ealtuner ealtuner
Display Theme
Text size
Quote
Ancient City · Balıkesir

Zeleia

Zeleia and Zele was a town of the ancient Troad, at the foot of Mount Ida and on the banks of the river Aesepus (both located in Turkey), at a distance of 80 stadia from its mouth.

Open on map Back to Balıkesir list

Zeleia (Ancient Greek: Ζέλεια) and Zele (Ancient Greek: Ζέλη) was a town of the ancient Troad, at the foot of Mount Ida and on the banks of the river Aesepus (both located in Turkey), at a distance of 80 stadia from its mouth. It is mentioned by Homer in the Trojan Battle Order in the Iliad, and later when Homer calls it a holy town. Zeleia led a force of warriors to aid Troy during the Trojan War, led by Pandarus, son of Lycaon (not to be confused with Lycaon, son of Priam). It is later related that the people of Zeleia are "Lycians", though the Zeleians are distinct from the Lycians who come from Lycia in southwestern Asia Minor, led by Sarpedon and Glaucus.

It was named after the hero Zeleios.

Arrian mentions it as the headquarters of the Persian army before the Battle of the Granicus, in May 334 BCE, where the Persian satraps held a council at Zeleia where they discussed how best to confront Alexander the Great. It existed in the time of Strabo; but afterwards it disappears.

Arthmios (Ancient Greek: Ἄρθμιος, Aryan-Luvian meaning truly mine or my perfect one) of Zeleia together with his family, was declared an outlaw in the territory of Athens and her allies, because he had brought the gold from Persian Empire into Peloponnese.

Nicagoras (Ancient Greek: Νικαγόρας) of Zeleia, was a tyrant of Zeleia.

The site of ancient Zeleia is located near Sarıköy, Balıkesir, Turkey.

Text: Wikipedia (English), CC BY-SA 4.0 · abridged

Location and names: Wikidata (CC0)

Places to Visit

Nearby places

The closest 8 places around Zeleia; sorted without regard to province borders.

Harpagion

Ancient City · Biga / Çanakkale22.5 km

Artace

Ancient City · Erdek / Balıkesir28 km

Poemanenum

Ancient City · Manyas / Balıkesir28.8 km

Gönen Dam

Lake and Dam · Yenice / Çanakkale29 km

Manyas Dam

Lake and Dam · Manyas / Balıkesir30 km

Distances are as the crow flies; driving distance may be longer.

Balıkesir

Other places in Balıkesir

Back to Balıkesir list
Cyzicus
Ancient City

Cyzicus

Cyzicus was an ancient Greek town in Mysia in Anatolia in the current Balıkesir Province of Turkey.

Details
Adramyttion
Ancient City

Adramyttion

Adramyttium was an ancient city and bishopric in Aeolis, in modern-day Turkey.

Details
Antandrus
Ancient City

Antandrus

Antandrus or Antandros was an ancient Greek city on the north side of the Gulf of Adramyttium in the Troad region of Anatolia.

Details
Ancient City

Lyrnessus

In Greek mythology, Lyrnessus was a town or city in Dardania (Asia Minor), inhabited by Cilicians.

Details
Ancient City

Dascylium

Dascylium, Dascyleium, or Daskyleion, also known as Dascylus, was a town in Anatolia some 30 kilometres (19 mi) inland from the coast of the…

Details
Ancient City

Thebe

Thebe Hypoplakia, also Placian Thebe, was a city in ancient Anatolia.

Details