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Hierapytna

Hierapytna, also Hierapydna (Ἱεράπυδνα), Hierapydnes, or Hiera, was a town of ancient Crete. Strabo says that it stood in the narrowest part of the island, opposite Minoa. Hierapytna, according to the Stadiasmus Maris Magni, was 180 stadia from Biennus, which agrees with the distance of 20 M.P. assigned to it by the Peutinger Table. It was a town of great antiquity, and its foundation was ascribed to the Corybantes; it bore the successive names of Cyrba, Pytna, Camirus, and Hierapytna. From an inscription preserved among the Oxford marbles, it appears that the Hierapytnians were at one time allied with the neighbouring city of Priansus. There are both autonomous and Roman Imperial coins belonging to Hierapytna; the symbol on the former is generally a palm tree.

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Corinthian capitals from Hierapytna source ↗
Bronze statue from Hierapytna source ↗

Hierapytna (Ancient Greek: Ἱεράπυτνα12 or Ἱερὰ Πύτνα34), also Hierapydna (Ἱεράπυδνα),5 Hierapydnes (Ἱερά Πύδνης),6 or Hiera,7 was a town of ancient Crete. Strabo says that it stood in the narrowest part of the island, opposite Minoa.1 Hierapytna, according to the Stadiasmus Maris Magni, was 180 stadia from Biennus, which agrees with the distance of 20 M.P. assigned to it by the Peutinger Table. It was a town of great antiquity, and its foundation was ascribed to the Corybantes; it bore the successive names of Cyrba, Pytna, Camirus, and Hierapytna.84 From an inscription preserved among the Oxford marbles, it appears that the Hierapytnians were at one time allied with the neighbouring city of Priansus.9 There are both autonomous and Roman Imperial coins belonging to Hierapytna; the symbol on the former is generally a palm tree.10

Its site is located near modern Ierapetra.1112

References

References

  1. Strabo. Geographica. Vol. ix. p.440, x. pp. 472, 475. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  2. Pliny. Naturalis Historia. Book 4.20.
  3. Ptolemy. The Geography. Vol. 3.17.4. , although some manuscripts have Ἱερὰ Πέτρα.
  4. Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s.v.
  5. Dio Cassius 36.8; Hierocles. Synecdemus.
  6. Stadiasmus Maris Magni §§ 319-320.
  7. Peut. Tab.
  8. Strabo. Geographica. Vol. x. p. 472. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  9. Böckh, Corp. Inscrip. Graec. n. 2556; Höck, Kreta, vol. iii. p. 472.
  10. Eckhel, Doctrina numorum veterum, vol. ii. p. 313.
  11. Talbert, Richard, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9, with accompanying Map-by-Map Directory.
  12. Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Hierapytna". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

35°00′24″N 25°44′14″E / 35.0067°N 25.73712°E / 35.0067; 25.73712