ASIA. dog-wood, (the cornelian cherry,) and cane arrows CHAP. II. without feathers, and javelins. They also had goat-skins hanging over their shoulders, caps encircled with feathers on their heads, and daggers and falchions.1 Milyans. Pamphylians. II. MYSIA and LYDIA. Mysians, also named Olympieni. Extent of of tus. The MILYANS were the ancient inhabitants of Lycia, but were driven into the interior by the Termilac, afterwards called Lycians, from Crete.2 In the army of Xerxes they carried short spears, and their garments were fastened by clasps; some also carried Lycian bows, and wore helmets of tanned hides on their heads.3 4 The PAMPHYLIANS are but little mentioned: they furnished Xerxes with thirty ships, and were equipped in Hellenic armour. They were descendants of the mixed multitude who returned from Troy under Amphilochus and Calchas. Artemisia said that as allies to Xerxes they were good for nothing-bad slaves to a good master. 6 II. MYSIA and LYDIA were comprised in the second satrapy, which thus included the Mysians, Lydians, Lasonians, Cabalians, and Hygennians. It paid a tribute of five hundred talents." 8 The MYSIANS were colonists from the Lydians, and were also named Olympieni from the mountain of Olympus, called the Mysian Olympus. Their origin was doubtless the same as both that of the Lydians and the Carians, as they observed the same religious rites. Their principal pursuit appears to have been agriculture. Their equipment consisted of helmets peculiar to their country, small shields, and javelins hardened by fire.' 10 11 It is difficult to define the limits of the territory the Mysia held by the Mysians of this second satrapy. The maritime districts of the province subsequently called Mysia were not included, for the western coast was occupied by the Aeolians of the first satrapy, 1 vii. 92. 10 i. 36. 2 See p. 224. derived their name 6 viii. 68. 11 vii. 74. 3 vii. 77. Пáμøvλo, "people of all tribes." 7 iii. 90. i. 36. 9 i. 171. ASIA. and that on the north and north-west, by the Hellespontines of the third. The Mysia of Herodotus how- CHAP. II. ever evidently extended much farther to the northeast than the later Mysia, for we find the city of Cius of Bithynia called a Mysian town.' 2 5 of Mysia. cus. Canae. In describing the country we shall proceed from Topography south to north. Not far from Lydia, the river Cai- River Caicus (now called the Akson or Bakir) flowed through the plain, called the plain of Caicus, which belonged to the Mysians. On the left or western side was Mount Mount Canae, now called Cape Coloni. Next came Atarneus, which was situated opposite Lesbos, and Atarneus. was given to the Chians in return for their delivering up Pactyes; and for a long time afterwards, the Chians would not offer to the gods any barley-meal from this town, nor would they bake any sacrificial cakes from the fruit which came from thence, nor admit any of the productions of that country into their temples. In the district of Atarneus was the town of Malene, where Histiaeus was taken prisoner by Malene. the Persians. Next followed the cities of Carina; Carina. Adramyttium; Thebes, with the Theban plain; AdramytAntandrus, which was a Pelasgian city,' and belonged tium. to the territory of Troas; and Lamponium. Then Antandrus. came Cape Lectos, and the river Scamander, (now Cape called Bunarbashi,) and Cape Segeium. It was to River ScaSegeium that the Peisistratidae retired after being cape Segeidriven out of Athens by Cleomenes; 10 and here um. there was a temple of Athene, in which were hung up the arms of Alcaeus the poet." In the neighbourhood was the city of Achilleïum."2 Xerxes on leaving Antandrus had entered the territory of Ilium, keeping Mount Ida on the left.13 On reaching the river Scamander, which was the only stream after leaving Sardis whose waters were exhausted by the Persian army, Xerxes went to see the Pergamus of 8 Thebes. Lamponium Lectos. mander. 13 Herodotus here seems to make a mistake. Mount Ida must have been on the right of the route taken by Xerxes. ASIA. Ilium inha Aeolians thes. Ophrynei um. Abydos. 5 Priam,' and there sacrificed a thousand oxen to the CHAP. II. Athene of Ilium, whilst the Magi poured out libations in honour of the heroes. The Ilia nterribited by the tory was inhabited by the Aeolians, among whom and Gergi- were the Gergithes, who were regarded as a remnant of the ancient Teucrians.3 The districts around Ilium and Teuthrania were considered by Herodotus to have been formerly a bay of the sea. Further on were the Gergithes on the right, and on the left were Rhoctium. the cities of Rhoetium; Ophryneium; Dardanus, which bordered on Abydos; the city of Abydos, Dardanus. from whence, on a lofty throne of white marble at the summit of a hill, Xerxes reviewed his entire army and fleet on the neighbouring plains and shores; Percote; Lampsacus; Paesus; Parium ; ' Placia and Scylace, both of which were built by the Pelasgians, who subsequently preserved their dialect; and Dascyleium, which had a district bearing the same name, and which passed for a Bithynian city, only Herodotus calls Cius a Mysian town, and the latter lay still more to the eastward. Two Islands of islands are also mentioned: Cyzicus, which contained the city of Artace, and where was celebrated a great festival to the mother of the gods, which Anacharsis vowed he would introduce into Scythia; " and Proconnesus, which was the native place of Aristeas, the author of the Arimaspea." The towns of Artace and Proconnesus were both destroyed by the Persians.13 Percote. Lampsacus. Paesus. Placia. • Scylace. Dascyleium. Cius. Cyzicus and sus. Lydians, their anci 6 9 10 The LYDIANS apparently occupied all the later proent empire. vince of Lydia, excepting the maritime district held by the Ionians of the first satrapy. In the time of Croesus, they were the most valiant and warlike people in Asia. They were armed with long jave This was the name of the citadel of Troy. Herodotus adds "of Priam" to distinguish it from Pergamus on the Caicus, with which however, singularly enough, Bobrik confuses it. 6 vii. 44. 