολτυμβρία ποτὲ ὠνομάζετο· εἶτʼ Ἀγχιάλη πολίχνιον Ἀπολλωνιατῶν καὶ αὐτὴ Ἀπολλωνία. ἐν δὲ ταύτῃ τῇ παραλίᾳ ἐστὶν ἡ Τίριζις ἄκρα, χωρίον ἐρυμνόν, ᾧ ποτε καὶ Λυσίμαχος ἐχρήσατο γαζοφυλακίῳ. πάλιν δʼ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀπολλωνίας ἐπὶ Κυανέας στάδιοί εἰσι περὶ χιλίους καὶ πεντακοσίους, ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ ἥ τε Θυνιὰς τῶν Ἀπολλωνιατῶν χώρα, καὶ Φινόπολις καὶ Ἀνδριακή, συνάπτουσαι τῷ Σαλμυδησσῷ. ἔστι δʼ οὗτος ἔρημος αἰγιαλὸς καὶ λιθώδης, ἀλίμενος, ἀναπεπταμένος πολὺς πρὸς τοὺς βορέας, σταδίων ὅσον ἑπτακοσίων μέχρι Κυανέων τὸ μῆκος, πρὸς ὃν οἱ ἐκπίπτοντες ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀστῶν διαρπάζονται τῶν ὑπερκειμένων, Θρᾳκίου ἔθνους. αἱ δὲ Κυάνεαι πρὸς τῷ στόματι τοῦ Πόντου εἰσὶ δύο νησίδια, τὸ μὲν τῇ Εὐρώπῃ προσεχὲς τὸ δὲ τῇ Ἀσίᾳ, πορθμῷ διειργόμενα ὅσον εἴκοσι σταδίων. τοσοῦτον δὲ διέχει καὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τοῦ Βυζαντίων καὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τοῦ Χαλκηδονίων, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ Εὐξείνου τὸ στενώτατον· προϊόντι γὰρ δέκα σταδίους ἄκρα ἐστὶ πενταστάδιον ποιοῦσα τὸν πορθμόν, εἶτα διίσταται ἐπὶ πλέον καὶ ποιεῖν ἄρχεται τὴν Προποντίδα.
OF the country situated between the Danube and the mountains on each side of Paeonia, there remains to be described the Pontic coast, which reaches from the Sacred mouth of the Danube to the mountainous district about Haemus, and to the mouth of the Pontus at Byzantium. As in describing the Illyrian coast we had proceeded as far as the Ceraunian mountains, which, although they stretch beyond the mountainous district of Illyria, yet constitute a sort of proper boundary, we determined by means of these mountains the limits of the nations in the inland parts, considering, that such separating lines would be better marks both for our present and future use; so here also the coast, although it may fall beyond the mountainous line, will still end at a proper kind of limit, the mouth of the Pontus, which will be useful both for our present and our future descriptions.
If we set out from the Sacred mouth of the Danube, having on the right hand the continuous line of coast, we find at the distance of 500 stadia, Ister, a small town founded by Milesians; then Tomis, another small town, at the distance of 250 stadia; then Callatis, a city, a colony of the Heracleotae, at 280 stadia; then, at 1300 stadia, Apollonia, a colony of Milesians, having the greater part of the buildings upon a small island, where is a temple of Apollo, whence Marcus Lucullus took the Colossus of Apollo, the work of Calamides, and dedicated it as a sacred offering in the Capitol. In the intermediate distance between Callatis and Apollonia, is Bizone, a great part of which was swallowed up by an earthquake; Cruni; Odessus, a colony of Milesians; and Naulochus, a small town of the Mesembriani. Next follows the mountain Haemus, extending to the sea in this quarter; then Mesembria, a colony of the Megarenses, formerly called Menabria, or city of Mena, Menas being the name of the founder, and bria, signifying in the Thracian tongue, city. Thus the city of Selys is called Selybria, and Aenus once had the name of Poltyobria. Then follows Anchiale, a small town of the Apolloniatae, and Apollonia itself.
On this coast is the promontory Tirizis, a place naturally strong, which Lysimachus formerly used as a treasury. Again, from Apollonia to the Cyanetae are about 1500 stadia. In this interval are Thynias, a tract belonging to the Apolloniatae, Phinopolis, and Andriace, which are contiguous to Salmydessus. This coast is without inhabitants and rocky, without harbours, stretching far towards the north, and extending as far as the Cyaneae, about 700 stadia. Those who are wrecked on this coast are plundered by the Asti, a Thracian tribe who live above it.
The Cyaneae are two small islands at the mouth of the Pontus, one lying near Europe, the other near Asia, and are separated by a channel of about 20 stadia. This is the measure of the distance between the temple of the Byzantines and the temple of the Chalcedonians, where is the narrowest part of the mouth of the Euxine Sea. For proceeding onwards 10 stadia there is a promontory, which reduces the strait to 5 stadia; the strait afterwards opens to a greater width, and begins to form the Propontis.
