Arsinoe (Northwest Cyprus)

Arsinoe (Greek: Ἀρσινόη) was an ancient city in northwestern Cyprus built on top of the older city, Marion[1] (Greek: Μάριον);[2] some ancient writers conflate the two cities.

Ptolemy I Soter destroyed the town of Marion in 312 BCE and removed some inhabitants to Paphos.[3] The city was refounded by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and named after his sister/wife Arsinoe.

According to Strabo there was a grove sacred to Zeus.[4]

Cyprus, from its subjection to the kings of the Ptolemaic dynasty, had more than one city of this name, which was the case with other with several princesses of that dynasty.

The site of Arsinoe is located near modern Polis Chrysochous.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ "The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, MAASTRICHT Limburg, Netherlands., MARION later ARSINOE (Polis) Cyprus".
  2. ^ T⊘nnes Bekker-Nielsen (1999): Strabo and Ptolemy on the geography of western cyprus, Symbolae Osloenses: Norwegian Journal of Greek and Latin Studies, 74:1, 151-162, DOI: 10.1080/00397679908590960
  3. ^ Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca historica (Historical Library). Vol. 19.89.
  4. ^ Strabo. Geographica. Vol. xiv. p. 683. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  5. ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 72, and directory notes accompanying. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9.
  6. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainSmith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Arsinoe". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

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