The Rhodius or Rhodios () was a river of the

ancient Troad The Troad ( or ; , ''Troáda'') or Troas (; , ''Trōiás'' or , ''Trōïás'') is a historical region in northwestern Anatolia. It corresponds with the Biga Peninsula (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Biga Yarımadası'') in the Çanakkale Provinc ...

, having its sources in

Mount Ida In Greek mythology, two sacred mountains are called Mount Ida, the "Mountain of the Goddess": Mount Ida in Crete, and Mount Ida in the ancient Troad region of western Anatolia (in modern-day Turkey), which was also known as the '' Phrygian Ida' ...

, a little above the town of Astyra; it flowed in a northwestern direction, and after passing by Astyra and Cremaste, discharged itself into the

Hellespont The Dardanelles ( ; ; ), also known as the Strait of Gallipoli (after the Gallipoli peninsula) and in classical antiquity as the Hellespont ( ; ), is a narrow, natural strait and internationally significant waterway in northwestern Turkey t ...

between Dardanus and Abydus.

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

states that some regarded the Rhodius as a tributary of the

Aesepus In Greek mythology, Aesepus (Ancient Greek: Αἴσηπος) may refer to: *Aesepus, one of the river-god sons of the Titans Oceanus and his sister-wife Tethys. He was the divine personification of the river and nearby town of Aesepus (today kn ...

; but they must have been mistaken, as the river is mentioned on the coins of Dardanus.

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 ...

states that this ancient river no longer existed in his time; and some modern writers identify it with the Pydius mentioned by

Thucydides Thucydides ( ; ; BC) was an Classical Athens, Athenian historian and general. His ''History of the Peloponnesian War'' recounts Peloponnesian War, the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been d ...

. Strabo also writes that the towns of

Cleandria Cleandria or Kleandria () was a town located on the Rhodius River in the ancient Troad mentioned by Strabo. Its site is unlocated, but probably located between the Karamenderes River Karamenderes is a river located entirely within the Çana ...

and Gordus were located on this river.

References

Troad Rivers of Turkey Places in the Iliad Ancient Greek geography {{Turkey-river-stub