ἀπὸ μὲν οὖν τῆς ἄκρας τῆς τὸ πενταστάδιον ποιούσης ἐπὶ τὸν ὑπὸ τῇ Συκῇ καλούμενον λιμένα στάδιοι πέντε καὶ τριάκοντα, ἐντεῦθεν δʼ ἐπὶ τὸ Κέρας τὸ Βυζαντίων πέντε. ἔστι δὲ τὸ Κέρας προσεχὴς τῷ Βυζαντίων τείχει κόλπος ἀνέχων ὡς πρὸς δύσιν ἐπὶ σταδίους ἑξήκοντα, ἐοικὼς ἐλάφου κέρατι· εἰς γὰρ πλείστους σχίζεται κόλπους ὡς ἂν κλάδους τινάς, εἰς οὓς ἐμπίπτουσα ἡ πηλαμὺς ἁλίσκεται ῥᾳδίως διά τε τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν βίαν τοῦ συνελαύνοντος ῥοῦ καὶ τὴν στενότητα τῶν κόλπων, ὥστε καὶ χερσὶν ἁλίσκεσθαι. γεννᾶται μὲν οὖν τὸ ζῷον ἐν τοῖς ἕλεσι τῆς Μαιώτιδος, ἰσχῦσαν δὲ μικρὸν ἐκπίπτει διὰ τοῦ στόματος ἀγεληδὸν καὶ φέρεται παρὰ τὴν Ἀσιανὴν ᾐόνα μέχρι Τραπεζοῦντος καὶ Φαρνακείας· ἐνταῦθα δὲ πρῶτον συνίστασθαι συμβαίνει τὴν θήραν, οὐ πολλὴ δʼ ἐστίν· οὐ γάρ πω τὸ προσῆκον ἔχει μέγεθος· εἰς δὲ Σινώπην προϊοῦσα ὡραιοτέρα πρός τε τὴν θήραν καὶ τὴν ταριχείαν ἐστίν· ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἤδη συνάψῃ ταῖς Κυανέαις καὶ παραλλάξῃ ταύτας, ἐκ τῆς Χαλκηδονιακῆς ἀκτῆς λευκή τις πέτρα προπίπτουσα φοβεῖ τὸ ζῷον ὥστʼ εὐθὺς εἰς τὴν περαίαν τρέπεσθαι· παραλαβὼν δʼ ὁ ἐνταῦθα ῥοῦς, ἅμα καὶ τῶν τόπων εὐφυῶν ὄντων πρὸς τὸ τὸν ἐκεῖ ῥοῦν τῆς θαλάττης ἐπὶ τὸ Βυζάντιον καὶ τὸ πρὸς αὐτῷ Κέρας τετράφθαι, φυσικῶς συνελαύνεται δεῦρο καὶ παρέχει τοῖς Βυζαντίοις καὶ τῷ δήμῳ τῶν Ῥωμαίων πρόσοδον ἀξιόλογον. Χαλκηδόνιοι δʼ ἐπὶ τῆς περαίας ἱδρυμένοι πλησίον οὐ μετέχουσι τῆς εὐπορίας ταύτης διὰ τὸ μὴ προσπελάζειν τοῖς λιμέσιν αὐτῶν τὴν πηλαμύδα· ᾗ δὴ καὶ τὸν Ἀπόλλω φασὶ τοῖς κτίσασι τὸ Βυζάντιον ὕστερον μετὰ τὴν ὑπὸ Μεγαρέων Χαλκηδόνος κτίσιν χρηστηριαζομένοις προστάξαι ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἵδρυσιν ἀπεναντίον τῶν τυφλῶν, τυφλοὺς καλέσαντα τοὺς Χαλκηδονίους, ὅτι πρότεροι πλεύσαντες τοὺς τόπους, ἀφέντες τὴν πέραν κατασχεῖν τοσοῦτον πλοῦτον ἔχουσαν, εἵλοντο τὴν λυπροτέραν. μέχρι μὲν δὴ Βυζαντίου προήλθομεν, ἐπειδὴ πόλις ἐπιφανὴς πλησιάζουσα μάλιστα τῷ στόματι εἰς γνωριμώτερον πέρας ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἴστρου τὸν παράπλουν τελευτῶντα ἀπέφαινεν. ὑπέρκειται δὲ τοῦ Βυζαντίου τὸ τῶν Ἀστῶν ἔθνος, ἐν ᾧ πόλις Καλύβη, Φιλίππου τοῦ Ἀμύντου τοὺς πονηροτάτους ἐνταῦθα ἱδρύσαντος.
From the promontory, then, that reduces the strait to 5 stadia, to the Port under the Fig-tree, as it is called, are 35 stadia; thence to the Horn of the Byzantines, 5 stadia. This Horn, close to the walls of Byzantium, is a bay, extending westwards 60 stadia, and resembling a stag’s horn, for it is divided into a great many bays, like so many branches. The Pelamides resort to these bays, and are easily taken, on account of their great number, and the force of the current, which drives them together in a body; and also on account of the narrowness of the bays, which is such that they are caught even by the hand. These fish are bred in the marshes of the Maeotis. When they have attained a little size and strength, they rush through the mouth in shoals, and are carried along the Asiatic coast as far as Trapezus and Pharnacia. It is here that the fishery begins, but it is not carried on to any considerable extent, because the fish are not of a proper size at this place. When they get as far as Sinope, they are in better season for the fishery, and for the purpose of salting. But when they have reached and passed the Cyaneae, a white rock projects from the Chalcedonian shore, which alarms the fish, so that they immediately turn away to the opposite coast. There they are caught by the stream, and the nature of the places being such as to divert the current of the sea in that part towards Byzantium, and the Horn near it, the fish are impelled thither in a body, and afford to the Byzantines, and to the Roman people, a large revenue. The Chalcedonians, however, although situated near, and on the opposite side, have no share of this supply, because the Pelamides do not approach their harbours.
After the foundation of Chalcedon, Apollo is said to have enjoined the founders of Byzantium, in answer to their inquiries, to build their city opposite to the Blind, applying this name to the Chalcedonians, who, although they were the first persons to arrive in these parts, had omitted to take possession of the opposite side, which afforded such great resources of wealth, and chose the barren coast.
We have continued our description to Byzantium, because this celebrated city, by its proximity to the mouth of the Euxine Sea, forms a better-known and more remarkable termination of an account of the coast from the Danube than any other.
Above Byzantium is the nation of the Asti, in whose territory is the city Calybe, which Philip the son of Amyntas made a settlement for criminals.
Cite This Text