Everything about Heraclea Pontica totally explained
Heraclea Pontica (
Greek: Ηράκλεια Ποντική; modern day
Karadeniz Ereğli, in the
Zonguldak Province of
Turkey, on the
Black Sea), an ancient city on the coast of
Bithynia in
Asia Minor, at the mouth of the river
Lycus. It was founded by the Greek city-state of
Megara c.560-558 and was named after
Heracles who the Greeks believed entered the underworld at a cave on the adjoining Archerusian promontory (
Cape Baba).
The colonists soon subjugated the native Mariandynians but agreed to terms that none of the latter, now helot-like serfs, be sold into slavery outside their homeland. Prospering from the rich, fertile adjacent lands and the sea-fisheries of its natural harbor, Heraclea soon extended its control along the coast as far east as
Cytorus (Kidros), eventually establishing Black Sea colonies of its own (
Cytorus,
Callatis and
Chersonesus.)
The prosperity of the city, rudely shaken by the
Galatians and the
Bithynians, was utterly destroyed in the
Mithridatic Wars. It was the birthplace of the philosopher
Heraclides Ponticus.
The Greek historical author
Memnon of Heraclea (fl. 1c. A.D.) wrote a local history of Heraclea Pontica in at least sixteen books. The work has perished, but
Photius's Bibliotheca preserves a compressed account of books 9-16, seemingly the only ones extant in his day. These books run from the rule of the tyrant Clearchus (c. 364-353 B.C.) to the later years of Julius Caesar (c. 40 B.C.) and contain many colorful accounts including the Byzantine introduction of the barbarian
Gauls into Asia where they first allied themselves with the Heracleans and later turned violently against them.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Heraclea Pontica'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://heraclea_pontica.totallyexplained.com">Heraclea Pontica Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
