Tripolis
- I A district of Thessaly, Liv. 42, 53, 6.
- —Hence, Trĭpŏlĭtānus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Tripolis: ager, Liv. 36, 10, 5.—
- II A country of Africa, Sol. 27.
- —Hence, Trĭpŏlĭtānus, a, um, adj., of Tripolis, Eutr. 8, 10.—
- III A town of Phoenicia, Mel. 1, 12, 3; Plin. 5, 20, 17, § 78—
- IV A district of Laconia, near Tegea, including the cities of Belmina, Carystus, and Pellene, Liv. 35, 27, 9. — Hence, Trĭpŏlĭtĭcus, a, um, adj., of Tripolis: vinum, Plin. 14, 7, 9, § 74.
TRI´POLIS (Τρίπολις, Ptol. 5.15.4: Eth. Τριπολίτης: Adj. Tripoliticus, Plin. Nat. 14.7. s. 9), an important maritime town of Phoenicia, situated on the N. side of the promontory of Theuprosopon. (Strab. 16. p. 754.) The site of Tripolis has been already described, and it has been mentioned that it derived its name, which literally signifies the three cities, from its being the metropolis of the three confederate towns, Tyre, Sidon, and Aradus [PHOENICIA, Vol. 2. p. 606]. Each of those cities had here its peculiar quarter, separated from the rest by a wall. Tripolis possessed a good harbour, and, like the rest of the Phoenician towns, had a large maritime commerce. (Cf. Joannes Phocas, 100.4; Wesseling, ad Itin. Ant., p. 149.) Respecting the modern Tripoli (Tarablus or Tripoli di Soria); see Pococke, vol. 2. p. 146, seq.; Maundrell, p. 26; Burckhardt, p. 163, seq., &c.; cf. Scylax, p. 42; Mela, 1.12; Plin. Nat. 5.20. s. 17; Diod. 16.41; Steph. B. s. v.; Eckhel, vol. 3. p. 372.) COINS OF TRIPOLIS IN PHOENICIA.
[T.H.D]TRI´POLIS (Τρίπολις: Eth. Τριπολίτης).
1.A town of Phrygia, on the northern bank of the upper course of the Maeander, and on the road leading from Sardes by Philadelphia to Laodiceia. (It. Ant. p. 336; Tab. Peut. ) It was situated 12 miles to the north-west of Hierapolis, and is not mentioned by any writer before the time of Pliny (Plin. Nat. 5.30), who treats it as a Lydian town, and says that it was washed by the Maeander. Ptolemy (Ptol. 5.2.18) and Stephanus B. describe it as a Carian town, and the latter (s. v.) adds that in-his time it was called Neapolis. Hierocles (p. 669) likewise calls it a Lydian town. Ruins of it still exist near Yeniji or Kash Yeniji. (Arundell, Seven Churches, p. 245; Hamilton, Researches, 1. p. 525; Fellows, Asia Minor, p. 287.)
2.A fortress in Pontus Polemoniacus, on a river of the same name, and with a tolerably good harbour. It was situated at a distance of 90 stadia from Cape Zephyrium. (Arrian, Peripl. P. E. p. 17; Anon. Peripl. P. E. p. 13; Plin. Nat. 6.4.) The place still exists under the name of Tireboli, and is situated on a rocky headland. (Hamilton, Researches, 1. p. 257.) [L.S]
TRI´POLIS (Τρίπολις).
1.A district in Arcadia. [Vol. 1. p. 193, No. 12.]
2.A district in Laconia. [Vol. 2. 113b.]
3.A district of Perrhaebia in Thessaly, containing the towns Azorus, Pythium, and Doliche. (Liv. 42.53.) [AZORUS]
(Τρίπολις). Properly the name of a confederacy composed of three cities, or a district containing three cities; but it is also applied to single cities which had some such relation to others as to make the name appropriate. (1) Now Kash Yeniji; a city on the Maeander, twelve miles west of Hierapolis, on the borders of Phrygia, Caria, and Lydia, to each of which it is assigned by different authorities.
(2) Now Tireboli; a fortress on the coast of Pontus, on a river of the same name (Tireboli Su), ninety stadia east of the promontory Zephyrium (C. Zefreh).
(3) Now Tripoli, Tarabulus; on the coast of Phoenicia, consisted of three distinct cities, one stadium (600 feet) apart, each having its own walls, but all united in a common constitution, having one place of assembly, and forming in reality one city. They were colonies of Tyre, Sidon, and Aradus respectively.
(4) The district on the northern coast of Africa between the two Syrtes, comprising the three cities of Sabrata (or Abrotonum), Oea, and Leptis Magna, and also called Tripolitāna Regio. See Syrtica.
City on the coast, at the N foot of the Lebanon mountains and the end of an excellent route from the interior of Syria. As Diodorus and Strabo report, it consisted of three separate quarters founded by the Phoenician cities of Arados, Sidon and Tyre. It was the seat of the Council of the Phoenicians, which decided to rebel against Artaxerxes Ochus in 351 B.C. In the 1st c. B.C. Pompey freed it from a tyrant. As its coins show, Tripolis was the capital of a conventus of a Roman province. In the 3d c. it had a temple of the Imperial cult and under Diadumenus it was a base of the Roman war fleet.
Almost nothing remains of the ancient town. It was not at the foot of the Crusaders' castle, beneath the modern and mediaeval town but on the end of the peninsula, in the suburb of al-Mina (the navy).
The area inland from Tripolis is rich in sanctuaries of the Roman period: Bziza, Naous, Sfiré.
BIBLIOGRAPHYR. Dussaud, Topographie historique de la Syrie antique et médiévale (1927); D. Krencker & W. Zschietzschmann, Römische Tempel in Syrien (1938) MPI; J. Sauvaget, “Note sur les défenses de la marine de Tripoli,” BMBeyrouth 2 (1938); H. Seyrig, “Ères de quelques villes de Syrie,” Syria 27 (1950) (Antiquités syriennes IV).
J.-P. REY-COQUAIS- Paus. 8.27.4