HALE´SION
HALE´SION (
Ἁλήσιον πεδίον) “the salt-plain,” a small district in the south-west of Troas, south of the river Satinoeis. (Strab xiii. p. 605.)
It derived its name from the circumstance that, during a part of the year, the country was overflown by the sea, which, on withdrawing, left behind a sediment of salt. Salt-works accordingly existed there at a place called the Tragasaean Salines (
τὸ Τραγασαῖον ἁλοπήγιον).
There was a story that Lysirnachus levied a duty on the collectors of the salt, and that thereupon the salt disappeared altogether, but reappeared on the withdrawal of the tax. (
Athen. 3.73; comp. Pollux, 6.10;
Plin. Nat. 31.41; Galen,
de Temp. Med. Simpl. ii. p. 151;
Hesych. sub voce Τραγασαῖοι; Steph. B. sub voce s. vv. and
Τράγασαι, who, however, by mistake transfers the plain to Epirus.)
According to Leake, the neighbouring hills are composed of salt rock; and the salt-works, which are still in existence, are called by the Turks Tuzla. (
Asia Minor, pp. 273, foll.)
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L.S]
