Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/731

 UHODUS. active zeal for literature, pliilosopln', and art. Tlie intellectual activity maintained itself in Rhodes long after it had died away in most other parts of Greece. The island of Rhodes, which appears even in the earliest traditions as extremely wealthy (Hom. II. ii. 670; Find. Olymp. vii. 49; Philostr. /ma^r. ii. 27), is in many parts indeed rough and rocky, espe- cially the coast near the city of Rhodes, and the district about Lindus, but on the whole it was ex- tremely fertile: its wine, dried raisins and figs, were much esteemed, and its saifron, oil, marble, achate, sponges, and fi.^li, are often spoken of. The most important productions of Rhodian industry were ships, arms, and military engines. Besides the places already mentioned, the ancients notice Ixia and Mnasyrium, two forts in the south, and a place called Achaia. By far the most important place was the city of Rhodus at the north-eastern extremity of the island. It was built in b. c 408 upon a regular plan formed by the architect Hippodamus, the same who built the walls of Peiraeeus. (Strab. xiv. p. 654; Diod. xix. 45, XX. 83 ; Harpocrat. s. v. 'iTnroSdyueia.) It was constructed in the form of an amphitheatre rising from the coast, and was protected by strong walls and towers, while nature provided it with two excellent harbours. The acropolis rose at the south- western extremity, and on the slope of it was the theatre. According to Strabo, Rhodus surpassed all other cities for the beauty and convenience of its ports, streets, walls, and public edifices, all of which were adorned with a profusion of works of art both in painting and sculpture. The principal statues were in the temple of Dionysus and the gymnasium ; but the most extraordinary statue, which is de- scribed as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was the brazen statue of Helios, commonly called the Colossus of Rhodes. It was the work of Chares of Lindus, who employed upon its execu- tion twelve years. It cost 300 talents, and was 70 cubits in height: its gigantic size may be in- ferred from the fact that few men were able to encompass one of its thumbs with their arms. (Plin. xxxiv. 18; Strab. I. c.) The Colossus stood at the entrance of one of the ports, but the statement that it stood astride over the entrance, and that the largest ships could sail between its legs, is in all probability a mere fable. It was overthrown by an earthquake, 56 years after its erection, that is, in r.. c. 224, or according to others a few years later. Ptolemy promised the Rhodians, among other things, 3000 talents for its restoration (Polyb. v. 89), but it is said not to have been attempted in consequence of an oracle (Strab. I. c). Later authorities, however, speak of it as standing erect; the emperor Com- niodus is said to have ordered his own bust to be put upon it; and Cedrenus relates that a king of the Saracens sold the fragments to a merchant who employed upwards of 900 camels to carry them away. Notwithstanding the great splendour of the city, the number of its inhabitants does not appear to have been very great, for during the siege of Demetrius Poliorcetes no more than 6000 citizens capable of bearing arms are mentioned. (Diod. xx. 84.) But Rhodus has nevertheless produced many men of eminence in philosophy and literature, such as Panaetius, Stratocles, Andronicus, Eudemus, Hieroiiynuis, Peisander, Simniias, and Aristides ; while Poseidonius, Dionysius Tlinix, and Aijollonius, burnamed the Rhodian, resided in the island for a RHOGONIS, 715 considerable time. The present town of Rhodes contains very few remains of the ancient Greek city. (Comp. P. D. Paulsen, Descriptio Rhodi Maced. Aetate, Gottingen, 1818 ; H. Rust, Rhodus, ein Hist. Arch. Fragment, Altona, 1823; Th. Menge, Vorgeschichte von Rhodus, Coin, 1827 ; Rottier, Descript. des Monuments de Rhodes, Bruxeiles, 1828; Ross, Reisen mif den Gricch. In^eln, iii. pp. 70 — 113, which contains a good account of the middle-age history and the present condition of the island and city with maps and plans; Sestini, Mon. Fe«. p. 91.) [L. S.] COIN OF RHODUS. RHODUSSA, an island off the southern coast of Caria, near the entrance of the port of Panormus. (Plin. V. 35 ; Sladiasm. Mar. Mag. p. 248, where the name is written 'PoTroficra.) It is marked in modern charts by the name of Limosa or Kara- gash. [L. S.] RHODUSSAE, a group of small islands in the Propontis, south of Pityussa, is mentioned onlv by Pliny (v. 44). [L. &] RHOE ('PiJt?), a place on the coast of Bithynia, 20 stadia to the east of Calpe, on a steep promon- tory, contained a road fit only for small vessels. (Arrian, Peripl. P. E. j>. 13; Anonym. Peripl. P. E. p. 3.) [L. S.] RHOETACES. [Albania, p. 89, b.] RHOETEUM (rb 'Poireiov or 'Polriov aKpov), a promontory, or rather a rocky headland, running out in several points in Mysia or Troas, at the entrance of the Hellespont, north of Ilion ; it contained a small town of the same name situated on an emi- nence. The place is very often mentioned by the ancients. (Herod, vii. 43 ; Scylax, p. 35 ; Strab. xiii. p. 595; Steph. B. s. v.; Pomp. Mela, i. 18; Plin. V. 33 ; Thucyd. iv. 52, viii. 101 ; Apollon. Rhod. i. 929; Tryphiod. 216 ; Virg. Aen. vi. 595 ; Liv. xxxvii. 37.) The promontory is now called Intepeh, and the site of the ancient town is believed to be occupied by Paleo Castro, near the village of It-ghehnes. (Richter, Wallfahrten, p. 475 ; Leake, Asia Mitior, p. 275.) [L. S.] RHOGANA ('Poyava, Ptol. vi. 8. § 7; Marciaii, Peripl. i. § 28, ed. MUller), a small place on the coast of Carmania, between the pi"omontories of Carpella and Alambater. It is i)erl)aps the same place as the Gogana of Arrian. [Gooana.] f V.] RHOGANDA'NI (Puyai'5ai'oi, Ptol. vii. 4. § 9), a tribe of ancient Ceglon, at the southern end of the island. Ptolemy mentions that in this part of the island were the best pastures for the elei)hants, which is the ca.se, too, at the present time. [V.] RHOGE ('P(i77j), an island off the coast of Lycia, not far from the entrance of the Phocnicus Portus. (Plin. V. 35; Steph. B. s. v.; Stadiasm. Mar. Mag. §§ 217, 218, where it is called Rhope, 'POTTJ.) [L.S.] RHO'GONIS i^Vwyovis, Arrian, hid. c. 39), a river of ancient Persis, which flows into the Pertiian