Amastris – Double Harbour of Paphlagonia, Amasra
Ἄμαστρις · Amasra · Sesamos Old Harbour · Cromna Harbour
Hellenistic to Ottoman (300 BCE – 1923 CE)·Persian / Ionian Greek / Pontic / Roman / Genoese·🇹🇷 Bartın Province, Amasra, Turkey
About
About Amastris – Double Harbour of Paphlagonia, Amasra
Amastris, founded 300 BCE by Persian princess Amastris (wife of Dionysius of Heraclea and Lysimachus), united four Ionian towns — Sesamos, Kytoros, Kromna, Tieion — on a double-bayed islet (Boztepe) now tied by a Roman causeway bridge (Kușkayası). The western Büyük Liman (Great Harbour, 300 m basin) and eastern Küçük Liman (Small Harbour, 200 m) are divided by the islet isthmus; a 90 m submerged mole at −2 m in Büyük Liman and ashlar quays in Küçük Liman survive under fishing boats.
The city exported boxwood (from Kytoros, Homer Iliad), glass and Pontic fish. Strabo notes the double harbour made Amastris the finest Black Sea port after Sinope. The Roman bridge-cum-aqueduct and bedestan (bazaar) survive above water.
Why it mattersOnly Black Sea synoecized four-town harbour preserving twin basins and Roman islet bridge; shows Hellenistic queen city harbour planning.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Which of four Ionian towns lay under which bay
- 02Location of Amastris palace on islet
Theories
- 01Double bays chosen specifically by Amastris for seasonal wind protection (north vs south)
- 02Causeway bridge built to control boxwood monopoly from Kytoros
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 300 BCE by Amastris of Persia
- Period
- Hellenistic to Ottoman (300 BCE – 1923 CE)
- Culture
- Persian / Ionian Greek / Pontic / Roman / Genoese
- Builders
- Amastris / Lysimachus
- Purpose
- Pontic boxwood, glass and fish emporium on twin bays
- Abandoned
- Active through Genoese and Ottoman; ancient moles subsided
- Rediscovered
- 1960s Black Sea harbour survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
300 BCE
Amastris synoecizes four Ionian towns on twin bays
c. 285 BCE
Amastris murdered by sons; Lysimachus takes city
70 BCE
Lucullus captures Amastris; Roman causeway bridge built
1960s
Survey maps 90 m submerged mole in Büyük Liman
On the ground
Structures & features
41.7494° N · 32.3869° E · -1 m · 2 mapped features
Büyük Liman Great Harbour mole
mole90 m submerged mole at −2 m in western Great Harbour
41.7500° N · 32.3850° EKüçük Liman Small Harbour quay
quayAshlar quay in eastern Small Harbour at −1.5 m
41.7480° N · 32.3890° E
Gallery