Arsinoe

ARSI´NOE(Ἀρσινόη, Strab. p. 804; Plin. Nat. 5.11. s. 12, 6.29. s. 33; Steph. B. p. 126; Mart. Capell. 6.677 : Eth. Ἀρσινοΐτης, or Ἀρσινοεύς), the name of several cities which derived their appellation from Arsinoe, the favourite sister of Ptolemy Philadelphus,who erected or extended and beautified them, and dedicated them to her honour or memory. Their erection or improvement consequently dates between B.C. 284—246. Each of these cities apparently occupied the site of, or included, previously existing towns.

1. A city at the northern extremity of the Heroopolite gulf, in the Red Sea. It was the capital of the Heroopolite nome, and one of the principal harbours belonging to Egypt. It appears to have been also denominated Cleopatris (Strab. p. 780) and Arsinoites (Plin. Nat. 5.9.9; Orelli, Inscr. 516). It is also conjectured to have stood on the site of the ancient Pihachiroth ( Exod. 12.2, 9; Numb. 33.7; Winer, Biblioth. Realwörterb. 2. p. 309). The modern Ardscherúd, a village near Suez, corresponds to this Arsinoe. It was seated near the eastern termination of the Royal canal which communicated with the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, and which Ptolemy Philadelphus carried on from the Bitter Lakes to the head of the Heroopolite bay. Arsinoe (Plin. Nat. 5.12) was 125 miles from Pelusium. The revenues of the Arsinoite nome were presented by that monarch to his sister, and remained the property of successive queens or princesses of the Lagid family. The shortness of the road across the eastern desert and its position near the canal were the principal advantages of Arsinoe as a staple of trade. But although it possessed a capacious bay, it was exposed to the south wind, and the difficulties which ships encountered from reefs in working up the gulf were considerable. Arsinoe, accordingly, was less eligibly situated for the Indian traffic than either Myos Hormos or Berenice. In common, however, with other ports on the Red Sea Arsinoe improved in its commerce after the conquest of Egypt by the Romans. One hundred and twenty vessels annually sailed from Egyptian havens to bring from western India silk, precious stones, and aromatics (Gibbon, D. and F. ch. vi).


2. In the Heptanomis, was the capital of the nome Arsinoites, and was seated on the western bank of the Nile, between the river and the Lake Moeris, south-west of Memphis, in lat. 29° N. In the Pharaonic era Arsinoe was denominated the city of Crocodiles (Κροκοδείλων πόλις), from the peculiar reverence paid by its inhabitants to that animal. The region in which Arsinoe stood—the modern El-Fyoom—was the most fertile in Egypt. Besides corn and the usual cereals and vegetables of the Nile valley, it abounded in dates, figs, roses, and its vineyards and gardens rivalled those in the vicinity of Alexandria. Here too alone the olive repaid cultivation.
The Arsinoite nome was bounded to the west by the Lake Moeris ( Berket el kerûn) watered by the Canal of Joseph ( Bahr Jusuf), and contained, besides various pyramids, the necropolis of the city of Crocodiles, the celebrated labyrinth, which together with the Lake are described under Moeris. Extensive mounds of ruins at Medinet-el-Fyoom, or el-Faresrepresent the site of Arsinoe, but no remains of any remarkable antiquity, except a few sculptured blocks, have hitherto been found there. In the later periods of the Roman empire Arsinoe was annexed to the department of Arcadia, and became the chief town of an episcopal see. (Strab. 17. p. 809, seq.; Hdt. 2.48; Diod. 1.89; Aelian. H. A. 10.24; Plin. Nat. 5.9. s. 11, 36.16; Mart. Capell. 6.4 ; Belzoni's Travels, vol. 2. p. 162 ; Champollion, l'Egypte, vol. 1. p. 323, seq.)


3.
A city in the Regio Troglodytica upon the western coast of the Red Sea between Philoteras ( Kosseir) and Myos Hormos. (Strab. 16. p. 769.) It was previously called Olbia (Steph. B. s. v. Ἀρσινόη). According to Agatharchides ( de Rub. Mar. p. 53), there were hot; springs in its neighbourhood. Arsinoe stood nearly at the point where the limestone range of the Arabian hills joins the Mons Porphyrites, and at the southern entrance of the Heroopolite Gulf.


4.
A city in Aethiopia, north of Dire Berenices, and near the entrance of the Red Sea ( Bab-el-Mandeb). (Strab. 16. p. 773; Mela, 3.8; Plin. Nat. 6.34; Ptol. 4.5.14.) [W.B.D]


5.
A town of Crete assigned to Lyctus. (Steph. B.) Berkelius (ad loc.) supposes that an error had crept into the text, and that for Λύκτουwe should read Λυκίας.
Its existence has been confirmed by some coins with the types and emblems peculiar to the Cretan mints. (Eckhel, vol. 2. p. 304.)


6.
A town in the E. of Cyprus, near the promontory of Acamas (Strab. 14. p. 682; Ptol. 5.14.4), formerly called Marion (ΜάριονSteph. B. s. v.;comp. Scylax, s. v. Cyprus). Ptolemy Soter destroyed this town, and removed the inhabitants to Paphos (Diod. 19.89). For coins of Marion see Eckhel, vol. 3. p. 86. The name of Arsinoe was given to it in honour of the Aegyptian princess of that name, the wife and sister of Ptolemy Philadelphus. Hierocles and Const. Porphyr. ( Them. 1.15) place it between Paphos and Soloi. The modern name is Πολικρυσοκοor Χρισοπηου, from the gold mines in the neighbourhood. According to Strabo (l. c.) there was a grove sacred to Zeus. Cyprus, from its subjection to the kings of the Lagid family, had more than one city of this name, which was common to several princesses of that house.
Another Arsinoe is placed near Ammochostus to the N. of the island (Strab. p. 683). A third city of the same name appears in Strabo (1. c.), with a harbour, temple, and grove, and lies between Old and New Paphos. The ancient name survives in the present Arschelia(D'Anville, Mém. de l'Acad. des Inscrip. vol. xxxii. pp. 537, 545, 551, 554; Engel, Kypros, vol. i. pp. 73, 97, 137; Marati, Viaggivol. 1. p. 200). [E.B.J]


7.
One of the five cities of the Libyan Pentapolis in Cyrenaïca: so called under the Ptolemies: its earlier name was Taucheira or Teucheira. [TAUCHEIRA.] [P.S]


8.
A place on the coast of Cilicia, mentioned by Strabo (p. 670) as having a port. Leake places it at or near the ruined modern castle, called Sokhta Kálesi, below which is a port, such as Strabo describes at Arsinoe, and a peninsula on the east side of the harbour covered with ruins. (Asia Minor, p. 201.) This modern site is east of Anemurium, and west of, and near to, Cape Kizliman. (Beaufort's Karamania). [G.L]


9.
[PATARA]


10.
In Aetolia. [CONOPE]