[10] After the river Parthenius is Amastris, bearing the same name as the princess by whom it was founded. It is situated upon a peninsula, with harbours on each side of the isthmus. Amastris was the wife of Dionysius, the tyrant of Heracleia, and daughter of Oxyathres, the brother of the Darius who fought against Alexander. She formed the settlement out of four cities, Sesamus, Cytorum, Cromna, (mentioned by Homer in his recital of the Paphlagonian forces,1） and Tieium, which city however soon separated from the others, but the rest continued united. Of these, Sesamus is called the citadel of Amastris. Cytorum was formerly a mart of the people of Sinope. It had its name from Cytorus, the son of Phrixus, according to Ephorus. Box-wood of the best quality grows in great abundance in the territory of Amastris, and particularly about Cytorum. Ægialus is a line of sea-coast, in length more than 100 stadia. On it is a village of the same name,2 which the poet mentions in these lines,
but some authors write, “ Cromna and Cobialus.“ Cromna, and Ægialus, and the lofty Erythini;3
”Il. i. 855.
” The Erythini are said to be the present Erythrini, and to have their name from their (red) colour. They are two rocks.4 Next to Ægialus is Carambis, a large promontory stretching towards the north, and the Scythian Chersonesus. We have frequently mentioned this promontory, and the Criu-metopon opposite it, which divides the Euxine into two seas.5 Next to Carambis is Cinolis,6 and Anti-Cinolis, and Aboniteichos,7 a small city, and Armene,8 which gave rise to the common proverb; “ He who had nothing to do built a wall about Armene.
” It is a village of the Sinopenses, with a harbour.
