DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4679#0149
1. SITUATION AND SCENERY. 123
from the Lycos valley to be a range of mountains, one finds oneself on
the raised rim of a great plain which stretches away to the north until
in the far distance the view is bounded by M. Dindymos (Murad Dagh).
Eastwards the view extends to the mountains behind Eumeneia (now
called Ak Dagh) and Sebaste (Burgas Dagh). In this great plain the 1
course of the rivers is remarkable. As you look across the plain from
an elevated point, it seems to be flat and riverless and treeless ; but,
when you travel across it, you find that it is intersected by great
canons. The streams, which enter the plain from all sides, flow in the
beginning of their course at the natural level; gradually their channels
grow deeper and deeper, until at last they become caiions with per-
pendicular sides from a quarter to half a mile in breadth. Where two
canons join one another the scenery is very striking and grand. At
last all the canons are merged in that of the Maeander, which forces
its way through the mountain-rim of the plateau and emerges into
the low-lying Lycos valley at the height of about 600 feet above
sea-level.
The Mossyneis have left no trace in written history. The name
occurs only in the Byzantine lists1 and in inscriptions. They struck
no coins, and they are not mentioned in inscr. 29, where the self-
administering states of this district unite to honour M. Plautius Venox.
These facts suggest that they were subordinated in some way to one of
their more powerful neighbours. Now it is clear that the power of
Hierapolis extended close up to the Maeander and to Dionysopolis. Lair-
benos, the god who had his seat in the temple overhanging the canon
of the Maeander, is mentioned often on coins of Hierapolis ; and he
appears to have had a close connexion with both Hierapolis and
Dionysopolis, as citizens of both cities met in his service at the
temple. Zeus Bozios, mentioned on coins of Hierapolis, also appears
to have had his special seat close to Dionysopolis (§ 11). Further
Thiountene marble was also called Hierapolitan2. Now Hierapolis
was separated by Mossyna from Dionysopolis, from the temple of
Lairbenos, and from Thiounta ; and the connexion which is shown in
the facts quoted seems to imply that Mossyna was subject to Hiera-
polis. It is well known that in several cases the great Asian cities
exercised rights over wide stretches of country inhabited by different
tribes.
The site of Mossyna was probably at Geuzlar-kahve, on the direct
1 The Mossineis of Pliny V 126 in the 2 This fact, taken alone, would be
conventus of Pergamos are of course a susceptible of explanation like the name
different people. Synnadic for Dokimene marble, see § 3.
from the Lycos valley to be a range of mountains, one finds oneself on
the raised rim of a great plain which stretches away to the north until
in the far distance the view is bounded by M. Dindymos (Murad Dagh).
Eastwards the view extends to the mountains behind Eumeneia (now
called Ak Dagh) and Sebaste (Burgas Dagh). In this great plain the 1
course of the rivers is remarkable. As you look across the plain from
an elevated point, it seems to be flat and riverless and treeless ; but,
when you travel across it, you find that it is intersected by great
canons. The streams, which enter the plain from all sides, flow in the
beginning of their course at the natural level; gradually their channels
grow deeper and deeper, until at last they become caiions with per-
pendicular sides from a quarter to half a mile in breadth. Where two
canons join one another the scenery is very striking and grand. At
last all the canons are merged in that of the Maeander, which forces
its way through the mountain-rim of the plateau and emerges into
the low-lying Lycos valley at the height of about 600 feet above
sea-level.
The Mossyneis have left no trace in written history. The name
occurs only in the Byzantine lists1 and in inscriptions. They struck
no coins, and they are not mentioned in inscr. 29, where the self-
administering states of this district unite to honour M. Plautius Venox.
These facts suggest that they were subordinated in some way to one of
their more powerful neighbours. Now it is clear that the power of
Hierapolis extended close up to the Maeander and to Dionysopolis. Lair-
benos, the god who had his seat in the temple overhanging the canon
of the Maeander, is mentioned often on coins of Hierapolis ; and he
appears to have had a close connexion with both Hierapolis and
Dionysopolis, as citizens of both cities met in his service at the
temple. Zeus Bozios, mentioned on coins of Hierapolis, also appears
to have had his special seat close to Dionysopolis (§ 11). Further
Thiountene marble was also called Hierapolitan2. Now Hierapolis
was separated by Mossyna from Dionysopolis, from the temple of
Lairbenos, and from Thiounta ; and the connexion which is shown in
the facts quoted seems to imply that Mossyna was subject to Hiera-
polis. It is well known that in several cases the great Asian cities
exercised rights over wide stretches of country inhabited by different
tribes.
The site of Mossyna was probably at Geuzlar-kahve, on the direct
1 The Mossineis of Pliny V 126 in the 2 This fact, taken alone, would be
conventus of Pergamos are of course a susceptible of explanation like the name
different people. Synnadic for Dokimene marble, see § 3.