SYRIAE PORTAE
SYRIAE PORTAE (
Συρίαι πύλαι), a pass between Mount Amanus and the coast of the bay of Issus, which formed a passage from Cilicia into Syria.
It was 3 stadia in length, and only broad enough to allow an army to pass in columns. (Xenoph.
Anab. 1.4.4; Arrian,
Arr. Anab. 2.8;
Plin. Nat. 5.18;
Ptol. 5.15.12;
Strab. xiv. p.676.)
This mountain pass had formerly been closed up at both ends by walls leading from the rocks into the sea; but in the time of Alexander they seem to have existed no longer, as they are not mentioned by any of his historians. Through the midst of this pass, which is now called the pass of
Beilan, there flowed a small stream, which is still known under the name of
Merkez-su, its ancient name being Cersus.
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L.S]