2 vii. 43. 3 v. 122. 9 iii. 120. We also learn from the testimony of Xenophon, that the western portion of Bithynia was attached to that of Mysia, whose satraps took up their habitual residence in the Bithynian town of Dascyleium. Xenoph. Anab. quoted by Heeren. 13 vi. 33. 3 ASIA. capital. lus and lins, and fought on horseback, managing their horses with admirable skill. They thus became the rul- CHAP. II. ing power in western Asia, and subdued all the nations westward of the river Halys, except the Lycians and Cilicians. The empire of Croesus therefore included the Lydians, Phrygians, Mysians, Mariandynians, Chalybes, Paphlagonians, Thynian and Bithynian Thracians, Carians, Ionians, Dorians, Aeolians, and Pamphylians. Sardis the capital was Sardis the situated in a large but naked plain, watered by several rivers. Amongst others, the Hyllus (or modern River HylDemirgi-chai) flowed through it into the Hermus, (or Hermus. modern Ghiediz-chai,) which was the largest river of this country, and flowed from a mountain, (the modern Morad Tagh,) sacred to the mother Dindymene, and discharged itself into the sea near Phocae. The acropolis of Sardis was very steep and inaccessible on the side which faced Mount Tmolus, (or Musa Tagh,) but was nevertheless scaled at this part by Hyroeades, a Mardian in the army of Cyrus, when the walls at every other point were impregnable.* Most of the houses were built entirely of reeds or canes; others with brick walls were also thatched over with reeds. At the time of the Ionian revolt, a soldier set fire to one of these houses, and the flames quickly spread from house to house, and consumed the entire city. Even the temple of the national goddess Cybele fell in the general conflagration, and the Persians subsequently burnt the sanctuaries of Greece in revenge for this destruction. Through the centre of the agora or market-place flowed the river Pactolus, (or Sarabat,) bringing grains of gold from Mount Tmolus, and subsequently discharging itself into the Hermus.' Sardis and Ephesus appear to have been the principal markets of the country, especially for the sale of eunuchs, who were more valued than other slaves on account of their extreme fidelity.8 6 viii. 105. With the exception of a few black tents of Yuruks, or wandering Turkomans, the only habitation described by travellers as ex ASIA. Gold dust brought from Mount the river Pactolus. Alyattes. The Lydian territory presented few wonders, exCHAP. II. cepting perhaps the grains of gold which were washed down from Mount Tmolus, by the river Pactolus.' The gold was apparently obtained in considerable quantiTmolus by ties, and we find that the treasury of the Lydian kings, like that of the Persians, was filled with heaps of the precious dust. Lydia however exhibited one work which was greater than those of any other nation Tumulus of excepting Acgypt and Babylon. This was a monument to Alyattes the father of Croesus, and consisted of an immense mound or tumulus of earth erected on a basis of large stones. It was 6 stadia and 2 plethra in circumference, and 13 plethra in breadth, and was situated near a large lake called the Gygaean lake, which the Lydians said was fed by perpetual springs. The tumulus was raised by tradesmen, mechanics, and prostitutes; and on the summit, there still remained in the time of Herodotus five columns bearing inscriptions, showing how much of the work was executed by each class, and proving that the females had done the most.* Roads from Lydia to 3 Herodotus also mentions a beautiful tree, which existed in Lydia, and prefaces his notice with a somewhat minute topographical description. The road which led from Phrygia into Lydia divided at the frontier into two ways, that on the left led to Caria, isting at Sardis, now called Sart, is that of a Greek miller, who has taken advantage of one of the streams which flow past the acropolis to turn the wheel of his mill. Ainsworth, Travels in the Track of the Ten Thou sand. 1 v. 101. 2 vi. 125. 3 The Necropolis of the ancient kings of Lydia was situated, according to Strabo, about 40 stadia north of Sardis. It is described by Mr. Hamilton as standing upon a low ridge of limestone hills that rise above the reed-environed lake of Gygaeus. It is a collection of gigantic mounds or tumuli, three of which are distinguished by their superior size, but the largest of which is generally designated as the tomb of Alyattes. It took Mr. Hamilton ten minutes to ride round its base, which accordingly he computes to be nearly half a mile in circumference. We have seen in the text, that Herodotus describes the mound as made up of earth upon a stone foundation, and Mr. Hamilton found it to be composed towards the north of natural rock, a white horizontally stratified earthy limestone, cut away so as to appear part of the structure, and in the upper portion of sand and gravel, apparently brought from the bed of the Hermus. Cf. Ainsworth, Travels in the Track of the Ten Thousand. i. 93. |