Cyaneae
CYA´NEAE (Plin. Nat. 5.27). Leake (Asia Minor, p. 188) says that this Lycian town was discovered west of Andriaca [ANDRIACA] by Mr. Cockerell. The place, which is at the head of Port Tristomo, was determined by an inscription. Leake observes that in our copies of Pliny it is written Cyane; in Hierocles and the Notitiae Episcopatuum it is Cyaneae.B ut the name is written Cyaneae in Harduin‘s Pliny.
It is said in Spratt and Forbes (Lycia, vol. 2. p. 271):--On the high table land between port Tristomo and the inland valley of Kassabar, we found three ancient sites, which, from the inscriptions copied at each, appeared to be severally--or perhaps collectively--styled Cyaneae.A t one of these places, called Tousa, a sarcophagus contained the feminine ethnic name Κυανειτις, if it is copied right. A pedestal found at another place, called Yarvoo, contains a Greek inscription of the Roman period, with the usual formula, Κυανειτων ἡ Βουλη και ὁ Δημος. And at a third place, named Ghiouristan, a Greek inscription contained the form Κυανειτων : and it is added,--the words Κυανειτων γερουσια occur in the inscription on a sarcophagus at the same locality.( Spratt and Forbes, Lycia, vol. 2. p. 271.)
It is singular that three distinct sites seem to have had the name Cyaneae, for the plural form appears to be the genuine name of the place. Yarvoo, which seems to be the chief place, is due north of the head of the port Tristomo: Ghiouristan is due north of Yarvoo, and about 3 miles distant, according to the map in Spratt and Forbes's work. Tousa is about WNW. of Yarvoo, and further distant than Ghiouristan. Yarvoo (Plan in Spratt and Forbes) is on a high platform, with a steep descent on two sides. The walls are in a good state of preservation, and from 5 to 15 feet high. There is a theatre 165 feet in diameter, many plain rock tombs, groups of sarcophagi, and confused heaps of ruins. The remains are of the Roman and middle age construction; and some of a doubtful age. There were none of the earlier Lycian tombs and inscriptions. At Tousa a Lycian inscription was found. The city was small, and surrounded by a rudely constructed Hellenic wall, very perfect in some parts, combining the polygonal and cyclopean styles in its construction.( Spratt and Forbes, Lycia, vol. 1. p. 111.) It is added:--it appeared to be a city ranking in importance with Phellus and Candyba, but in a better state of preservation. Tousa is nearly 5 hours from the sea. At Ghiouristan there are three Lycian rock tombs, one of which has a Lycian and Greek. inscription. There are many tombs and sarcophagi here.
This is another example of the discovery of Lycian towns of which no historical record has been preserved except the names. It is not easy to conjecture why all these places had the same name, But it is very possible that one of them, Yarvoo, was the chief place under the name of Cyaneae; and that the other two, which belonged to Cyaneae, might have other names, and yet be considered as dependent on the chief place, and might be comprehended under the same name.
[G.L](Κυάνεαι, sc. νῆσοι). Two small rugged islands at the entrance of the Euxine Sea, and forty stadia from the mouth of the Thracian Bosporus. According to Strabo, one was near the European the other near the Asiatic side, and the space between them was about twenty stadia. There was an ancient fable relative to these islands, that they floated about, and united to crush to pieces vessels which attempted to pass through the straits (Pomp. Mela, ii. 7). Pliny gives the same fable, but assigns, at the same time, the true cause of the legend. It arose from their appearing, like all other objects, to move towards or from each other when seen from a vessel in motion itself. The Argo, we are told by Apollonius Rhodius (ii. 601), had a narrow escape in passing through, and lost the extremity of her stern. Pindar says that they were alive and moved to and fro more swiftly than the blasts, until the expedition of the Argonauts brought death upon them (Pyth. iv. 371 foll.). On which passage the scholiast remarks in explanation that it was decreed by the Fates they should become “rooted to the deep” whenever a vessel succeeded in passing through them—a prediction accomplished by the Argo. Phineus had directed Iason and his companions to let fly a pigeon when they were near these islands, telling them that if the bird came safely through the Argo might venture to follow her. They obeyed the directions of the prophet-prince; the pigeon passed through safely with the loss of its tail; and then the Argonauts, watching the recession of the rocks and aided by Heré and Athené, rowed vigorously on and passed through with the loss of a part of the rudder of their vessel. See Argonautae.
The term “Cyaneae” (Κυάνεαι), i. e. “dark blue” or “azure,” is referred by the scholiasts on Euripides (Med. 2) to the colour of these rocks. In the description of Homer, however, as will be seen presently, a more poetic turn is given to the appellation. To the name Cyaneae is frequently joined that of “Symplegades” (Συμπληγάδες), i. e. “the Dashers,” in allusion to their supposed collision when vessels attempted to pass through. Homer ( Od. xii. 61) calls them Πλαγκταί, “Wanderers.”
- oracle of Apollo Thyrxeus at: Paus. 7.21.13