Adramyttium

Ἀδραμύττιον(in Greek)
Adramyttium Shown within Turkey
Location	Ören,Burhaniye,Balıkesir Province,Turkey
Region	Aeolis
Coordinates	39°29′52″N26°56′15″E / 39.49778°N 26.93750°E /39.49778; 26.93750
Type	Settlement

Adramyttium^{[nb 1]} (Greek:ἈδραμύττιονAdramyttion, ἈδραμύττειονAdramytteion, or ἈτραμύττιονAtramyttion) was an ancient city and bishopric inAeolis, in modern-dayTurkey. It was originally located at the head of theGulf of Adramyttium, at Ören in the Plain ofThebe, 4 kilometres west of the modern town ofBurhaniye, but later moved 13 kilometres northeast to its current location and became known asEdremit.

The site of Adramyttium was originally settled byLeleges, the indigenous inhabitants of the Aegean littoral, and people from the neighbouring region ofMysia.^[1] The area was later settled byLydians,Cimmerians, andAeolian Greeks, who gave their name to the region ofAeolis.^[1] The area became part of theperaia (mainland territory) of thecity-state ofMytilene in the 8th century BC,^[2] and the city of Adramyttium was founded in the 6th century BC.^[1] According toAristotle, Adramyttium was founded by, and named after, Adramytos, the son of KingAlyattes ofLydia.^[3] Prior to his ascension to the throne,Croesus, Alyattes' successor, was governor of a district centred on Adramyttium.^[4]

Following the fall of the kingdom of Lydia in 546 BC Adramyttium came under the rule of thePersian Empire and was administered as part of thesatrapy (province) ofHellespontine Phrygia from the early 5th century BC onward.^[3] In 422 BC,Pharnaces, the satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia, offered asylum to exiles from the island ofDelos, who settled in the city. Thereafter Adramyttium was considered a Greek city.^[5] Arsaces, a general subordinate toTissaphernes, the satrap of Lydia andCaria, massacred a number of the Delian exiles.^[6] The Delians returned to Delos in 421/420 BC when the Athenians permitted them to do so.^[3]

Following the end of thePeloponnesian War in 404 BC, Adramyttium came again under the control of Mytilene.^[2] TheTen Thousand, a Greek mercenary force, travelled through Adramyttium during their march along the coast.^[7] Mytilene retained control of Adramyttium until 386 BC, after which the city formed again part of the Persian Empire by the terms of thePeace of Antalcidas.^[3] During theGreat Satraps' Revolt,Ariobarzanes, satrap of Hellespontine Phygia, joined the revolt againstArtaxerxes II in 367 BC.^[8]Autophradates, satrap of Lydia, andMausolus, satrap of Caria, besieged Ariobarzanes at Adramyttium in 366 BC.^[9] However, the siege of Adramyttium was abandoned following the arrival ofAgesilaus II, King ofSparta, in 365 BC.^[8]

Following his victory at theBattle of the Granicus in 334 BC, Adramyttium came under the control ofAlexander the Great.^[10] After Alexander's death in 323 BC, his empire was divided among theDiadochi at thePartition of Babylon, andLeonnatus was appointed satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia.^[11] At thePartition of Triparadisus in 321 BC,Arrhidaeus succeeded Leonnatus as satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia.^[12] In 319 BC, Adramyttium and Hellespontine Phrygia were seized byAntigonus I Monophthalmus, satrap of Greater Phrygia.^[13] Adramyttium and Hellespontine Phrygia remained under the control of Antigonus until theFourth War of the Diadochi; the city was taken by force byPrepelaus, a general ofLysimachus,Basileus ofThrace, in 302 BC.^[14] Adramyttium and Lysimachus' other Anatolian territories were annexed to theSeleucid Empire after Lysimachus' defeat at theBattle of Corupedium in 281 BC.^[15] An artificial port was constructed at Adramyttium in the early third century BC, which subsequently allowed the city to overshadow the neighbouring port ofCisthene.^[16]

Adramyttium came under the control of theAttalid dynasty ofPergamon during the rule ofEumenes I, a nominal vassal of the Seleucid Empire, in the mid-third century BC.^[17] The alliance betweenAttalus I, Eumenes's successor, andRhodes during theCretan War ledPhilip V, King of Macedonia, to invadeAttalid Pergamon and pillage the countryside surrounding Adramyttium in 201 BC.^[18] As an ally ofRome, Pergamon fought in theRoman–Seleucid War against the Seleucid Empire. In 190 BC,Antiochus III plundered the countryside surrounding Adramyttium, but the appearance of a Roman–Pergamene fleet prevented him from taking the city.^[19] In the second century BC,cistophori, the coinage of Attalid Pergamon, were minted at Adramyttium.^[20]Attalus III, the last king of Pergamon, bestowed his kingdom to the Romans in his will,^[21] and thus, in 133 BC, Adramyttium came under Roman control.^[22] The city became part of theprovince of Asia.^[23]

