Trapezus Was A Greek City, In Pontus, Situated On A Peninsula, In The Black
Sea, Where It Begins To Turn To The East:
It had a large and convenient
port, and carried on a considerable trade.
But the most celebrated of the
Grecian colonies in this part of the world, was Byzantium: it was anciently
founded by the Megareans, and successively rebuilt by the Milesians and
other nations of Greece. Its harbour, which was in fact an arm of the
Bosphorus, obtained, at a very remote period, the appellation of the Golden
Horn; most of the recesses, which were compared to the horn of a stag, are
now filled up. The epithet "golden" was given to it as expressive of the
riches, which (to use the language of Gibbon) every wind wafted from the
most distant countries into its secure and capacious port. Never was there
a happier or more majestic situation. The river Lycus, which was formed by
the junction of two small streams, pouring into the harbour, every tide, a
regular supply of fresh water, cleansed the bottom; while the tides in
those seas being very trifling, the constant depth of the harbour allowed
goods to be landed on the quay without the assistance of boats: and in some
parts, the depth near the shore was so considerable, that the prows of the
vessels touched the houses, while they were fully afloat. The distance from
the mouth of the river to that of the harbour, or the length of this arm of
the Bosphorus is seven miles; the entrance, about 500 yards broad, was
defended, when necessary, by a strong chain drawn across it.
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