HYRTACI´NA(Υρσακίνα· Ὑρσακίνα,, Seyl. p. 18; Ἀρτάκινα, Ptol. 3.17.10: Eth. Ὕρτακος, Ὑρτακῖνος, Steph. B.), a city of Crete, which, little as we learn of its position from Ptolemy and Stephanus of Byzantium, yet we may safely infer from the former's words that it was situated to the SE. of Polyrrhenia, and to the W. of Lappa. Scylax (l. c.) teaches us more respecting its site; he places it on the S. of the island, and to the S. of the Dictynnean temple of Artemis and the Pergamian district. These indications agree well with the situation of the ruins discovered by Mr. Pashley ( Trav. vol. 2. p. 111) on a hill near the village of Teménia.
Numerous vestiges of polygonal masonry on the N. and W. sides, and measuring little more than half a mile in length, are still existing. On the other sides the city was precipitous. It is curious to observe the care taken by the inhabitants in defending the gateways of their city. Not only do walls project without the gate, but flanking walls are executed within, forming passages through which the enemy would have to pass before he could set foot within the city.
The coins of Hyrtacina present types similar to those of Elyros, with the retrograde epigraph ΑΤΘΥand ΥΡΤΑΚΙΝΙΩΝ. (Rasche, vol. ii. pt. 1. p. 600; Mionnet, Descr. des Méd. vol. 2. p. 277; Mionnet, Supplément, vol. 4. p. 324.) [E.B.J]
COIN OF HYRTACINA.