PODANDUS
PODANDUS (
Ποδανδός, Basil.
Ep. 74, 75; It. Anton. p. 145;
ἡ Ποδενδός, Const. Porphyr.
de Them. i. p. 19, Bonn;
Ποδανδεύς, Const. Porphyr. Vit. Basil. 100.36; Opodanda, It. Hieros. p. 578), a town of Cappadocia distant 16 Roman miles from Faustinopolis, according to the Antonine Itinerary (
l.c.), but 23 according to the Jerusalem Itinerary (
l.c.).
It was situated near the Pylae Ciliciae.
It is frequently mentioned by the Byzantine writers, and is said to have taken its name from a small stream which flowed near it. (Constant. Porphyr.
Vit. Basil. 100.36; Cedren. p. 575; Joann. Scylitz. pp. 829, 844.)
It is described by Basil as a most miserable place. “Figure to yourself,” he says, “a Laconian Ceada, a Charonium breathing forth pestilential vapours; you will then have an idea of the wretchedness of Podandus,” (
Ep. 74.)
It is still called
Podend. (Cramer,
Asia Minor, vol. ii. p. 134.)
