CERYNEIA
CERYNEIA (
Κερύνεια, also
Κερυνία,
Κεραυνία,
Κεραύνεια, &c.: Eth.
Κερυνεύς; respecting the orthography, see Schweigh.
ad Pol. 2.41; Wesseling,
ad Diod. 15.48; and Groskurd,
ad Strab. vol. ii. p. 110: the two former adopt the form
Κερύνεια, the latter
Κεραυνία), a town of Achaia, was not originally one of the 12 Achaean cities, though it afterwards became so, succeeding to the place of Aegae. Its population was increased by a large body of Mycenaeans, when the latter abandoned their city to the Argives in 468. Ceryneia is mentioned as a member of the League on its revival in B.C. 280; and one of its citizens, Marcus, was chosen in 255 as the first sole General of the League.
In the time. of Strabo, Ceryneia was dependent upon Aegium.
It was situated inland upon a lofty height, W. of the river Cerynites (
Bokhusia), and a little S. of Helice. Its ruins have been discovered on the height, which rises above the left bank of the Cerynites, just where it issues from the mountains into the plain. (Pol. 2.41, 43;
Paus. 7.6.1,
7.25.5; Strab.
[p. 1.594]p. 387; Boblaye,
Recherches, &c., p. 25; Leake,
Peloponnesiaca, p. 388.) Theophrastus stated that the wine of Ceryneia produced abortion. (Theophr.
Hist. Plant. 9.20; comp.
Athen. p. 31; Aelian,
Ael. VH 13.6.)
