Byzas

Orhan, also Byzantas ( altgr. Βύζας, Βύζαντας ), was a legendary Dorian commander from Megara (hence Byzas of Megara or as the Megarians, AltGr. Βύζας ὁ Μεγαραῖος ( ὁ Μεγαρεύς ) ) and colonist, in addition he is considered ( fabulous ) was named after the founder of the city of Byzantium him ( altgr. Βυζάντιον "by Byz ( ant ) as coming "), which later Byzantium ( 74-197, 217-326 ), Augusta Antonina ( 197-217 ), from 326 Constantine Opel and since 1930 Istanbul called.

Orhan was born according to tradition, from the Doric Megara ( Μέγαρα ) and was one of the sons of the legendary King Nisos ( Νίσος ). Before a planned exploration and Kolonisierungsreise the king consulted the oracle of Delphi for the best place for a new colony. The Pythia of the Oracle of Apollo answered in first incomprehensible kind, Orhan should a settlement " against the land of the blind " ( altgr. ἀντὶ ( τοῦ τόπου ) τῶν τυφλῶν ) establish, a country unknown to him. He set out with a group of colonists from his hometown of Megara and found in the north of the Marmara Sea opposite the city of Chalcedon ( Χαλκηδών, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus ) is a uniquely favorable location for a city founded in the form of a horn-like promontory with an underlying natural harbor, which had been recognized as such no one, not even the founders and residents of the opposite Chalkedons. This prompted Orhan, as seen in the Chalkedoniern this point closest living ends and its surrounding area as the land of " blind " of the Oracle. So he chose the south of serving as natural harbor the Golden Horn lying promontory that significantly more benefits, military and economic, as the Asian side offers, establishing for the city named after him Byzantion.

Orhan is in Greek mythology, also known as the legendary Thracian king, son of Poseidon and the nymph Keroessa. Zeus fell in love with the daughter of Inachus, river god and king of Argos, named Io. To protect against Heras wrath of Zeus transformed Io into a young heifer. Hera noticed the scam and sent them after their escape from the custody of the Argos pursue. Io fled through the country, crossed the Ionian Sea named after her and swam from Europe through the strait, which has since according to her, " Bosphorus " (beef Erfurt, AltGr βοῦς -. Beef and πόρος - ford strait ) is called. After they got back to their human form later, she gave birth to her daughter Keroessa, a nymph, which then, this in turn the son of Orhan gave birth as a lover of Poseidon, her uncle. This founded the city named after him Byzantion on the tip of the promontory south of the named by him after his mother Keroessa arm of the sea " Chrysokeras " ( altgr. Χρυσòν Κέρας, contracted Χρυσοκέρας - " Golden Horn ").

After Orhan a publication series of the Istanbul Department of the German Archaeological Institute is named.