BYZE´RES(Βύζηρες), a nation in Pontus. Stephanus (s. v.), who mentions the Byzeres, adds that there is a Βυζηρικὸς λιμήνwhence we might infer that the Byzeres were on the coast, or at least possessed a place on the coast. Strabo (p. 549) mentions several savage tribes which occupied the interior above Trapezus and Pharnacia—the Tibareni, the Cheldaei, the Sanni who were once called Macrones, and others. He adds, that some of these barbarians were called Byzeres; but he does not say, as some interpret his words, that these Byzeres were the same as the Heptacometae. Dionysius ( Perieg. 765) mentions the Byzeres in the same verse with the Becheires or Bechiri. The name of the people must have been well known as it occurs in Mela (1.19), and in Pliny (Plin. Nat. 6.3); but there are no means of fixing their position more precisely than Strabo has done.
[G.L]