10.

After the river Parthenius is Amastris, bearing the same name as the princess by whom it was founded. It is situated upon a peninsula, with harbours on each side of the isthmus. Amastris was the wife of Dionysius, the tyrant of Heracleia, and daughter of Oxyathres, the brother of the Darius who fought against Alexander. She formed the settlement out of four cities, Sesamus, Cytorum, Cromna, (mentioned by Homer in his recital of the Paphlagonian forces,1123) and Tieium, which city however soon separated from the others, but the rest continued united. Of these, Sesamus is called the citadel of Amastris. Cytorum was formerly a mart of the people of Sinope. It had its name from Cytorus, the son of Phrixus, according to Ephorus. Box-wood of the best quality grows in great abundance in the territory of Amastris, and particularly about Cytorum.

Ægialus is a line of sea-coast, in length more than 100 stadia. On it is a village of the same name,1124 which the poet mentions in these lines,

“Cromna, and Ægialus, and the lofty Erythini;”1125

but some authors write,

“Cromna and Cobialus.”

The Erythini are said to be the present Erythrini, and to have their name from their (red) colour. They are two rocks.1126

Next to Ægialus is Carambis, a large promontory stretching towards the north, and the Scythian Chersonesus. We have frequently mentioned this promontory, and the Criu-metopon opposite it, which divides the Euxine into two seas.1127

Next to Carambis is Cinolis,1128 and Anti-Cinolis, and Aboniteichos,1129 a small city, and Armene,1130 which gave rise to the common proverb;

“He who had nothing to do built a wall about Armene.”

It is a village of the Sinopenses, with a harbour.