Mallus

Mallos (Greek Μαλλός; Latin Mallus ) was an ancient city in the eastern, the " flat " Cilicia, near the present-day Turkish town Kızıltahta, 28 kilometers southeast of Adana. She lay on the west bank of the river Pyramus ( Ceyhan of today ), who was then at Magarsos ( the port of Mallos, near the present-day Karataş ) culminated in the Mediterranean Sea. The Pyramus resulted in a lagoon that later, after the diversion of the river under Justinian, into a freshwater lake was ( Rhegma ).

History

Mallos was one of the oldest cities in Cilicia. It was, as Soli, as Argive foundation. In the Hellenistic period Mallos introduced its founding to the mythical figure Amphilochus, a son of Amphiaraus, back. Alexander the Great took 333 BC by Mallos and arbitrating disputes between citizens. As a supposed descendant of the Argive Heracles he picked up the tribute of the city to the Great King. The city was during the Diadochenkriege an important basis for Antigonus Monophthalmos. He wintered there 315/314 BC; 312 BC Ptolemy I took the city and sold the inhabitants into slavery. Mallos was but apparently not destroyed, and there exist a number of Hellenistic inscriptions. Antiochus III. took the city 197 BC a. Mallos was part of the Seleucid Empire and was in the 2nd century BC a long time the name of Antioch on the Pyramus (after Antiochus IV ).

67 BC moved the Roman general Pompey in Mallos like in other Cilician cities defeating pirates. 260 AD, the city was conquered by the Sassanids. Since the 4th century Mallos was a bishopric. Even after the Arab conquest took place on the city. 963 she was put by John Tzimiskes on fire and was abandoned, the name probably went over to the neighboring Magarsos.

In the tradition of the defunct diocese is the titular Mallus the Catholic Church.

Ruins

In the village Kızıltahta numerous ancient stones found as spolia, including a grave inscription that mentions the city Mallos. Between the modern village and the river, the site of the ancient settlement is located on a hilltop. On Ceyhan are remains of a Roman bridge found. William Mitchell Ramsay yet adopted a position of Mallos in Karataş; the settlement remains were discovered at Kızıltahta 1950.

Famous citizens

Mallos was the birthplace of the philosopher Crates of Mallos ( 2nd century BC).