Athenae (Pontus)
Athenae or Athenai (Ancient Greek: Ἀθῆναι) was a city and port of ancient Pontus,[1] with a Greek temple of Athena.[2] According to Arrian, it was 180 stadia east of the river Adienus, and 280 stadia west of Apsarus.[3] Procopius writes that the name of the village came from a certain woman named Athenaea (Ancient Greek: Ἀθηναία) in early times who ruled over the land and not because, as some believe, of colonists from Athens settled there. He also adds that the tomb of the woman was still there.[4] Arrian speaks of the place as a deserted fort, but Procopius describes it as a populous place in his time.[5] Konrad Mannert assumes it to be the same place as the Odeinius of the Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax.[6]
Its site is located near the modern town of Pazar, in Turkey.[7][8]
References
- Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v.
- Arrian, Periplus of the Euxine Sea, § 6
- Arrian, Periplus of the Euxine Sea, p. 4, et seq.
- Procopius, History of the Wars, § 8.2
- Procopius, Bell. Pers. 2.29, Bell. Goth. 4.2.
- Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax p. 32.
- Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.
- Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 87, and directory notes accompanying.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Athenae". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.