View source for Mysia

{{short description|Historical region in the northwest of ancient Asia Minor}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox
| bodyclass = geography
| abovestyle = background:#DEB887;
| subheader = Ancient Region of Anatolia
| above   = Mysia
| image   = [[File:Bergama_-_AKRAPOL_-_panoramio_(4).jpg|300px]]
| caption = Acropolis of Pergamon
| label1 = Location
| data1  = North-western [[Anatolia]]
| label2 = Largest city
| data2  =  [[Pergamon]]
| label3 = Inhabitants
| data3  =  [[Mysians]]
| label4 = Language
| data4  =  [[Mysian language|Mysian]]
| label5 = [[Achaemenid]] [[satrapy]]
| data5  = Phrygia
| label6 = [[Roman provinces|Roman province]]
| data6  =  [[Asia (Roman province)|Asia]]
| data8  = [[File:Asia Minor in the Greco-Roman period - general map - regions and main settlements.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Anatolia]]/[[Asia Minor]] in the Greco-Roman period. The classical regions, including Mysia, and their main settlements]]
}}
'''Mysia''' (UK {{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɪ|s|i|ə}}, US {{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɪ|ʒ|ə}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|iː|ʒ|ə}}; {{langx|el|Μυσία}}; {{langx|la|Mysia}}; {{langx|tr|Misya}}) was a [[region]] in the northwest of ancient Asia Minor<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911 |wstitle=Mysia |last=Hasluck |first=Frederick William |volume=19 |pages=115–116 |inline=1}}</ref> ([[Anatolia]], Asian part of modern [[Turkey]]). It was located on the south coast of the [[Sea of Marmara]]. It was bounded by [[Bithynia]] on the east, [[Phrygia]] on the southeast, [[Lydia]] on the south, [[Aeolis]] on the southwest, [[Troad]] on the west, and the [[Propontis]] on the north. In ancient times it was inhabited by the [[Mysians]], [[Phrygians]], [[Aeolians|Aeolian]] [[Greeks]] and other groups.

== Geography ==
The precise limits of Mysia are difficult to assign. The Phrygian frontier was fluctuating, while in the northwest the [[Troad]] was only sometimes included in Mysia.<ref name=EB1911/> The northern portion was known as "Lesser Phrygia" or ({{langx|grc|μικρὰ Φρυγία|mikra Phrygia}}; {{langx|la|Phrygia Minor}}), while the southern was called "Greater Phrygia" or "Pergamene Phrygia". Mysia was in later times also known as [[Hellespontine Phrygia]] ({{langx|grc|Ἑλλησποντιακὴ Φρυγία|Hellespontiake Phrygia}}; {{langx|la|Phrygia Hellespontica}}) or "Acquired Phrygia" ({{langx|grc|ἐπίκτητος Φρυγία|epiktetos Phrygia}}; {{langx|la|Phrygia Epictetus}}), so named when the region was annexed to the [[Attalid kingdom]].<ref>[[Strabo]], ''Geographia'', XII.5.3</ref>

Under [[Augustus]], Mysia occupied the whole of the northwest corner of Asia Minor, between the [[Hellespont]] and the [[Propontis]] to the north, [[Bithynia]] and [[Phrygia]] to the east, [[Lydia]] to the south, and the [[Aegean Sea]] to the west.<ref name=Smith/>

===Land and elevation===
[[File:MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 550-500 BC.jpg|thumb|Coin of [[Kyzikos]], Mysia. Circa 550–500 BC]]

The chief physical features of Mysia are the two [[mountain]]s—[[Uludağ|Mount Olympus]] at (7600&nbsp;ft) in the north and Mount Temnus in the south, which for some distance separates Mysia from [[Lydia]] and afterwards prolonged through Mysia to the neighbourhood of the Gulf of Adramyttium. The major rivers in the northern part of the province are the [[Macestus]] and its tributary the [[Rhyndacus]], both of which rise in [[Phrygia]] and, after diverging widely through Mysia, unite their waters below the lake of [[Ulubat Gölü|Apolloniatis]] about {{convert|15|mi|km}} from the Propontis. The [[Caïcus]] in the south rises in Temnus, and from thence flows westward to the [[Aegean Sea]], passing within a few miles of [[Pergamon]]. In the northern portion of the province are two considerable lakes, Artynia or Apolloniatis (Abulliont Geul) and Aphnitis (Maniyas Geul), which discharge their waters into the Macestus from the east and west respectively.<ref name=EB1911/>

===Cities===
The most important cities were Pergamon in the valley of the [[Caïcus]], and [[Cyzicus]] on the [[Propontis]]. The whole sea-coast was studded with Greek towns, several of which were places of considerable importance; thus the northern portion included [[Parium]], [[Lampsacus]] and [[Abydos, Hellespont|Abydos]], and the southern [[Assos]], [[Adramyttium]]. Further south, on the Eleatic Gulf, were [[Elaea (Aeolis)|Elaea]], [[Myrina (Mysia)|Myrina]] and [[Cyme (Aeolis)|Cyme]].<ref name=EB1911/>

