Zeleia (Ancient Greek: Ζέλεια) was a town of the ancient Troad, at the foot of Mount Ida and on the banks of the river Aesepus, at a distance of 80 stadia from its mouth.[1][2] It is mentioned by Homer in the Trojan Battle Order in the Iliad, and later when Homer calls it a holy town.[3] Zeleia led a force of warriors to aid Troy during the Trojan War, led by Pandarus, son of Lycaon (the latter Lycaon not to be confused with Lycaon, son of Priam. It is later related that the people of Zeleia are "Lycians", though the Zeleians are distinct from the Lycians who come from Lycia in southwestern Asia Minor, led by Sarpedon and Glaucus. The connection between the 'Lycians' of Zeleia and these Lycians is unclear—if there is any connection at all. Arrian mentions it as the head-quarters of the Persian army before the Battle of the Granicus, in May 334 BCE, where the Persian satraps held a council at Zeleia where they discussed how best to confront Alexander the Great.[4] It existed in the time of Strabo; but afterwards it disappears.[1]
Arthmius (Ancient Greek: Ἄρθμιος) of Zeleia, was declared an outlaw in the territory of Athens and her allies together with his family, because he had brought the gold from Persian Empire into Peloponnese.[5] Nicagoras (Ancient Greek: Νικαγόρας) of Zeleia, was a tyrant of Zeleia.[6]
Its site is located near Sarıköy, Asiatic Turkey.[7][8]
See also
- Ancient sites of Balıkesir
References
- ^ a b Strabo. Geographica. xii. p.565, xiii. pp. 585, 587, 603. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
- ^ Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. s.v.
- ^ Homer. Iliad. 2.824, 3.103.
- ^ Arrian Anabasis Alexandri 1.13
- ^ Plutarch, Life of Themistocles, §6
- ^ Athenaeus, Deipnosophists, §7.288
- ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 56, and directory notes accompanying.
- ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Zeleia". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.