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Cytorus or Kytoros (modern Kidros or Gideros, 23 miles east of Amasra), (also Cytorum, Cytoris and possibly Cydorus) was an ancient Black Sea coastal settlement in Paphlagonia, just east of the river Parthenius, near modern Amasra. According to Strabo it had once been a port and commercial center (emporion) of Sinope.

Cytorus was also a mountain just inland of the town.

Location

• "The town lay at modern Kidros, some 20 km west of Cape Karambis." (Hansen)
• "Modern Kidros, 23 miles east of Amasra"
• Lat 41.55, Long 32.55, C2, Map 86, Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World.
• 41°54′N 32°59′E
• "Kidros or Ghydros Lat 41 56 E, long 32 55 E.The port presents safe anchorage, but the entrance is narrow and difficult." A Gazetteer of the World (1856)
• "remains" found near modern Kidros: [4]
• Arrian 20: "From Cromna to Cytorus, where there is a port, ninety ſtadia. From Cytorus to Ægialus ſixty ſtadia." [5], [6]

Mythical founder

The association of a Greek polis with a mythical founder was common. Both Strabo and Pomponius Mela connect the name of the town with a son of Phrixus — the boy who sacrificed the ram which produced the Golden Fleece. Strabo (citing Ephorus) says that town was "named" after a son "Cytorus"; Mela says that Cytorus was "founded" by a son "Cytisorus".

Mountain

• Cytorus was also a mountain in the same vicinity.
• Modern name: Kidros Dağ. [7], = Afar Dag. [8], [9]. "Sagra", "remains" found near modern Kidros): [10]

Boxwood

Cytorus was famous as a source of boxwood. Theophrastus says the most boxwood comes from Cytorus, Strabo says the most and best.

In Ovid's Metamorphoses, the vane and idle nymph Salmacis uses a Cytorian boxwood comb and Athena strikes Arachne with a weaving shuttle made of boxwood from mount Cytorus. References to Cytorian boxwood occur in the poetry of Apollonius of Rhodes, Catullus, Virgil, and Valerius Flaccus. John Evelyn, the English diarist, described Box Hill in Surrey as the "Cytorus of England".

Mention in Homer's Illiad

Cytorus was listed, in association with Sesamus, the original name of Amastris, in the Trojan Catalogue in Homer's Iliad, as providing part of the Paphlagonian contingent which fought on the side of Troy in the Trojan War.

Pylaemenes,

a brave soldier, commanded Paphlagonians

from Enetae, where herds of mules run wild,

men from Cytorus, from around Sesamus,

those with fine homes by the stream Parthenius,

from Cromna, Aegialus, and high Erithini.

Name

• Homer: Κύτωρος (second declension fem) e.g. Κύτωρον [11], [12] (transliteration: Kutôron [13] or Kytoron) = accusative case ending for Κύτωρος (Kutôros)? [14]

• Scylax: Κύτωρiς (Cytoris/Kytoris) [15], [16]

• Strabo: Κύτωρον (second declension neut)
  • ἐχόντων τὸ Κύτωρον (who held Cytorum) = acc case of Κύτωρον, τὸ = "the" neut acc/nom
  • Κυτώρου καὶ Κρώμνης (Now she formed the city out of four settlements, Sesamus and Cytorum and Cromna) = gen case of Κύτωρον
  • τὸ δὲ Κύτωρον ἐμπόριον (Cytorum was once the emporium of the Sinopeans) = nom case of Κύτωρον
  • Κυτώρου του̂ Φρίξου (it was named after Cytorus, the son of Phryxus) = gen case of Κύτωρον
  • περὶ τὸ Κύτωρον (The most and the best box-wood grows in the territory of Amastris, and particularly round Cytorum.) = acc case of Κύτωρον

See other citations in [17]

Other stuff

• See especially: [18] [19]

• Alt sp. = Kudros? [20] [21], [22]

• See: [23]

• See: [24]

• See: [25]

• See: [26]

