THERMODON
THERMODON (
Θερμώδων:
Thermeh), a river of Pontus, celebrated in the story about the Amazons, is described by Pliny (
6.3) as having its sources in the Amazonian mountains, which are not mentioned by any other ancient writer, but are believed still to retain their ancient name in the form of
Mason Dagh. (Hamilton,
Researches, i. p. 283.) Strabo (
xii. p.547) places its many sources near Phanaroea, and says that many streams combine to form the Thermodon. Its course is not very long, but its breadth was nevertheless three plethra, and it was a navigable river (
Xen. Anab. 5.6. 9,
6.2.1; Arrian,
Peripl. P.E. p. 16.)
It discharged itself into the Euxine near the town of Themiscyra, at a distance of 4000 stadia to the north-east of the mouth of the Iris.
This river is very often noticed by ancient writers. See Aeschyl.
Prom. 274,
Suppl. 290;
Hdt. 9.27;
Scylax, p. 33;
Strab. i. p.52, vii. p. 298; Anon.
Peripl. P. E. p. 10;
Ptol. 5.6.4; Pomp. Mela, 1.19;
Plin. Nat. 11.19,
37.37;
Verg. A. 11.659;
Ov. ex Pont. 4.19 51; Propert. 4.4. 71, and many other passages.
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