Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography/Aboni-Teichos

2662916Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography — Aboni-Teichos1857William Smith (1813-1893)

ABONI-TEICHOS (Άβώνου τείχος: Eth. Άβωνο-τεχείτης: Ineboli), a town on the coast of Paphlagonia with a harbour, memorable as the birthplace of the impostor Alexander, of whom Lucian has left us an amusing account in the treatise bearing his name. (Dict. of Biogr. vol. i. p. 123.) According to Lucian (Alex. § 58), Alexander petitioned the emperor (probably Antoninus Pius) that the name of his native place should be changed from Aboni-Teichos into Ionopolis; and whether the emperor granted the request or not, we know that the town was called Ionopolis in later times. Not only does this name occur in Marcianus and Hierocles; but on coins of the time of Antoninus and L. Verus we find the legend ΙΩΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, as well as ΑΒΩΝΟΤΕΙΧΙΤΩΝ. The modern Ineboli is evidently only a corruption of Ionopolis. (Strab. p. 545; Arrian, Peripl. p. 15; Lucian, Alex. passim; Marcian. Peripl. p. 72; Ptol. v. 4. §2; Hierocl. p. 696; Steph. B. s. v. Άβώνον τείχος.)