DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25180#0003
II.—On the Site of the Homeric Troy. By Dr. Henry Schliemann.
Read June 24th, 1875.
The traveller who sails from the Piraeus for the Hellespont sees, after having
passed the western shore of Lesbos, the Cape Lectum, which forms the western
extremity of the Ida range of mountains. This cape is the southern extremity of
the land, which from Homeric times until now, and probably for many centuries
before Homer, has borne the famous, the immortal, name of Troas. In sailing
thence along its western shore, which extends almost in a straight line to the
north, and ends in Cape Sigeurn, the traveller distinguishes there, in the midst
of a dense forest of oak-trees, the gigantic ruins of the once flourishing city of
Alexandria-Troas, which, by its immense extent, seems to have had at least
500,000 inhabitants. a
The traveller then passes on the left the beautiful island of Tenedos, behind
which (Odyss. iii. 159) the Greeks hid their ships after having erected the
wooden horse. A little further on the traveller passes Basliika Bay, and
sees on the high and steep shore, which forms a kind of spur of the Ida
range, three conical hills, which are said to be heroic tombs, and of which
the largest, called “ Udjek-Tepe,” is 83 feet high, and is visible at a great
distance at sea. Afterwards the traveller sails around the aforesaid Cape
Sigeurn, which has a height of 300 feet. Here begins the famous Hellespont,
which is formed by the Troad and the Thracian peninsula. The .cape is
crowned by the Christian village Ieni-sahir, which occupies the very site of the
a In opposition to the common belief, I think that this city was not founded by Antigonus, but that it
was only enlarged by him, for Strabo (xiii. c. 1, § 47) expressly states “ that its site was formerly called
‘ Sigia,’ and that Antigonus, having colonised it with the inhabitants of Scepsis, Larissa, Colonae, Hamaxitus,
and other cities, named it Antigonia-Troas.” He further states (ibid. § 27), that this city was afterwards
embellished by Lysimachus, who named it, in honour of Alexander the Great, “ Alexandria-Troas.” Julius
Caesar was so much pleased with its site, that, according to Suetonius (Jul. Caes. 79), he intended to make
it the capital of the Roman Empire. According to Zosimus (ii. 30) and Zonaras (xiii. 3), Constantine the
Great had the same plan before he chose Byzantium. Under Hadrian, the celebrated orator Herodes
Atticus was governor of this city. There are still preserved several parts of the gigantic aqueduct which
he built, and to the cost of which his father Atticus contributed three millions of drachms of his own
fortune. Alexandria-Troas is also mentioned in Holy Scripture as one of the cities which were visited by
St. Paul. Its extensive Byzantine ruins leave no doubt that it has been inhabited till the end of the Middle
Ages. It is now called “ Eskistambul.”
Read June 24th, 1875.
The traveller who sails from the Piraeus for the Hellespont sees, after having
passed the western shore of Lesbos, the Cape Lectum, which forms the western
extremity of the Ida range of mountains. This cape is the southern extremity of
the land, which from Homeric times until now, and probably for many centuries
before Homer, has borne the famous, the immortal, name of Troas. In sailing
thence along its western shore, which extends almost in a straight line to the
north, and ends in Cape Sigeurn, the traveller distinguishes there, in the midst
of a dense forest of oak-trees, the gigantic ruins of the once flourishing city of
Alexandria-Troas, which, by its immense extent, seems to have had at least
500,000 inhabitants. a
The traveller then passes on the left the beautiful island of Tenedos, behind
which (Odyss. iii. 159) the Greeks hid their ships after having erected the
wooden horse. A little further on the traveller passes Basliika Bay, and
sees on the high and steep shore, which forms a kind of spur of the Ida
range, three conical hills, which are said to be heroic tombs, and of which
the largest, called “ Udjek-Tepe,” is 83 feet high, and is visible at a great
distance at sea. Afterwards the traveller sails around the aforesaid Cape
Sigeurn, which has a height of 300 feet. Here begins the famous Hellespont,
which is formed by the Troad and the Thracian peninsula. The .cape is
crowned by the Christian village Ieni-sahir, which occupies the very site of the
a In opposition to the common belief, I think that this city was not founded by Antigonus, but that it
was only enlarged by him, for Strabo (xiii. c. 1, § 47) expressly states “ that its site was formerly called
‘ Sigia,’ and that Antigonus, having colonised it with the inhabitants of Scepsis, Larissa, Colonae, Hamaxitus,
and other cities, named it Antigonia-Troas.” He further states (ibid. § 27), that this city was afterwards
embellished by Lysimachus, who named it, in honour of Alexander the Great, “ Alexandria-Troas.” Julius
Caesar was so much pleased with its site, that, according to Suetonius (Jul. Caes. 79), he intended to make
it the capital of the Roman Empire. According to Zosimus (ii. 30) and Zonaras (xiii. 3), Constantine the
Great had the same plan before he chose Byzantium. Under Hadrian, the celebrated orator Herodes
Atticus was governor of this city. There are still preserved several parts of the gigantic aqueduct which
he built, and to the cost of which his father Atticus contributed three millions of drachms of his own
fortune. Alexandria-Troas is also mentioned in Holy Scripture as one of the cities which were visited by
St. Paul. Its extensive Byzantine ruins leave no doubt that it has been inhabited till the end of the Middle
Ages. It is now called “ Eskistambul.”