Calpas
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Calpas was a river of ancient Bithynia draining into the Pontus Euxinus, between the Psilis, from which it is 210 stadia distant, and the Sangarius River.
Variants
Location
It is identified with the modern Ilaflı Dere.[1]
History
Near its mouth was the port of Calpe, through which Xenophon passed on his retreat with the Ten Thousand.[2] Xenophon describes it as about halfway between Byzantium and Heraclea Pontica on a promontory, part which projects into the sea is an abrupt precipice. The neck which connects the promontory with the mainland is only 400 feet (120 m) wide. The port is under the rock to the west, and has a beach; and close to the sea there is a source of fresh water. The place is minutely described by Xenophon. Apollonius of Rhodes calls the river "deep flowing".[3]
Mention by Pliny
Pliny[4] mentions....After passing the mouth of the Bosporus we come to the river Rhebas9, by some writers called the Rhesus. We next come to Psillis10, the port of Calpas11, and the Sagaris12, a famous river, which rises in Phrygia and receives the waters of other rivers of vast magnitude, among which are the Tembrogius13 and the Gallus14, the last of which is by many called the Sangarius.
9 Now the Riva, a river of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, falling into the Euxine north-east of Chalcedon.
10 Probably an obscure town.
11 On the river Calpas or Calpe, in Bithynia. Xenophon, in the Anabasis, describes it as about half way between Byzantium and Heraclea. The spot is identified in some of the maps as Kirpeh Limán, and the promontory as Cape Kirpeh.
12 Still known as the Sakaria.
13 Now called the Sursak, according to Parisot.
14 Now the Lef-ke. See the end of c. 42 of the last Book.
External links
References
- ↑ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 52, and directory notes accompanying.
- ↑ Xenophon. Anabasis. Vol. 6.4.
- ↑ Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica. Vol. 2.661.
- ↑ Natural History by Pliny Book VI/Chapter 1
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