Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/609

 PHASIS.

that the Phasis was connected with the Northern Ocear. (Schol. ed Apollon. Rhod. iv. 259; Pind. Pyth. iv. 376, Isthm. ii. 61.) The length of its course was also erroneously estimated by some at 800 Roman miles (Jul. Honor. p. 697, ed. Gronov.), but Aethicus (Cosmogr. p. 719) states it more cor- rectly to be only 305 miles. The fact is that its course is by no means very long, but rapid, and of such a nature as to form almost a semicircle; whence Avathemerus (ii. 10) states that its mouth was not far from its sources. (Comp. Strab. xi. p. 500; Apollon. Rhod. i. 401; Ov. Afeé. vii. 6; Amm. Mare. xxii. 8; Prise. 673.) The water of the Phasis is described as very cold, and as so light that it swam like oil on the Euxine. (Arman, Peript. Pont. Eux. p. 7, &c.; Procop. Bell. Pers. ii. 30; comp. Hesiod. Theog. 340; Hecat. Fragm. 187; Herod. iv. 37, 45, 86; Scylax, p. 25; Polyb. iv. 56, v. 55; Ptol. v. 10. §$ 1,2.) The different statements of the ancients respecting the sources and the course of this river probably arose from the fact that different rivers were understood by the name Phasis; but the one which in later times was com- monly designated by it, is undoubtedly the modern Riont or Rion, which is sometimes also mentioned under the name Fachs, a corruption of Phasis. It has been conjectured with great probability that the river called Phasis by Aeschylus (ap. Arrian, I. c.) is the Hypanis; and that the Phasis of Xenophon (Anah. iv. 6. § 4) is no other than the Araxes, which is actually mentioned by Constantine Por- phyr. (de Admin. Imp. 45) under the two names Erax and Phasis. tL. $.] PHASIS (¢a0rs), the easternmost town on the coast of the Euxine, on the southern bank, and near the mouth of the river Phasis, which is said to have received this naine from the town having previously been called Arcturus. (Plut. de Flav. s.v.; Eu- stath. ad Dion. Per. 689.) It was situated in a plain between the river, the sea, and a lake, and had been founded by the Milesians as a commercial es- tablishment. (Strab. xi. p. 498; Steph. B. s. v.) The country around it was very fertile, and rich in titnber, and carried on a considerable export com- meree. In the time of Ammianus Marcellinus (xxii. 8), the place still existed as a fort, with a garrison of 400 picked men. It contained a temple of Cybele, the great goddess of the Phasiani. (Comp. Atrian, Peripl. Pont. Euzx. p. 9; Scylax, p. 32; Strab. xi. pp. 497, 500 ; Ptol. v. 10. § 2, viii. 19. § 4: Pomp. Mela, i. 19; Plin. vi. 4; Zosim. ii. 33.) Some geographers regard Phasis and Sebastopolis as two names belonging to the same place [SEBaAsTO- POLIS]. The name of the town and river Phasis still survives in the languages of Europe in the wood pheasants (phasianae aves), these birds being said to have been introduced into Europe from those regions as early as the time of the Argonauts. (Aristoph. Acharn. 726; Vlin. ii. 39, 44, x. 67 ; Martial, iii. 57, 16; Suet. Vet. 13; Petron. 93.) [L. $.] PHASIS (@aois), a river of Taprobane or Ceylon. It is clear from the statement of Ptolemy that it was on the N. side of the island; but like other rivers and places in that island, it is hardly possible now to identify it with any modern stream. Forbiger has conjectured that it is the same as the Awerie. Lassen has supposed it to be the Amba, in that por- tion of the island which was called Nagadwipa. If this be so, it flowed into the sea a little to the N. of the narrow ledge of rocks which connects Ceylon with the mainland of Hindostin. Forbiger further VOL. I.

PHELLIA. 593

supposes that this is the same river which Pliny calls Cydara in his account of the island of Tapro- bane (vi. 22. s. 24), [V.]

PHAURA. [Arttca, p. 330, b.]

PHAZANIA. [GaRraMmantTEs. |

PHAZE’MON (¢aGnuev), a small town in the west of Pontus, south of Gazelonitis, and north of Amasia; it contained hot mineral springs, which, according to Hamilton (/esearches, i. p. 333), are the modern baths of Cauvsa. (Strab. xii. pp. 553, 560, 561.) Pompey, after his victory over Mithri- dates, planted a colony there, and changed its name into Neapolis, from which the whole district was called Neapulitis, having previously been called Pha- zemonitis, (Strab. xii. p. 560; Steph. B. s. v. Ga- HiCwy, for thus the name is erroneously written.) Phazemon is generally. supposed to correspond in situation with the modern town of Mazifun or Mar- sifun. [L.8.]

PHECA or PHECADUM, a fortress near Gomphi in Thessaly. (Liv. xxxi. 41, xxxii. 14.) [Gosput.]

PHEGAEA. [Ar7ica, p. 330, b.]

PHE'GIA. [Psornits.]

PHEIA or PHEA (ai ¢etal, Hom. JZ. vii. 135, Od. xv. 297; bead, Thuc. Strab; Ged, Steph. B. 3.v.: Eth. bearns, Steph. B.), a city of Elis in the Pisatis, situated upon the isthmus connecting the promontory Ichthys (C. of Aatdkolo) with the mainland. Strabo erroneously speaks of two pro- montories upon this part of the coast: one ealled Pheia, from the name of the neighbouring town, and another more to the south, of which he has not given the name. (Strab. viii. 343.) Pheia is men- tioned by Homer, who places it near the Iardanus, which is apparently the mountain torrent north of Ichthys, and which flows into the sea on the northern side of the lofty mountain Skaphidi. (Hom. 1. c.) Upon a very conspicuous peaked height upon the isthinus of Ichthys are the ruins of a castle of the middle ages, called Pontikekastro, built upon the remains of the Hellenic walls of Pheia. On either side of Ichthys are two harbours; the northern one, which is a small creek, was the port of Pheia; the southern one is the broad bay of Aatakalo, which is now much frequented, but was too open and exposed for ancient navigation. The position of these har- bours explains the narrative of Thucydides, who relates that in the first year of the Peloponnesian War (p. c. 431), the Athenian fleet, having sailed from Methone in Messenia, landed at Pheia (that is, in the bay of Katdkolv), and laid waste the country; but a-storm having arisen, they sailed round the promontory Iehthys into the harbour of Pheia. In front of the harbour was a small island, which Poly- bius calls Pheias (Strab. /.c.; Polyb.iv.9). Abouta mile north of the small creek at Pontikokastro, there is a harbour called A hortis, which Leake is disposed to identify with the port mentioned by Thucydides, on the ground that the historian describes it “ not as the port of Pheia, but as a harbour in the district Pheia” (ray év 7H 0a Ameva); but we think it more probable that the historian intended the creek at the foot of Pontikckastro. In any case Pheia stood on the isthmus of Ichthys, and neither at Khortis nor at the mouth of the torrent of Skaphidé, at one or other of which spots Pheia is placed by Boblaye, though at neither are there any ancient re- mains, (Leake, Jurca, vol. it. p. 189, seq., Pelo- ponnesiaca, p. 213, seq.; Boblaye, Kecherches, gc.

. 131; Curtius, Peloponnesos, vol. ii. p. 44, seq.)

PHELLIA. [Laconta, p. 110, a.]

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