Mysia
Mysia is a historical region located at the northwestern edge of Asia Minor, bordered by Lydia to the south, Phrygia to the east, and the Troad to the west, with the Propontis (Sea of Marmara) to the north. This area is characterized by a diverse landscape that includes mountains, forests, and fertile maritime zones, which contributed to its wealth, particularly during ancient times. Mysia is noted for its mineral resources, including gold, silver, and lead, which were believed to have supported the riches of the famous city of Troy.
The inhabitants of Mysia, referred to as Mysians, were noted allies of the Trojans in Homer's "Iliad." Historical sources suggest that the Mysians may have originated from Thrace and spoke a language influenced by both Lydian and Phrygian, although this linguistic connection remains unverified by inscriptions. Over the centuries, Mysia was ruled by various powers, including the Lydians under King Croesus, the Persians, and later the Macedonians following Alexander the Great's conquests. Eventually, it fell into the domain of the Seleucid Empire, before becoming part of the Roman kingdom of Pergamum. The region also had a reputation for producing skilled mercenary soldiers, particularly during the Hellenistic period, highlighting its strategic and cultural significance in ancient history.
Subject Terms
Mysia
A district (or two districts, Greater and Lesser Mysia) of fluctuating dimensions at the northwestern extremity of Asia Minor, bounded by Lydia to the south, Phrygia to the east, the Troad (sometimes regarded as a Mysian region) to the west, and the Propontis (Sea of Marmara) to the north
Mysia was a country in which mountains, marshes and forests adjoined maritime areas of great fertility; gold, silver and lead were available in abundance, and were said to have been the basis of the riches of Troy. The Mysians, who appear as Trojan allies in the Iliad, were said by Strabo to have originated from Thrace (where people bearing that name were still to be found in historical times) and to speak a language that was a mixture of Lydian and Phrygian, an assertion that inscriptional evidence has not been able to confirm.
Greek cities studded the coast, and extended inland. But Mysia came under the control of King Croesus of Lydia (c 560–546 BC), and after his downfall belonged to the Persians, until the destruction of their empire by Alexander the Great. The territory subsequently became part of the Seleucid dominions, until the defeat of Antiochus IV Epiphanes at the hands of the Romans (190–188), who transferred it to the kingdom of Pergamum. Mercenary soldiers from the country were in great demand during the Hellenistic period, notably the Mysomacedones who appear to have been a mixed group of Mysian and Macedonians settled there by a Pergamene king.