Perinthus

PERINTHUS(ἡ Πέρινθος, Ptol. 3.11.6, 8.11.7; Xenoph. Anab. 7.2.8: Eth. Περίνθιος), a great and flourishing town of Thrace, situated on the Propontis. It lay 22 miles W. of Selymbria, on a small peninsula (Plin. Nat. 4.18) of the bay which bears its name, and was built like an amphitheatre, on the declivity of a hill (Diod. 16.76.) It was originally a Samian colony (Marcian, p. 29; Plut. Qu. Gr. 56), and, according to Syncellus (p. 238), was founded about B.C. 599. Panofka, however (p. 22), makes it contemporary with Samothrace, that is about B.C. 1000. It was particularly renowned for its obstinate defence against Philip of Macedon (Diod. 16.74—77; Plut. Phoc. 14). At that time it appears to have been a more important and flourishing town even than Byzantium; and being both a harbour and a point at which several main roads met, it was the seat of an extensive commerce (Procop. de Aed. 4.9). This circumstance explains the reason why so many of its coins are still extant; from which we learn that large and celebrated festivals were held here (Mionnet, 1. p. 399—415; Eckhel, Doctr. Num. vol. 4. p. 445; Morell. Spec. Rei Num, tab. 13.143). According to Tzetzes ( Chil. 3.812), it bore at an early period the name of Mygdonia and at a later one, but not before the fourth century of our era, it assumed the name of Heracleia; which we find sometimes used alone, and sometimes with the additions H. Thraciae and H. Perinthus. (Procop. l. c.and B. Vand. 1.12; Zosim. 1.62; Justin (Justin. 16.3; Eutrop. 9.15; Ammian. 22.2;. Itin. Ant. pp. 175, 176, 323; Jorn. de Regn. Succ. p. 51, &c. On the variations in its name, see Tzschucke, ad Melam, 2.2, vol. iii. pt. 2. p. 102, seq.) Justinian restored the old imperial palace, and the aqueducts of the city. (Procop. l. c.) It is now called Eski Eregli, and still contains COIN OF PERINTHUS.
some ancient ruins and inscriptions. (See Clarke's Travels, 8. p. 122, sqq.)
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