SOLI
Eth.
SOLI or
SOLOE (
Σόλοι,
Ptol. 5.14.4), an important seaport town in the W. part of the N. coast of Cyprus, situated on a small river. (
Strab. xiv. p.683.)
According to Plutarch (
Plut. Sol. 26) it was founded by a native prince at the suggestion of Solon and named in honour of that legislator.
The sojourn of Solon in Cyprus is mentioned by Herodotus (
5.113). Other accounts, however, make it an Athenian settlement, founded under the auspices of Phalerus and Acamas (Strab.
l.c.), or of Demophon, the son of Theseus (Plut.
l. c). We learn from Strabo (
l.c.) that it had a temple of Aphrodite and one of Isis; and from Galen (
de Simp. Med. 9.3, 8) that there were mines in its neighbourhood.
The inhabitants were called Solii (
Σόλιοι), to distinguish them from the citizens of Soli in Cilicia, who were called
Σολεῖς (Diog. Laert.
V. Solon, 4).
According to Pococke (ii. p. 323), the valley which surrounded the city is still called
Solea; and the ruins of the town itself may be traced in the village of A
Aligora. (Comp.
Aesch. Pers. 889; Scyl. p. 41;
Stadiasm. M. Magni, § 295, seq.; Const. Porphyr.
de Them. i. p. 39, Lips.; Hierocl. p. 707, &c.).
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T.H.D]
