Arsinoe (Ancient Greek:Ἀρσινόη) was a city on the coast ofancient Cilicia betweenAnemurium andKelenderis; the site is near the modern city ofBozyazı,Mersin Province,Turkey.Strabo[1] mentions Arsinoe as having a port. In the 19th century,William Martin Leake placed it at or near the ruined modern castle, calledSofta Kalesi (Sokhta Kálesi), just west of Bozyazı, below which is a port, such as Strabo describes at Arsinoe, and a peninsula on the east side of the harbor covered with ruins.[2] This modern site is east of Anemurium, and west of, and near to,Kızil Burnu (Cape Kizliman).[3]
The city was founded by Aetos, aStrategos of king,Ptolemy Philadelphus, and named forArsinoe II of Egypt, the sister and wife of Ptolemy.[4] The city ofNagidos, on whose territory Arsinoe was founded, initially protested against the new foundation. The conflict was resolved by declaring Arsinoe the daughter city of Nagidos.[5][6] SeeNagidos#The Hellenistic period and the foundation of Arsinoe.
The site of Arsinoe is located near modern an archaeological site namedMaraş Harabeleri about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of Bozyazı inAnatolia.[7][8]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Arsinoe".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
36°05′33″N33°01′20″E / 36.092495°N 33.022091°E /36.092495; 33.022091
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