Manius Aquillius, governor of the province of Asia from 129 to 126 BC, rebuilt the road that connected Adramyttium andSmyrna.^[24] In the 1st century BC, a famous school of oratory was located in Adramyttium.^[18] Adramyttium was the centre of aconventus iuridicus,^[25] and its jurisdiction included theTroad and the western half of Mysia.^[26] Adramyttium was also the centre of aconventus civium Romanorum in the second or early first century BC.^[27]

During theFirst Mithridatic War,Diodorus, astrategos and supporter ofMithridates VI, King of Pontus, had the members of the city council killed and granted control of the city to Mithridates. Following the completion of the conquest of the province of Asia in 88 BC, Mithridates ordered the execution of all Roman settlers. At Adramyttium, the Romans were driven into the sea, where they were slaughtered.^[28] At the conclusion of the war, the province of Asia returned to Roman control andXenocles of Adramyttium, a prominent orator, was sent to Rome to defend the actions of the city during the war. Adramyttium, however, was deprived of itsautonomy, and was henceforth obligated to pay regular taxes to Rome.^[29]

According to theActs of the Apostles, whilst en route to Rome,St. Paul departedCaesarea Maritima on a ship from the city of Adramyttium which took him toMyra inLycia.^[30][23]

Adramyttium later also became the seat of aportorium.^[9] Adramyttium was damaged by an earthquake during the reign of EmperorTrajan (r. 98–117), who subsequently rebuilt the city.[31] Upon the death of EmperorTheodosius I in 395, and subsequent division of the Roman Empire into eastern and western halves, Adramyttium became part of theEastern Roman Empire.^[21]

The administrative reforms of the 7th century led Adramyttium to be administered as part of theThracesian Theme.^[32] In early 715, soldiers of the theme ofOpsikion mutinied and travelled to Adramyttium where they proclaimedTheodosius, apraktor (tax-collector),^[33] as emperor.^[34] Theodosius did not wish to become emperor and fled to the mountains, but was found and forced to become emperor at sword-point.^[35] Adramyttium came under the administration of thetheme ofSamos in the ninth century and became the seat of atourmarches of that theme.^[32] Atourma of the hinterland of Adramyttium remained part of the Thracesian Theme, but was also based at Adramyttium.^[32]

Adramyttium was sacked byTzachas, a Turkish ruler, inc. 1090 and subsequently rebuilt and repopulated byEumathios Philokales in 1109.^[36] During this period, Adramyttium was used as a base to defend against Italian and Turkish attacks.^[36] Upon discovering thatMalik Shah,Sultan of Rum, planned to invade in early 1112, EmperorAlexios I Komnenos sent an army to Adramyttium ahead of him as he travelled to theChersonese peninsula.^[37] During the reign of EmperorManuel I Komnenos (r. 1143–1180), Adramyttion formed part of the new theme ofNeokastra.^[38] French crusaders passed through Adramyttium on their march south toEphesus during theSecond Crusade.^[39] After the ascension of EmperorAndronikos I Komnenos in 1183,Andronikos Lapardas revolted against the emperor and travelled toBithynia to join the rebels, but was seized at Adramyttium and imprisoned.^[40] Themegas douxMichael Stryphnos levied a fine on the Genoese merchant Cafforio,^[41] who subsequently raided the cities of theAegean Sea and sacked Adramyttium in 1197.^[22]

Following theFall of Constantinople to theFourth Crusade in 1204 and the formation of theLatin Empire,Emperor Baldwin granted the land betweenAbydos on the Hellespont to Adramyttium to his brotherHenry of Flanders, who went on to capture Adramyttium in the winter of 1204/1205.^[42] The Byzantine magnateTheodore Mangaphas attempted to seize the city but was defeated by Henry of Flanders at theBattle of Adramyttium on 19 March 1205.^[43] Adramyttium was recovered by theEmpire of Nicaea, a successor state of the Byzantine Empire, later that year. Nicaea maintained control of the city until 1211.^[44] Henry of Flanders regained Adramyttium in October 1211 after his victory over the Nicaean emperorTheodore I Laskaris at theBattle of the Rhyndacus.^[45] Theodore I subsequently ceded Adramyttium to the Latin Empire in theTreaty of Nymphaeum.^[46] In 1224, Latin rule in Anatolia collapsed and Adramyttium was recaptured by the Empire of Nicaea.^[47]