• Cytorus and Sinope: [27]
• See: [28], [29]

• See: Map: (just west of (cape) Karambis. Rational for Sinope locating a colony at Cytorus: [30], [31]

• Near Doğanyurt

• No coinage: [32]

• Etymologicum Magnum 541.35

Strabo (c. 10 AD)

(12.3.5) As for the Cauconians, who, according to report, took up their abode on the seacoast next to the Mariandyni and extended as far as the Parthenius River, with Tieium as their city, some say that they were Scythians, others that they were a certain people of the Macedonians, and others that they were a certain people of the Pelasgians. But I have already spoken of these people in another place. Callisthenes in his treatise on The Marshalling of the Ships was for inserting after the words

Cromna, Aegialus, and lofty Erythini

the words

the Cauconians were led by the noble son of Polycles--

they who lived in glorious dwellings in the neighborhood of the Parthenius River,

for, he adds, the Cauconians extended from Heracleia and the Mariandyni to the white Syrians, whom we call Cappadocians, and the tribe of the Cauconians round Tieium extended to the Parthenius River, whereas that of the Heneti, who held Cytorum, were situated next to them after the Parthenius River, and still today certain "Cauconitae" live in the neighborhood of the Parthenius River.

(12.3.10) After the Parthenius River, then, one comes to Amastris, a city bearing the same name as the woman who founded it. It is situated on a peninsula and has harbors on either side of the isthmus. Amastris was the wife of Dionysius the tyrant of Heracleia and the daughter of Oxyathres, the brother of the Dareius whom Alexander fought. Now she formed the city out of four settlements, Sesamus and Cytorum and Cromna (which Homer mentions in his marshalling of the Paphlagonian ships) and, fourth, Tieium. This part, however, soon revolted from the united city, but the other three remained together; and, of these three, Sesamus is called the acropolis of Amastris. Cytorum was once the emporium of the Sinopeans; it was named after Cytorus, the son of Phryxus, as Ephorus says. The most and the best box-wood grows in the territory of Amastris, and particularly round Cytorum.

Pliny (c. 70 AD)

(6.2)

Beyond this river begins the nation of Paphlagonia,¹ by some writers called Pylæmenia;² it is closed in behind by the country of Galatia. In it are Mastya, a town founded by the Milesians, and then Cromna, at which spot Cornelius Nepos also places the Heneti,⁵ from whom he would have us believe that the Veneti of Italy, who have a similar name, are descended. The city also of Sesamon, now called Amastris,⁶ Mount Cytorus,⁷ distant sixty-three miles from Tium, the towns of Cimolis⁸ and Stephane,⁹ and the river Parthenius. The promontory of Carambis,¹¹ which extends a great distance into the sea, is distant from the mouth of the Euxine three hundred and twenty-five miles, or, according to some writers, three hundred and fifty, being the same distance from the Cimmerian Bosporus, or, as some persons think, only three hundred and twelve miles. There was formerly also a town of the same name, and another near it called Armene; we now find there the colony of Sinope, distant from Mount Cytorus one hundred and sixty-four miles.

1 Paphlagonia was bounded by Bithynia on the west, and by Pontus on the east, being separated from the last by the river Halys; on the south it was divided by the chain of Mount Olympus from Phrygia in the earlier times, from Galatia at a later period; and on the north it bordered on the Euxine.

2 In the Homeric catalogue we find Pylæmenes leading the Paphlagonians as allies of the Trojans; from this Pylæmenes the later princes of Paphlagonia claimed their descent, and the country was sometimes from them called Pylæmenia.

5 Strabo also, in B. xii., says that these people afterwards established themselves in Thrace, and that gradually moving to the west, they finally settled in the Italian Venetia, which from them took its name. But in his Fourth Book he says that the Veneti of Italy owe their origin to the Gallic Veneti, who came from the neighbourhood known as the modern Vannes.

