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Mopsium

Coordinates: 39°47′15″N 22°25′14″E / 39.78742°N 22.420555°E / 39.78742; 22.420555
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39°47′15″N 22°25′14″E / 39.78742°N 22.420555°E / 39.78742; 22.420555 Mopsium or Mopsion (Ancient Greek: Μόψιον) was a town and polis (city-state)[1] of Pelasgiotis in ancient Thessaly, situated upon a hill of the same name;[2] which, according to Livy, was situated midway between Larissa and the Vale of Tempe.[3][4] Strabo relates that the origin of its name it was by a Lapith called Mopsus who traveled, according to Greek mythology, with the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece.[2] Livy writes that during the Third Macedonian War, Mopsium was the scene of a battle between Romans and troops of Perseus of Macedon, which ended with a victory of the Romans. Livy tells that the dead of the Macedonian troops had been about 8,000, the prisoners, 2,800, and the standards captured by the Romans, 27; while the Romans lost about 4,300 men and 5 standards.[5]

The city minted bronze coins in the 4th century BCE, with the legends «ΜΟΨΕΙΩΝ» and «ΜΟΨΕΑΤΩΝ».[1]

The site of Mopsium is located at the modern site named Stenon Rhodias.[6][7]

References

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  1. ^ a b Mogens Herman Hansen & Thomas Heine Nielsen (2004). "Thessaly and Adjacent Regions". An inventory of archaic and classical poleis. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 698. ISBN 0-19-814099-1.
  2. ^ a b Strabo. Geographica. Vol. ix. pp. 441, 443. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  3. ^ Livy. Ab urbe condita Libri [History of Rome]. Vol. 42.61, 67.
  4. ^ Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. s. v. Μοψειεύς, a dialectic form of μοψιεύς.
  5. ^ Livy. Ab urbe condita Libri [History of Rome]. Vol. 42.65, 67.
  6. ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 55, and directory notes accompanying. ISBN 978-0-691-03169-9.
  7. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.

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