Hēmeroskopeion

Hēmeroskopeion (Ancient Greek: Ἡμεροσκοπεῖον) was an ancient Greek city.[1]

Its location is unknown but it has been suggested by some scholars (and rejected by others) that it existed on what is now the city of Dénia, the judicial seat of the comarca of Marina Alta in the province of Alicante, which is a division of the Valencian Community, Spain. Its name means watchtower in Greek and it reflects the first use of the lofty promontory as such. According to Strabo,[2][3] it was a small city and was founded by the Massaliot Greeks together with another two neighbouring and equally small cities, the names of which have not survived. The city was later conquered by the Romans and it was named Dianium, whence the modern name. This town was situated on the cape then called Artemisium (Ancient Greek: Ἀρτεμίσιον) or Dianium[4] (Ancient Greek: Διάνιον), named from a temple of Ephesia Artemis built upon it (goddess Artemis was called Diana in Latin). Apart from its strategic location the city was equally important for the iron mines that existed nearby.

See also

References
  1. Spann, P., R. Warner, R. Talbert, T. Elliott, S. Gillies. "Places: 265880 (Dianium/Hemeroskopeion)". Pleiades. Retrieved July 31, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Strabo (1903). "4". In Falconer, M.A. (ed.). The Geography of Strabo. Literally translated, with notes, in three volumes. Vol. 3. Translated by Hamilton, Esq., H.C. London: George Bell & Sons. Retrieved 10 July 2020. Of these the best known is Hemeroscopium. On the promontory there is a temple to Diana of Ephesus, held in great veneration. Sertorius used it as an arsenal, convenient to the sea, both on account of its being fortified and fitted for piratical uses, and because it is visible from a great distance to vessels approaching. It is called Dianium, from Diana.
  3. Strabo (1877). "4". In Meineke, A. (ed.). Geographica (in Ancient Greek). Vol. 3. Leipzig: Teubner. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. Smith, William (1852). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (Abacaenum – Hytanis). Vol. 1. Boston: Little, Brown. pp. 773.
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