Cilla or Killa (Ancient Greek: Κίλλα) was a town of ancient Aeolis and later of ancient Mysia, mentioned by Homer in the Iliad, alongside the cities Chryse and Tenedus.[1]

The city is mentioned by other Greek writers. Herodotus counted Cilia as one of the eleven old Aeolian cities of Asia.[2]

Strabo places Cilia in the Adramyttene: He says, "...near to Thebe is now a place named Cilia, where the temple of Apollo Cillaeus is; there flows by it the river Cillos which comes from Ida; both Chrysa and Cilla are near Antandrus; also the hill Cillaeum in Lesbos derived its name from this Cilla; and there is a mountain Cillaeum between Gargara and Antandrus; Daes of Colonae says that the temple of Apollo Cillaeus was first built at Colonae by the Aeolians, who came from Hellas; and they say that a temple of Apollo Cillaeus was also built at Chrysa, but it is uncertain whether this Apollo was the same as Smintheus, or another."[3]

According to fragmentary inscriptions from the Acropolis, Cilla was a member of the Delian League.[4]

The river mentioned by Strabo is identified with the modern Zeytinli Dere, but the site of the town itself has not been discovered.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Homer, Iliad, Book 1, line 33". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  2. ^ Herodotus. Histories. Vol. 1.149.
  3. ^ Strabo. Geographica. Vol. p. 612. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
  4. ^ "ToposText". topostext.org. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  5. ^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 56, and directory notes accompanying.

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


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