Two Pontic Rivers

Year 2015, Volume: 3, 231 - 242, 01.06.2015

Tønnes Bekker-nielsen Marit Jensen

https://doi.org/10.13113/CEDRUS.2015011411

Abstract

The accounts of the landscape around the Iris Yeşilirmak and the Thermodon Terme given by ancient authors are diverse and often contradictory. The Periegesis of the World by Dionysius of Alexandria, a didactic poem written in the early IInd c. A.D., established an image of the two rivers that does not correspond to their actual characteristics. A closer study reveals that Dionysius, or possibly his source, has confused the two: the river which he describes as the Thermodon is in fact the Iris, and vice versa. This mistake was not realized by later translators Avienus, late IVth c. A.D.; Priscianus, VIth c. A.D. or com­mentators Eustathius of Thessaloniki, XIIth c. A.D. who had no first-hand knowledge of the Pontic landscape and geography.

Keywords

Pontos • Iris • Thermodon • Amazons

İki Pontos Irmağı

Abstract

Iris Yeşilırmak ve Thermodon Terme nehirle­rinin civarına ilişkin peyzaj hesapları antik yazarlarda çelişkili ve birbirinden farklıdır. İskenderiyeli Diony­sios’un Dünyanın Tasviri adlı eserinde M.S. II. yüzyıl­ın başlarında yazılmış olan didaktik bir şiirde her iki nehir için oluşturulan tablo onların gerçek karakteris­tiklerini yansıtmamaktadır. Daha yakın bir çalışma ise, Dionysios’un ya da muhtemelen onun kaynağının iki nehri karıştırdığını ortaya çıkarmıştır: onun Thermo­don olarak tanımladığı nehir aslında Iris, diğeri de tam tersidir. Bu hata diğer çevirmenler tarafından Avien­us [M.S. IV. yüzyılın sonları]; Priscianus [M.S. VI. yüz­yıl] ya da eleştirmenler Tessalonikeli Eustathius [M.S. XII. yüzyıl] tarafından fark­edilmemiştir ve Pontos coğrafyasına ilişkin ilk elden kaynak değildir.

Keywords

Pontos • Iris • Thermodon • Amazonlar

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