GYRTON
GYRTON or
GYRTONA (
Γυρτών, Thuc., Polyb., Strab.;
Γυρτώνη, Hom.: Eth.
Γυρτώνιος:
Tátdri), a town of Perrhaebia in Thessaly, situated in a fertile plain between the rivers Titaresius and Peneius. Its site is represented by the modern village of
Tatári. Strabo, indeed, connects Gyrton with the mouth of the Peneius (ix. pp. 439, 441), and the Epitomiser of the seventh book (p. 329) places it near the foot of Mt. Olympus; but it is evident from the description of Livy, whose account has been derived from Polybius, that it stood in some part of those plains in which Phalanna, Atrax, and Larissa were situated. (
Liv. 36.10,
42.54.)
It was only one day's march from Phalanna to Gyrton (
Liv. 42.54); and the Scholiast on Apollonius (
1.40) says that Gyrton was near Larissa. (Leake,
Northern Greece, vol. iii. p. 382, vol. iv. p. 534.)
It was an ancient town, mentioned by Homer
Hom. Il. 2.738), and continued to be a place of importance till later times, when it is called opulent by Apollonius Rhodius (1.57).
It was said to have been the original abode of the Phlegyae, and to have been founded by Gyrton, the brother of Phlegyas. (
Strab. ix. p.442;
Steph. B. sub voce Γυρτών.)
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| COIN OF GYRTON. |
[p. 1.1022]
The Gyrtonians are mentioned among the Thessalians who sent aid to the Athenians at the commencement of the Peloponnesian War. (
Thuc. 2.22.)
The name of the city frequently occurs at a later period. (Liv.
ll. cc.; Plb. 18.5; Mela, 2.3;
Plin. Nat. 4.9. s. 16;
Ptol. 3.13.43.)
