THO´RICUS
THO´RICUS (
Θορικός:
Eth, Θορίκιος:
Therikó), a town of Attica on the SE. coast, and about 7 or 8 miles N. of the promontory of Sunium, was originally one of the twelve cities into which Attica is said to have been divided before the time of Theseus, and was afterwards a demus belonging to the tribe Acamantis. (
Strab. ix. p.397.)
It continued to be a place of importance during the flourishing period of Athenian history, as its existing remains prove, and was hence fortified by the Athenians in the 24th year of the Peloponnesian War. (
Xen. Hell. 1.2. 1) It was distant 60 stadia from Anaphlystus upon the western coast. (
Xen. de Vect. 4 § 43.) Thoricus is celebrated in mythology as the residence of Cephalus, whom Eos or Aurora carried off to dwell with the gods. (
Apollod. 2.4.7;
Eur. Hipp. 455.)
It has been conjectured by Wordsworth, with much probability, that the idea of Thoricus was associated in the Athenian mind with such a translation to the gods, and that the “Thlorician stone” (
Θορίκιος πέτρος) mentioned by Sophocles (
Oed. Col. 1595), respecting which there has been so much doubt, probably has reference to such a miglration, as the poet is describing a similar translation of Oedipus.
The fortifications of Thoricus surrounded a small plain, which terminates in the harbour of the city, now called
Porto Mandrí. The ruins of the walls may be traced following the crest of the hills on the northern and southern sides of the plain, and crossing it on the west.
The acropolis seems to have stood upon a height rising above the sheltered creek of
Frasngó Limióna, which is separated only by a cape from
Porto Mandrí. Below this height, on the northern side, are the ruins of a theatre, of a singular form, being an irregular curve, with one of the sides longer than the other.
In the plain, to the westward, are the remains of a quadrangular colonnade, with Doric columns. (Leake,
Demi of Attica, [p. 2.1176]p. 68, seq. 2nd ed.; Wordsworth,
Athens and Attica, p. 208, seq.)
