DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0312
Chap, xvii.]
SITE OF THEMISCYRA.
283
bridge. The river is here of great width, and apparently
very deep, formed by the junction of the Iris and the Lycus
below Amasia. A short time before my arrival it had risen
to a great height, inundated the country to a considerable
extent, and done much damage to the bridge, part of which
was carried away. Both here and where I afterwards saw
it, in the Phanaroea and at Amasia, its appearance was
muddy and yellow; I cannot therefore understand why
Apollonius and Dionysius Periegetes should have applied to
it the epithets of "white" and "pure;''* or the Xsvum S/v«j
of Apollonius must have been of a very opaque white
Pheasants, deer, roebuck, and wild boar, are said to abound
in the extensive forests which lie between the mouths of the
Iris and the Melitsch Chai, besides the wild cattle, buffa-
loes, and horses which I have mentioned.
An additional interest attached to these extensive plains
is derived from the fact of their being considered to be the
district occupied by the fabled Amazons, whose principal
city, Themiscyra, is supposed to have stood upon the site of
the modern Therm eh. Although the Themiscyra of the Ama-
zons was probably only an invention of the poets, there can
be no doubt that a town of that name really existed, inas-
much as, according to Appian and Plutarch, it was besieged
by Lucullus.f I think, however, that Thermeh is too near
the sea, and that the ancient city should be looked for
nearer the mountains. Such, however, is the intricate na-
ture of these plains and forests, and such the ignorance of
the inhabitants, that months would elapse before they could
be thoroughly explored. It is, however, a singular fact that
the range of mountains which surrounds them still retains
the name of Mason Dagh; and Apollonius says that the
mountains from whence the streams which formed the Ther-
modon descended were called 'Apta^ovia. He also bears
witness to the numerous waters which traverse these cx-
* Apoll. Hliod. Arg., ii. ;!(>(>'. Dion. Peri., 783.
f Plut. in Vit. Lucull.
SITE OF THEMISCYRA.
283
bridge. The river is here of great width, and apparently
very deep, formed by the junction of the Iris and the Lycus
below Amasia. A short time before my arrival it had risen
to a great height, inundated the country to a considerable
extent, and done much damage to the bridge, part of which
was carried away. Both here and where I afterwards saw
it, in the Phanaroea and at Amasia, its appearance was
muddy and yellow; I cannot therefore understand why
Apollonius and Dionysius Periegetes should have applied to
it the epithets of "white" and "pure;''* or the Xsvum S/v«j
of Apollonius must have been of a very opaque white
Pheasants, deer, roebuck, and wild boar, are said to abound
in the extensive forests which lie between the mouths of the
Iris and the Melitsch Chai, besides the wild cattle, buffa-
loes, and horses which I have mentioned.
An additional interest attached to these extensive plains
is derived from the fact of their being considered to be the
district occupied by the fabled Amazons, whose principal
city, Themiscyra, is supposed to have stood upon the site of
the modern Therm eh. Although the Themiscyra of the Ama-
zons was probably only an invention of the poets, there can
be no doubt that a town of that name really existed, inas-
much as, according to Appian and Plutarch, it was besieged
by Lucullus.f I think, however, that Thermeh is too near
the sea, and that the ancient city should be looked for
nearer the mountains. Such, however, is the intricate na-
ture of these plains and forests, and such the ignorance of
the inhabitants, that months would elapse before they could
be thoroughly explored. It is, however, a singular fact that
the range of mountains which surrounds them still retains
the name of Mason Dagh; and Apollonius says that the
mountains from whence the streams which formed the Ther-
modon descended were called 'Apta^ovia. He also bears
witness to the numerous waters which traverse these cx-
* Apoll. Hliod. Arg., ii. ;!(>(>'. Dion. Peri., 783.
f Plut. in Vit. Lucull.