6 This city, ninety stadia east of the river Parthenius, occupied a peninsula, and on each side of the isthmus was a harbour. The original city, as here mentioned, seems to have had the name of Sesamus or Sesamum, and it is spoken of by that name in Homer, Il. ii. 853, in conjunction with Cytorus. The territory of Amastris was famous for its growth of the best box-wood, which grew on Mount Cytorus. The present Amasra or Hanasserall occupies its site.

7 See the last Note.

8 Otherwise called "Cinolis." There is a place called Kinla or Kinoglu in the maps, about half-way between Kerempeh and Sinope, which is the Kinuli of Abulfeda, and probably the Cirolis or Cimolis of the Greek geographers.

9 The modern Estefan or Stefanos.

11 It still retains its ancient appellation in its name of Cape Kerempeh: of the ancient town nothing is known.

Ptolemy (c. 150 AD)

(5.1)

On the east [the province of Pontus and Bithynia] is bounded by Galatia next to Paphlagonia along the line leading from the mentioned terminus near the town Cytorum on the Pontus.

The Chalcedoni occupy the seacoast from the mouth of the Pontus to the river Hyspius, the Mariandyni from Heraclea as far as the town Cytorum.

Entry in Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography

"Cytorus and Cytorum. It also appears that the name was also Cydorus. (Steph. s.v. ed. Meiecke note.) Its mythical founder was Cytorus, son of Phrixus, according to Ephorus. (Strab. p. 544) Strabo and Ptolemy name the place Cytorum; and Scylax, Cytoris. It was between Amastris and Cape Carambus; and accoriding to Strabo once a trading place of the Sinopeis. The name Cytorus occurs in the Illiad (ii 853) together with Seamus. There are said to be remains at Kidras or Kidros, which is the ancient name. The mountains at the the back of Cytorus were covered with box trees.

"Et juvat undantem buxo spectare Cytorum."

(Virg. Geog. ii 437) Apollonius (Arg. ii. 944) whom virgil may have imitated calls it "wooded Cytorus." The box forests extended from Amastris to Cytorus. Pliny (vi. 2) mentions "Mons Cytorus," which he places 63 M. P. east of Tium, and Tium is near the mouth of the Billaeus.

Leake (Asia Minor, p. 307) has pointed out a singular blunder in the Table. The places that are marked ..." [33]

Greek Mythology Link

"Cytorus is a city and mountain in Paphlagonia, northern Asia Minor. They were named after Cytorus (also called Cytisorus or Cylindrus), son of Phrixus 1, son of Athamas 1. In this and adjacent areas around the river Parthenius lived the Paphlagonian Eneti, allies of Troy during the Trojan War, who were led by Bisaltes' son Pylaemenes 1, who was killed by Menelaus during the war. Pylaemenes 1's son Harpalion 1 followed his father to the war and was killed by Meriones 1. Box-wood abounded round Cytorus, and the shuttle with which Athena stroke Arachne's head was made of Cytorian box-wood [Arg.2.942; Hom.Il.2.853; Ov.Met.6.132; Strab.12.3.5, 12.3.10]."

A Geographical and Historical Description of Asia Minor

"Cytorum was ninety stadia further. It was a Greek town of great antiquity. since Homer alludes to it."

It is also mentioned in the Periplus of Scylax. (p. 34) According to Ephorus, cited by Strabo, it took its name from Cytorus, son of Phrixus, and belonged to the Sinopians. This place derived futher celebrity from mount Cytorus, which rose above it, and was covered with boxwood.

Et juvat undantem buxo spectare Cytorum (Virgil Georg. II 437)

(Apoll. Arg, II. 944)

Mox etiam Cromnam atque jugo pallente Cytoron. (Valerius Flaccus. V. 106)

(Cf. Plin. VI. 2.) The modern name is Sagra. In the Table Itinerary, as Col. Leake has well observed, the road which followed the coast to Sinope has an error ..." [34]

Relationship to Amastris

"...Amastris, founded by the widow of Dionysios of Herakeia by synoecism of the four coastal settlements of Tieion, Sesamos, Kromna and Kytoros". To explain the remarkable combination of tecnological and morphological features Sceglov supposed that Kytoros, which according to Strabon (12.3.10) had previously been an emporion of Sinope, could also have supplied (along with Herakleia) the newly created polis with skilled potters."

