Heraclēa
(
Ἡράκλεια). A name given to more than forty towns in
Europe, Asia, Africa, and the islands of the Mediterranean. They are supposed to have derived
this name from Heracles, and to have either been built in honour of him or placed under his
protection. The most famous of these places were:
In Greece.—
1.
A city of Elis, near the centre of the province, to the southeast of Pisa, near the
confluence of the Cytherus and Alpheus.
2.
A city of Acarnania, on the shore of the Ionian Sea, and opposite the island of Carnus.
3.
A city of Epirus, on the confines of Athamania and Molossis, and near the sources of the
Aras.
4.
Lyncestis, a town of Macedonia, at the foot of
the Candavian Mountains, on the confines of Illyria. Its ruins still retain the name of
Erekli. Mention is made of this town in Caesar (
B. C. iii. 79).
5.
Sintĭca, the principal town of the
Sinti in Thrace. We are informed by Livy (xl. 24) that Demetrius, the son of Philip, was here
imprisoned and murdered. Mannert thinks it the same with the Heraclea built by Amyntas, the
brother of Philip.
6.
Trachinia, a town of Thessaly, founded by the Lacedaemonians, and
a colony from Trachis, about B.C. 426, in the sixth year of the Peloponnesian War (
Thuc.iii. 92). It was distant about sixty stadia from Thermopylae and
twenty from the sea. Iason, tyrant of Pherae, took possession of this city at one period, and
caused the walls to be pulled down (
Hist. Gr. vi. 4, 27). Heraclea, however,
again arose from its ruins, and became a flourishing city under the Aetolians, who
sometimes held their general council within its walls (
Livy, xxv.
5). It was taken by the Roman consul, Acilius Glabrio, after a long and obstinate
siege (
Livy, xxxvii. 24; Polyb. x. 42).
In Italy, Gaul, etc.—
7.
A city of Lucania in Italy, and situated between the Aciris and Siris. It was founded by
the Tarentini after the destruction of the ancient city of Siris, which stood at the mouth of
the latter river (B.C. 428). This city is rendered remarkable in history, as having been the
seat of the general council of the Greek states.
8.
A city of Campania, more commonly known by the name of Herculaneum.
9.
Caccabaria, a city on the confines of Italy and Gaul, in
Narbonensis Secunda. It was situated on the coast, to the south of Forum Iulii.
10.
Minōa, a city of Sicily on the southern
coast, northeast of Agrigentum, at the mouth of the river Camicus. It was founded by Minos
when he pursued Daedalus hither, and was subsequently called Heraclea from Heracles, after
his victory over Eryx—so, at least, said the fables of the day. Some authorities
make the original name to have been Macara, and Minos to have been not the founder but the
conqueror of the place (
Mela, ii. 7;
Livy,
xxxiv. 35).
In Asia,
Africa, etc.—
11.
Pontĭca (
Ἡράκλεια
Πόντου). A city on the coast of Bithynia, about twelve stadia from the river
Lycus. It was founded by a colony of Megareans, strengthened by some Tanagreans from Boeotia;
the numbers of the former, however, so predominated that the city was in general considered
as Doric. This place was famed for its naval power and its consequence among the Asiatic
States. Memnon composed a history of the tyrants who reigned at Heraclea during a space of
eighty-four years; but we have only now the abridgment of Photius, which is confirmed by
incidental notices contained in Aristotle (
Polit. vi. 5).
12.
A city of Aeolis, at the entrance of the Gulf of Adramyttium, opposite
Mitylené.
13.
A city in southern Aeolis, on the seacoast, near Cumae.
14.
A city of Caria, on the seacoast, near the mouth of the river Latmus, between Miletus and
Priené (
Ptol.v. 10). It was called, for distinction's
sake from other places of the same name, Heraclēa
Latmi.
15.
A city of Syria, in the district of Cyrrhestica, northwest of Hierapolis and northeast of
Beroea, near the confines of Comagené.
16.
A city of Lower Egypt, situated in the Delta, to the northeast of the Canopic mouth of the
Nile.
17.
Heracleopŏlis Magna, a city of Egypt, in the
Heracleotic nome, of which it was the capital. The ichneumon was worshipped here.
18.
Heracleopŏlis Parva, a city of Egypt, southwest of
Pelusium, within the Delta.