Perinthus orPerinthos (Ancient Greek:ἡ Πέρινθος)[1][2] was a great and flourishing town ofancient Thrace, situated on thePropontis. According toJohn Tzetzes, it bore at an early period the name ofMygdonia (Μυγδονία). It lay 35 kilometres (22 mi) west ofSelymbria and 90 kilometres (56 mi) west ofByzantium, on a small peninsula[3] of the bay which bears its name, and was built like anamphitheatre, on the declivity of a hill.[4] Its site is near modernMarmara Ereğlisi, inTurkey.[5][6]
It was originally aSamian colony,[7][8] and, according toGeorge Syncellus, was founded about 599 BC.[9] German archaeologistTheodor Panofka, however, makes it contemporary withSamothrace, that is about 1000 BC.[10] It was particularly renowned forits obstinate defence againstPhilip II of Macedon.[11][12] At that time it appears to have been a more important and flourishing town even thanByzantium and being both a harbour and a point at which several main roads met, it was the seat of extensive commerce.[13] This circumstance explains the reason why so many of its coins are still extant from which we learn that large and celebrated festivals were held here.[10]After the fourth century AD it assumed the name ofHeraclea orHeracleia (Ἡράκλεια);[14] which we find sometimes used alone, and sometimes with additionsHeraclea Thraciae andHeraclea Perinthus.[13][15]
Septimius Severus (r. 193–211) twice granted the city the prestigious title ofneokoros and gave it permission to hold crown festivals in his honor, in recognition of its support during his conflict withPescennius Niger, a rival claimant to the Roman throne.[16]
Justinian restored the old imperial palace, and theaqueducts of the city.[13] Coins of Perinthus have also survived, which were studied byEdith Schönert-Geiß.[17] The inscriptions from Perinthus and the literary testimonia on the city have been collected by Mustafa Hamdi Sayar.[18]
The peninsula and acropolis were complemented by the landward lower city and its walls, some remains of which have been found.
Other notable places include the 5th-century basilica which in its architecture seems to be closely linked to the church designs of Constantinople. The floor mosaics are particularly well made and preserved.
Stone from thebasilica seems to have been used in the construction of a tower meant to guard a 1.9m wide secondary gate, from which may be deduced that the basilica must have been destroyed some time prior, though the date for that is not certain. Archaeologists and historians from the Tekirdağ Museum, theUniversity of Istanbul and theUniversity of Heidelberg think the church might have stood for no more than perhaps 150 years. It was never rebuilt and instead replaced with a small chapel.[19]
Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Perinthus".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray. This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Perinthus".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
| Geographic | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
40°58′15″N27°57′16″E / 40.97089°N 27.95454°E /40.97089; 27.95454
