Lycastus

LYCASTUS(Λύκαστος: Eth. Λυκάστιος), a town of Crete, mentioned in the Homeric catalogue ( Il. 2.647; comp. Pomp. Mela, 2.7.13; Plin. Nat. 4.12). Strabo (10. p. 479) says that it had entirely disappeared, having been conquered and destroyed by the Cnossians. According to Polybius (Plb. 23.15) the Lycastian district was afterwards wrested from Cnossus by the Gortynians, who gave it to the neighbouring town of Rhaucus. In Mr. Pashley's map the site is fixed at Kaenúria. (Höck, Kreta, vol. i. pp. 15, 414.)

LYCASTUSor LYCASTUM(Λύκαστος), a very ancient town in Pontus, on a river bearing the same name. It was situated 20 stadia south-east of Amisus. (Scyl. Peripl. p. 33; Marcian, p. 74; Peripl. Pont. Eux. p. 10; Steph. B. s. v. Χαδισία; Plin. Nat. 6.3; Mela, 1.19, who calls it Lycasto.) Pherecydes ( ap. Schol. ad Apoll. Rhod. 2.373, comp. ad 2.1001) spoke of a town of Lycastia, inhabited by Amazons, and situated between Themiscyra and Chalybia. The river Lycastus was but a small stream, which after a short course emptied itself into the Euxine close by the town of Lycastus. (Scyl., Marcian., Plin., ll. cc.)