View source for Perinthus

{{Short description|Ancient city of Thrace}}
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'''Perinthus''' or '''Perinthos''' ({{langx|grc|ἡ Πέρινθος}})<ref>{{Cite Ptolemy|3.11.6, 8.11.7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AnabasisX|7.2.8}}</ref> was a great and flourishing town of [[ancient Thrace]], situated on the [[Propontis]]. According to [[John Tzetzes]], it bore at an early period the name of '''Mygdonia''' (Μυγδονία). It lay {{convert|35|km}} west of [[Selymbria]] and {{convert|90|km}} west of [[Byzantium]], on a small peninsula<ref>{{Cite Pliny|4.18}}</ref> of the bay which bears its name, and was built like an [[amphitheatre]], on the declivity of a hill.<ref>{{Cite Diodorus|16.76}}</ref> Its site is near modern [[Marmara Ereğlisi]], in [[Turkey]].<ref>{{Cite Barrington|52}}</ref><ref>{{Cite DARE|21399}}</ref>

== History ==

It was originally a [[Samos|Samian]] colony,<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Marcian of Heraclea|Marcian]]|title=A Periplus of the Outer Sea|page=29}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=[[Plutarch]]|title=Qu. Gr.|page=56}}</ref> and, according to [[George Syncellus]], was founded about 599&nbsp;BC.<ref>{{cite book|author=[[George Syncellus]]|title=Chronicle|page=238}}</ref> German archaeologist [[Theodor Panofka]], however, makes it contemporary with [[Samothrace]], that is about 1000&nbsp;BC.<ref name=DGRG>{{Cite DGRG|title=Perinthus}}</ref> It was particularly renowned for [[Siege of Perinthus|its obstinate defence]] against [[Philip II of Macedon]].<ref>{{Cite Diodorus|16.74-77}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=[[Plutarch]]|title=Phoc.|page=14}}</ref> 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 extensive commerce.<ref name=Procopius>{{cite book|author=[[Procopius]]|title=de Aed.|page=4.9}}</ref> 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.<ref name=DGRG/>
After the fourth century AD it assumed the name of '''Heraclea''' or '''Heracleia''' (Ἡράκλεια);<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Tzetzes]]|title=Chil.|page=3.812}}</ref> which we find sometimes used alone, and sometimes with additions '''Heraclea Thraciae''' and '''Heraclea Perinthus'''.<ref name=Procopius/><ref>{{cite book|author=[[Procopius]]|title=B. Vand.|page=1.12}}; {{cite book|author=[[Zosimus (historian)|Zosimus]]|title=Historia Nova|page=1.62}}; {{cite book|author=[[Justin (historian)|Justin]]|title=[[Historia Philippicae et Totius Mundi Origines et Terrae Situs]]|page=16.3}}; {{cite book|title=Eutrop.|page=9.15}}; {{cite book|title=Amm. Marc.|page=22.2}}; {{cite book|title=[[Antonine Itinerary|Itin. Ant.]]|page=175, 176, 323}}</ref>

[[Septimius Severus]] (r. 193–211) twice granted the city the prestigious title of ''[[neokoros]]'' and gave it permission to hold crown festivals in his honor, in recognition of its support during his conflict with [[Pescennius Niger]], a rival claimant to the Roman throne.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Bertolazzi |first=Riccardo |title=The Eastern Roman Empire under the Severans: Old Connections, new Beginnings? |publisher=[[Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht]] |year=2024 |isbn=978-3-647-30251-5 |editor-last=Hoffmann-Salz |editor-first=Julia |pages=242–243 |chapter=The Severan Augustae as Mistresses of the World |editor-last2=Heil |editor-first2=Matthäus |editor-last3=Wienholz |editor-first3=Holger}}</ref> 

[[Justinian]] restored the old imperial palace, and the [[Aqueduct (water supply)|aqueduct]]s of the city.<ref name=Procopius/> Coins of Perinthus have also survived, which were studied by [[Edith Schönert-Geiß]].<ref>Schönert-Geiß, Edith (1965). ''Die Münzprägung von Perinthos.'' Berlin: Akademie-Verlag.</ref> The inscriptions from Perinthus and the literary testimonia on the city have been collected by Mustafa Hamdi Sayar.<ref>Hamdi Sayar, Mustafa (1998). ''Perinthos-Herakleia (Marmara Ereğlisi) und Umgebung. Geschichte, Testimonien, griechische und lateinische Inschriften.'' Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.</ref>

== Cityscape ==

The peninsula and acropolis were complemented by the landward lower city and its walls, some remains of which have been found.

Other notable places include the 5th-century basilica which in its architecture seems to be closely linked to the church designs of Constantinople. The floor mosaics are particularly well made and preserved. 

Stone from the [[basilica]] seems to have been used in the construction of a tower meant to guard a 1.9m wide secondary gate, from which may be deduced that the basilica must have been destroyed some time prior, though the date for that is not certain. Archaeologists and historians from the Tekirdağ Museum, the [[University of Istanbul]] and the [[University of Heidelberg]] think the church might have stood for no more than perhaps 150 years. It was never rebuilt and instead replaced with a small chapel. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/fakultaeten/philosophie/zaw/byz/forschungsprojekte/herakleiaPerinthos/MarmaraEreglisi.html|title=Marmara Ereğlisi}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of ancient Greek cities]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{DGRG|title=Perinthus}}

{{Former settlements in Turkey}}
{{Authority control}}

{{coord|40.97089|N|27.95454|E|display=title|format=dms|source:http://dare.ht.lu.se/places/21399}}

[[Category:Samian colonies]]
[[Category:Ionian colonies in Thrace]]
[[Category:Members of the Delian League]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in the Aegean region]]
[[Category:Populated places in ancient Thrace]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Turkey]]
[[Category:History of Tekirdağ Province]]


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