== History ==
[[File:Coin of Mysia 4th century BCE.jpg|thumb|left|Coin of Mysia, 4th century BC]]
A minor episode in the [[Trojan War]] cycle in [[Greek mythology]] has the Greek fleet land at Mysia, mistaking it for [[Troy]]. [[Achilles]] wounds their king, [[Telephus]], after he slays a Greek; Telephus later pleads with Achilles to heal the wound. This coastal region ruled by Telephus is alternatively named "Teuthrania" in Greek mythology, as it was previously ruled by King [[Teuthras]]. In the ''[[Iliad]]'', [[Homer]] represents the Mysians as allies of Troy, with the Mysian forces led by [[Ennomus]] (a prophet) and [[Chromius (son of Arsinous)|Chromius]], sons of [[Arsinoos (disambiguation)|Arsinous]]. Homeric Mysia appears to have been much smaller in extent than historical Mysia, and did not extend north to the Hellespont or the Propontis. [[Homer]] does not mention any cities or landmarks in Mysia, and it is not clear exactly where Homeric Mysia was situated, although it was probably{{original research inline|date=January 2019}} located somewhere between the [[Troad]] (to the northwest of Mysia) and Lydia/Maeonia (to its south).

A number of Mysian inscriptions have survived in a dialect of the [[Phrygian language]], written using a variant of the [[Phrygian alphabet]]. There are also a small number of references to a [[Lutescan language]] indigenous to Mysia in [[Aeolic Greek]] sources.<ref>Titchener, J.B. (1926), ''Synopsis of Greek and Roman Civilization'', Cambridge MA</ref>

[[File:MYSIA, Adramyteion. Orontes, Satrap of Mysia. Circa 357-352 BC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Coin of [[Orontes I|Orontes]] as [[Satrap]] of Mysia, Adramyteion – {{circa}} 357–352 BC]]
[[File:MYSIA, Lampsakos. Memnon of Rhodes. Mid 4th century BC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Coinage of [[Memnon of Rhodes]], Mysia. Mid-4th century BC]]
Under the Persian [[Achaemenid Empire]], the northwest corner of Asia Minor, still occupied by Phrygians but mainly by [[Aeolians]], was called "Phrygia Minor" – and by the Greeks "Hellespontos".

After Rome's defeat of [[Antiochus the Great]] in the [[Roman-Syrian War]] of 192 to 188 BC, the area, which had been held by the [[Diadoch]] [[Seleucid Empire]], passed to Rome's ally, the [[Attalid kingdom]], and, on the death of King [[Attalus III]] in 133 BC, to Rome itself, which made it part of the [[Asia (Roman province)|province of Asia]]<ref name=EB1911/> and, later, a separate proconsular [[Roman province]], called "'''Hellespontus'''".<ref name=Smith>[https://books.google.com/books?id=5_oGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA464 William Smith, ''New Classical Dictionary of Biography, Mythology, and Geography'', entry: "Mysia"]</ref>

According to the [[Acts of the Apostles]],<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|16:7–8|NKJV}}</ref> the apostles [[Paul the Apostle|Paul]], [[Silas]] and [[Saint Timothy|Timothy]] came to (or passed by) <ref>Acts 16:7 states {{langx|el|ελθοντες κατα την μυσιαν}}, 'to Mysia' in most [[English translations of the bible|English translations]], whereas Acts 16:8 states {{langx|el|παρελθοντες δε την μυσιαν}}, generally translated 'passing by Mysia' and in some cases 'bypassing Mysia', e.g. [[Holman Christian Standard Bible]]; all references taken from [[BibleGateway.com]] accessed 23 September 2015</ref> Mysia during Paul's second [[Missionary journeys of Paul|missionary journey]]. The narrative suggests that they were uncertain where to travel during this part of the journey, being "forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in [[Asia-Minor|Asia]]".<ref>
{{bibleverse||Acts|16:6|NKJV}}
</ref>
Shortly afterwards Paul had a vision of a "[[man of Macedonia]]" who invited the apostles to travel westwards to [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]].

== Ancient bridges ==
The remains of several [[Roman bridge]]s can still be found:
*[[Aesepus Bridge]] across the [[Aesepus River|Aesepus]] (today ''Gönen Çayı'') 
*[[Constantine's Bridge (Mysia)|Constantine's Bridge]] across the [[Rhyndacus]] (''Adırnas Çayı'')
*[[Makestos Bridge]] across the [[Makestos]] (''Susurluk Çayı'')
*[[White Bridge (Mysia)|White Bridge]] across the [[Granicus River|Granicus]] (''Biga Çayı'')

== See also ==<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦--->
* [[Aeolis]]
* [[Ancient regions of Anatolia]]
* [[Mysian language]]
* [[Mysians]]
* [[Telephus]]

== References ==
<References />

== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Second Journey of Paul of Tarsus}}
{{History of Anatolia|state=expanded}}
{{Ancient kingdoms in Anatolia}}
{{Historical regions of Anatolia}}
{{Late Roman Provinces}}

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[[Category:Mysia| ]]
[[Category:Geography of ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Historical regions of Anatolia]]
[[Category:History of Balıkesir Province]]
[[Category:History of Bursa Province]]
[[Category:Asia (Roman province)]]