TheTreaty of Nymphaeum of 1261 granted theRepublic of Genoa trading privileges, such as marketplaces, at Adramyttium, among other Aegean cities.^[48] In 1268, the Venetians were granted a concession in Adramyttium.^[36] In early 1284, a synod was held at Adramyttium by EmperorAndronikos II Palaiologos, accompanied by his aunt Theodora and his cousinsAnna Palaiologina Kantakouzene andTheodora Raoulaina, with the intention of reconciling with the "Arsenites", supporters ofArsenios Autoreianos, the deposedEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Arsenites who were poorly treated by Andronikos' fatherMichael VIII Palaiologos, who had deposed Arsenios, were declared martyrs; in exchange, the Arsenites temporarily recognized the appointment ofGregory II as Patriarch of Constantinople, as legitimate.^[49] During the synod, the two factions agreed to settle their dispute by setting fire to separate documents containing their arguments; the undamaged document was said to contain the truth, but both documents were destroyed in the fire.^[50]

Following victory over the Byzantines at theBattle of Bapheus in July 1302, the founder of theOttoman dynasty,Osman I, raided the countryside surrounding Adramyttium.^[51] The threat of Turkish attacks led the Genoese ofPhocaea to seize the Venetian concession in Adramyttium in 1304.^[36] The city fell to theKarasid Turks before 1334.^[36] The Karasidbeylik, including Adramyttium, was annexed by theOttoman beylik in the mid-fourteenth century.^[52]

In 325 AD, the diocese of Adramyttium was made a suffragan of theArchdiocese of Ephesus.^[22] Helladius, Bishop of Adramyttium, attended theCouncil of Ephesus in 431, and Aurelius attended the Synod of Constantinople in 448.^[53] Flavianus was present at theSecond Council of Ephesus in 449 and theCouncil of Chalcedon in 451.^[53] Julian is addressed in a work byHypatius, Archbishop of Ephesus, inc. 531–540 orc. 550.[53] Theodore attended theThird Council of Constantinople in 680, and Basilius was present at theSecond Council of Nicaea in 787.^[53] Michael attended theCouncil of Constantinople of 869.^[53]

Sergius was Bishop of Adramyttium at the beginning of the 11th century, and Bishop George was active later during the 11th century.^[54] Constantine was bishop sometime in the 11th–12th centuries.^[54] John was bishop in the second half of the 12th century, and Gregory was bishop in 1167.^[54] George was present at the Synod of Ephesus in 1230, and Athanasius was bishop later in the 13th century.^[54] The diocese of Adramyttium became defunct in the 15th century, but was united with the former Archdiocese of Pergamon to form theArchdiocese of Pergamon and Adramyttium on 19 February 1922.^[22] Following theGreco-Turkish population exchange in 1923, the see is titular only.

During the second period ofLatin occupation, between 1211 and 1224, a Latin bishop of Adramyttium was appointed and the diocese of Adramyttium was made a suffragan of the Latin archdiocese ofCyzicus.^[55] Since the mid-15th century, it is atitular bishopric of theRoman Catholic Church.

Debate exists as to when Adramyttium moved to its current site at the modern city of Edremit. According toWilhelm Tomaschek, Adramyttium moved to the site of modern Edremit under Trajan, however, it has been argued that there was no cause for this during Trajan's rule as piracy, the sole cause for such a move, was negligible.^[56] Kiepert argued that this move took place in 1109, however, scholars note that it is not stated in contemporary sources that the city was rebuilt inland.^[56] It has also been argued that the relocation of Adramyttium took place after its destruction by Genoese pirates in 1197.^[22]

• Andriscus (r. 149–148 BC), King of Macedonia
• Diodorus of Adramyttium (1st century BC),strategos and philosopher
• Xenocles of Adramyttium, an orator
• Atyanas (fl. 72–62 BC), boxer
• Theodosius III (fl. 715–717), Byzantine Emperor
• George Mouzalon (c. 1220–1258),megas domestikos of the Empire of Nicaea
• George Galesiotes (c. 1275/1280−1357), patriarchal official and writer
• Demetrius of Adramyttium (Ancient Greek:Δημήτριος Ἀδραμυττηνὸς), a Greek grammarian who was called Ixion (Ancient Greek:Ἰξίων)^[57][58]

• List of ancient Greek cities
• Ancient sites of Balıkesir

Notes

Citations

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• Brand, Charles M. (1991). "Henry of Hainault". InKazhdan, Alexander (ed.).The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 914.ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
• Çoruhlu, Tulin (2012)."Findings Related to Olive at Excavations of (the Ancient City of Adramytteion) Ören".Environment and Ecology in the Mediterranean Region. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.ISBN 9781443838030.
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• Culerrier, Pascal (1987)."Les évêchés suffragants d'Éphèse aux 5e-13e siècles".Revue des Études Byzantines (in French).45:139–164.doi:10.3406/rebyz.1987.2207.
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• Hansen, Mogens Herman; Nielsen, Thomas Heine (2004).An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis. Oxford University Press.ISBN 978-0-19-814099-3.
• Hendy, Michael F. (2008).Studies in the Byzantine Monetary Economy C.300-1450. Cambridge University Press.ISBN 9780521088527.
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• Kazhdan, Alexander (1991)."Nymphaion, Treaty of". InKazhdan, Alexander (ed.).The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 1506.ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
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