BALISSUS(Βαλίσσος, Plut. Crass. 23), a small river in Mesopotamia, below Carrhae, where the first battle took place between the soldiers of Crassus and the Parthians; and where Publius, the son of Crassus, and many of his men, were cut off. The name of this river appears under various forms, but there can be no doubt that the Balissus of Plutarch, the Belias of Ammianus (23.3), and the Bilecha (Βίληχα) of Isid. Char. (p. 3), are one and the same stream. It flowed in a westerly direction from the Chaboras ( Khabúr), past Callinicum, and fell into the Euphrates. Its present name is said to be Belikhe. (Forbiger, vol. 2. p. 628.)
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