(Amastris) Founded in the early 4th c. B.C. by Amastris, queen of Herakleia Pontica, by the synoecism of four small Ionian colonies on the coast E of Herakleia: (1) Tios, which soon seceded; (2) Sesamos, center of the new city, later named Amastris; (3) Kromna, 40 km to the E, on Zeytin Burnu, W of Kurucalile; and (4) Kytoros, now Gideriz, 25 km E of Kromna. [35]

References

• Apollonius of Rhodes, The Voyage of Argo: The Argonautica, translated by Emile Victor Rieu, Penguin Classics, 1971. ISBN 0140440852.
• Ambrose, Philip Z. Ovid Metamorphoses, Focus Publishing (December 15, 2004). ISBN 1585101036. [36]
• Arrian, William Falconer, and Thomas Falconer. Arrian's Voyage Round the Euxine Sea Translated; And Accompanied with a Geographical Dissertation, and Maps. Oxford: J. Cook; [etc.], 1805.
• Catullus. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus, "Catullus 4", Leonard C. Smithers. London. Smithers. 1894. (Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.)
• Cramer, John Anthony; A Geographical and Historical Description of Asia Minor, The University Press, 1832. p. 224, 225.
• Flaccus, Valarius, Argonautica, J. H. Mozley (Translator), Loeb Classical Library; Revised edition (January 1, 1934). ISBN 0674993160.
• Hansen, Mogens Herman & Nielsen, Thomas Heine, An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis: An Investigation Conducted by the Danish National Research Foundation, Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN 0198140991.
• Mela, Pomponius, and F. E. Romer. Pomponius Mela's Description of the World. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1998. ISBN 0472084526.
• Lamb, George, The Poems of Cais Valerius Catullus, Vol. I., John Murry, Albemarle-Street, London (1821).
• Leaf, Walter, Troy a Study in Homeric Geography, Kessinger Publishing, LLC (September 20, 2004). ISBN 1417948914.
• Martin, Theodore, The Poems of Catullus, William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London, 1875. [37]
• Martin, Thomas R., Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times, Yale University Press; Updated edition (August 11, 2000) ISBN 0300084935.
• Müller Karl, Geographi graeci minores, Firmin-Didot, 1882.
• Ovid. Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. (Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.)
• Pliny, The Natural History of Pliny; John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S. H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A. London. Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1855. (Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.)
• Polignac, François de. Cults, Territory, and the Origins of the Greek City-State. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995. ISBN 0226673340. [38]
• Shipley, Graham; The Periplous of Pseudo-Skylax: An Interim Translation (2002).
• Smith, William; Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, "Cytorus" J. Murray, 1872 (org. 1854).
• Strabo, Geography, translated by Horace Leonard Jones; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. (1924). Vol. 5, Books 10–12 ISBN 0674992334.
• Stillwell, Richard, William L. MacDonald, Marian Holland McAllister (editors); The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, "Amastris", Princeton, (1976)
• Talbert, Richard J. A., Roger S. Bagnall, Mary Downs, M. Joann McDaniel, Janet E. Kelly, Jeannine M. Schonta, David F. Stong, Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, Princeton University Press, 2000. ISBN 0691049459.
• Tozer, History of Ancient Geography, Biblo & Tannen Publishers, 1965. ISBN 0819601381. [39]
• Tsestkhladze, Gocha R.; Ancient Greeks West and East, BRILL, 1999. ISBN 9004111905, ISBN 9789004111905.
• Virgil, Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics Of Vergil. J. B. Greenough. Boston. Ginn & Co. 1900. (Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.)

External links

• Book V, Chapter 1 of Ptolemy's Geography
• Sample of Map 86: Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, showing location of Kytoros (Cytorus), and Cytorus Mons.