Ismarus or Ismaros () was a city of the Cicones, in

ancient Thrace The Thracians (; ; ) were an Indo-European languages, Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Southeast Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied the area that today is shared betwee ...

, mentioned by

Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...

in the ''

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...

''.

Homeric Ismarus

According to Book 9 of the Odyssey, following their departure from

Troy Troy (/; ; ) or Ilion (; ) was an ancient city located in present-day Hisarlik, Turkey. It is best known as the setting for the Greek mythology, Greek myth of the Trojan War. The archaeological site is open to the public as a tourist destina ...

, after winning the Trojan War, in which the Cicones had been allies of the Trojans,

Odysseus In Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology, Odysseus ( ; , ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; ), is a legendary Greeks, Greek king of Homeric Ithaca, Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, epic poem, the ''Odyssey''. Od ...

and his companions are blown off course to Ismaros. They sack the town, kill most of the men and divide the women and plunder among themselves, then begin to feast, despite Odysseus' advice that they leave immediately. Fugitives from this raid rouse others of the Cicones living inland, who gather an army to oppose Odysseus and his men. They appear in the morning in great numbers. Odysseus manages to escape, although he loses several men in the process. He embarks with the survivors and continues his journey home to Ithaca. While at Ismaros, Odysseus spares Maron, the son of Euanthes and the priest of Apollo, and his family, out of respect for the god Apollo. Because of this, Maron gifts him a "goatskin bottle of black wine", some gold, and a mixing bowl. The wine was a strong and divine drink, as for each cup of wine, 20 times as much water was added to it to dilute it. He uses this wine to lull the

Cyclops In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''Th ...

Polyphemus to sleep.

Historic Ismarus

Ismarus was situated on a mountain of the same name, east of lake Ismaris, on the southeast coast of Thrace. The district about Ismarus produced wine which was highly esteemed.

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

refers to the town as Ismaron;

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Rome, ancient Roman poet of the Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan period. He composed three of the most fa ...

refers to it as Ismara. Although Lake Ismaris is identified with the modern Lake Mitrikon; Ismarus' site is unlocated.

References

*Durando, Furio. ''Greece, a guide to the archaeological sites'' (2004). Populated places in ancient Thrace Greek colonies in Thrace Destroyed populated places Lost ancient cities and towns Places in Greek mythology Geography of the Odyssey Former populated places in Greece Polyphemus Odysseus {{AncientThrace-geo-stub