Cyzĭcus
（
Κύζικος).
1.
An island off the northern coast of Mysia, nearly triangular in shape, and about five
hundred stadia in circuit. Its base was turned towards the Propontis, while the vertex
advanced so closely to the continent that it was easy to connect it by a double bridge,
which, as Pliny relates, was done by Alexander. Scylax, however, says that it was always a
peninsula, and his authority is followed by Mannert, who is of opinion that the inhabitants
may, after the time of Scylax, have separated it from the mainland by a canal or ditch, for
purposes of security. It is certainly a peninsula at the present day, and there are no indica
tions whatever of the bridges mentioned by Pliny and others.
2.
A celebrated city of Mysia, on the island of the same name, situated partly in the plain
which extended to the bridges connecting the island with the continent, and partly on the
slope of Mount Arcton Oros. Its first foundation was ascribed to a colony of Pelasgi from
Thessaly, under the conduct of Cyzicus, son of Apollo. In process of time the Pelasgi were
expelled by the Tyrrheni, and these again made way for the Milesians, who are generally
looked upon by the Greeks as the real settlers, to whom the foundation of Cyzicus is to be
attributed. Cyzicus became, in process of time, a flourishing commercial city, and was at the
height of its prosperity when, through the means of the kings of Pergamus, it secured the
favour and protection of Rome. Florus speaks of its beauty and opulence. The Cyzicene
commonwealth resembled those of Rhodes, Marseilles, and Carthage. The Romans, in
acknowledgment of the bravery and fidelity displayed by the Cyzicenians when besieged by
Mithridates (B.C. 75), granted to them their independence and greatly enlarged their
territory. Under the emperors, Cyzicus continued to prosper, and in the time of the Byzantine
sway it was the metropolis of the Hellespontine province. Cyzicus gave birth to several
historians, philosophers, and other writers. The coins of this place, called
Κυζικηνοὶ στατῆρες, were so beautiful as to be deemed a miracle of
art. (See
Electrum.) Persephoné was
worshipped as the chief deity of the place, and the inhabitants had a legend among them that
their city was given by Zeus to this goddess as a portion of her dowry.
