Telmessus
- a town in Lycia, near to Caria, at the head of the Glaucus Sinus, now Makri; it was famed for the skill of its inhabitants in divination, Cic. Div. 1, 41, 91; Mel. 1, 15, 3; Plin. 30, 1, 2, § 6; Liv. 38, 39.—Hence,
- A Telmessĭcus (Telmissĭcus, -mē-sicus), a, um, adj., of or belonging to Telmessus, Telmessian: Telmissicus sinus, Liv. 37, 16 Telmessicum vinum, Plin. 14, 7, 9, § 74.—
- B Telmissĭus, a, um, adj., of Telmissus, Telmissian. Ptolemaeus, Liv. 37, 56, 4.—As subst. Telmissĭi, ōrum, m., the innabitants of Telmissus, the Telmissians: Castra Telmissium, Liv. 37, 56 Drak. N. cr. (s. l. v.).—
- C Telmesses (-me-ses), ĭum, m., Cic. Div. 1, 42, 94; or Tel-messenses, ĭum, m., the inhabitants of Telmessus, the Telmessians, Tert. Anim. 46. —
- D Telmessis, ĭdis, adj. f., Telmessian: sinus, Luc. 8, 248.
TELMESSUSor TELMISSUS(Τελμησσός, Τελμισσός, or Τελμισός: Eth. Τελμισσεύς).
1.A flourishing and prosperous city in the west of Lycia, was situated near Cape Telmissis (Strab. 14. p. 665), or Telmissias (Steph. B. s. v. Τελμισσός), on a bay which derived from it the name of Sinus Telmissicus. (Liv. 37.16; Lucan (Luc. 8.248.) On the south-west of it was Cape Pedalium, at a distance of 200 stadia. Its inhabitants were celebrated in ancient times for their skill as diviners, and were often consulted by the Lydian kings. (Hdt. 1.78; comp. Arrian, Arr. Anab. 2.3.4.) In the time of Strabo, however, who calls it a small town (πολίχνη), it seems to have fallen into decay; though at a later period it appears to have been an episcopal see. (Hierocl. p. 684; comp. Pomp. Mela, 1.15: Plin. Nat. 5.28; Ptol. 5.3.2; Plb. 22.27; Studiasm. Mar. M. § § 255, 256; Scylax, p. 39, where it is miswritten Θεανισσός.) Considerable remains of Telmessus still exist at Myesor Meis;and those of a theatre, porticoes, and sepulchral chambers in the living rock, are among the most remarkable in all Asia Minor. (Leake, Asia Minor, p. 128; Fellows, Asia Minor, p. 243, where some representations of the remains of Telmessus are figured; Lycia, p. 106, foll.)
2.A small town of Caria, at a distance of 60 stadia from Halicarnassus, is likewise sometimes called Telmessus, and sometimes Telmissus. (Suid. s. v.; Etym. Mag. s. v.;Arrian, Arr. Anab. 1.25.8; Cic. de Div. 1.4. 1; Plin. Nat. 5.29, 30.2.) The Carian Tehnessus has often been confounded with the Lycian, and it is even somewhat doubtful whether the famous Telmessian soothsayers belonged to the Carian or the Lycian town. But the former must at all events have been an obscure place; and that it cannot have been the same as the latter is clear from the statement of Polemo in Suidas, that it was only 60 stadia from Halicarnassus. [L.S]
TELMESSUSaccording to Pliny (Plin. Nat. 5.29), a tributary of the river Glaucus in Caria, but it flowed in all probability near the town of Telmessus, which derived its name from it.
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