GO´RDIUM
GO´RDIUM (
Γόρσιον), a town of Bithynia, a little to the north of the river Sangarius, was in later times called Juliopolis.
This city must have been of considerable antiquity, having been the residence of the ancient Phrygian kings; but in the time of Strabo (
xii. p.568) it had sunk to the condition of a mere village it appears, however, that it was rebuilt and enlarged in the time of Augustus under the name of Juliopolis, and thenceforth it continued to flourish for several centuries. (Strab.
l.c. p. 574;
Plb. 22.20;
Liv. 38.18;
Plin. Nat. 5.42;
Ptol. 5.1.14.)
In the time of Justinian it had suffered from the inundations of the river Scopas, and was therefore repaired by that emperor. (Procop.
de Aed. 5.4.) Gordium is celebrated in history as the scene of Alexander's cutting the famous Gordian knot.
This adventure took place in the acropolis of the town, which had been the palace of king Gordius. (Arrian,
Anab. i 29, 2.3; Q.
Curt. 3.1,
12; Justin,
11.7.)
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