ORB´ELUS
ORB´ELUS (
Ὄρβηλος, Herod, 5.16;
Strab. vii. p.329;
Diod. 20.19 ; Arrian,
Anab. 1.1.5;
Ptol. 3.9.1,iii 11.1; Pomp. Mela, ii 2.2; Plin 4.17), the great mountain on the frontiers of Thrace and Macedonia, which, beginning at the Strymonic plain and lake, extends towards the sources of the Strymon, where it unites with the summit called Scomius, in which the river had its origin.
The amphibious inhabitants of lake Prasias procured their planks and piles, on which they constructed their dwellings, from this mountain. (Herod.
l.c.) Cassander, after having assisted Audoleon, king of Paeonia, against the Illyrian Autariatae, and having conquered them, transported 20,000 men, women, and children to Mt. Orbelus. (Diodor.
l.c.) The epitomiser of Strabo (
l.c.), who lived not long before the commencement of the 11th century, applies this name to the ridge of Haemus and Rhodope; Gatterer (
Comment. Soc. Got. vol. iv. p. 99, vol. vi.
[p. 2.487]p. 33; comp. Poppo,
Prolegom. in Thuc. pars i. vol. ii. p. 321), in consequence, was inclined to believe that there were two mountains of this name. Kiepert (
Karte der Europ. Türkei) identifies Orbelus with
Perin Dagh. The district called Orbelia (
Ὀρβηλία, Ptol. 3.13.25), with the town
GARESCUS derived its name from the mountain. (Leake,
Northern Greece, vol. iii. pp. 211, 463.)
[
E.B.J]
