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'''Dionysupolis''' or '''Dionysoupolis''' or '''Dionysopolis''' or '''Dionysou polis''' ({{langx|grc|Διονύσου πόλις<ref name="Stephanus">[https://topostext.org/work/241#D233.1 Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, §D233.1]</ref> and Διονυσόπολις<ref>[https://el.wikisource.org/wiki/Περίπλους_Ευξείνου_Πόντου#35 Arrian, Periplus of the Euxine Sea, §35]</ref>}}) was a town of [[ancient Thrace]], later of [[Moesia]], on the river [[Ziras]]. It was founded as a [[Thracian]] settlement in was founded in the 5th century BC, but was later colonised by the [[Ionians|Ionian]] [[ancient Greek]]s and given the name '''Cruni''' or '''Krounoi''' (Κρουνοί). It was named Krounoi from the nearby founts of water.<ref>[https://topostext.org/work/130#748 Pseudo Scymnus or Pausanias of Damascus, Circuit of the Earth, §748]</ref><ref name="Stephanus"/>
It was renamed as Dionysopolis after the discovery of a statue of [[Dionysus]] in the sea.<ref name=Poleis>{{cite book|author= Mogens Herman Hansen & Thomas Heine Nielsen |title= An inventory of archaic and classical poleis|url= https://archive.org/details/inventoryarchaic00hans |url-access= limited |year= 2004|publisher= [[Oxford University Press]]|location=New York|isbn= 0-19-814099-1 |page= [https://archive.org/details/inventoryarchaic00hans/page/n948 932] }}</ref> Later it became a [[Hellenistic Greece|Greek]]-[[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] and [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian]] fortress. The town also bore the name '''Matiopolis'''.<ref>{{Cite DGRG|title=Cruni}}</ref>

It existed within the present town of [[Balchik]], [[Bulgaria]].<ref>{{Cite Barrington|22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite DARE|21392}}</ref>

In the beginning of the 3rd century BC the city was relatively independent and included in the system of fortifications built by [[Diadohite]].

In the 6th century the town was destroyed by an earthquake and the population moved within the new fortification, whose construction began at the end of the V and beginning of the 6th century.

Later, in the 7th century the town was in possession of the Bulgars and Slavs and was renamed first to Karvuna, and after that - Balik, after the name of Boyar [[Balchik Municipality|Balik]], who used it as a capital of its domain.

One of the most important discoveries in borders of the ancient Dionysopolis is the Temple of Greek mother-goddess [[Cybele]]. Many of the artifacts found there can be seen in Balchik History museum. Since 1994 the site has the status of cultural monument of national significance. <ref>{{cite web | url=http://visit.guide-bulgaria.com/a/272/temple_of_great_mother_goddess_cybele.htm | title=Temple of Great Mother Goddess Cybele (Town of Balchik) }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DGRG|title=Cruni}}

{{coords|43.409932|N|28.163044|E|display=title|format=dms|source:http://dare.ht.lu.se/places/21392}}

[[Category:Populated places in ancient Thrace]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Greek colonies in Thrace]]
[[Category:Ionian colonies in Thrace]]
[[Category:Greek colonies in Scythia Minor]]
[[Category:Thracian towns]]


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