ISIACO´RUM PORTUS
ISIACO´RUM PORTUS (
Ἰσιακῶν λιμήν, Arrian,
Peril p. 21, Anon. Peripl. p. 9), a harbour on the Euxine sea, 380 stadia from the island at the mouth of the Borysthenes, and 1200 stadia from the Psilon (
Sulina) mouth of the Danube. (Arrian,
l.c.) It has been identified by Rennell (
Comp. Geog. vol. ii. p. 360) with
Odessa. There is some difficulty in adjusting the discrepancies in detail; but the aggregate distance appears to be clearly enough made out. Thus, from the island to Odessus Arrian allows a distance of 80 stadia, and from Odessus to the port of the Istrians (
Ἰστριανῶν λιμήν) 250 stadia, and thence to that of the Isiaci 50 stadia. The
ODESSUS (
Ὀδησσίς) of Arrian (for he places Odessus at
Varna) is probably a false reading, and is the same as the
ORDESUS (
Ὀρδησός) of Ptolemy (
3.5.29) and Pliny (
4.12), situated upon the river
AXIACES or the modern
Teligul, a large estuary which receives a river of the same name.
As the interval in Arrian between Odessus (
Ordesus) and the island is too short, so the next is too large; but the errors balance one another, and the harbour of the Isiaci agrees with that of
Odessa within three quarters of a mile; the port of the Istrians may have lain to the N. of the bay of Odessa.
[
E.B.J]
