Hēmeroskopeion

Hēmeroskopeion (Template:Lang-grc) was an ancient Greek city.

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, 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 (Template:Lang-grc) or Dianium (Template:Lang-grc), 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.

History

The location was a notable commercial and fishing emporium. A prominent feature of this area was the sanctuary dedicated to Artemis of Ephesus, with its roots in Massalian tradition. Strabo provides the following account of the site:

Μεταξὺ μὲν οὖν τοῦ Σούκρωνος καὶ τῆς Καρχηδόνος τρία πολίχνια Μασσαλιωτῶν ἔστιν οὐ πολὺ ἄπωθεν τοῦ ποταμοῦ· τούτων δ᾽ ἐστὶ γνωριμώτατον τὸ Ἡμεροσκοπεῖον ἔχον ἐπὶ τῇ ἄκρᾳ τῆς Ἐφεσίας Ἀρτέμιδος ἱερὸν σφόδρα τιμώμενον͵ ᾧ ἐχρήσατο Σερτώριος ὁρμητηρίῳ κατὰ θάλατταν· ἐρυμνὸν γάρ ἐστι καὶ λῃστρικόν͵ κάτοπτον δὲ ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῖς προσπλέουσι͵ καλεῖται δὲ [καὶ] Διάνιον͵ οἷον Ἀρτεμίσιον͵ ἔχον σιδηρεῖα εὐφυῆ πλησίον καὶ νησίδια Πλανησίαν καὶ Πλουμβαρίαν καὶ λιμνοθάλατταν ὑπερκειμένην͵ ἔχουσαν ἐν κύκλῳ σταδίους τετρακοσίους.

Thus, between the Sucro and Carthago Nova, there are three establishments of the Massaliotes not far from the river. The most well-known of these is Hemeroscopio, which has atop the promontory a highly venerated sanctuary of Artemis of Ephesus and which Sertorius used as a maritime operations base. It is well fortified and suitable for pirates, visible from afar for those approaching by sea. It is also called Dianio, which is the same as Artemisio. Nearby, there are prosperous iron mines and islets, Planesia and Plumbaria, and a salty lake inland that has a perimeter of four hundred stadia.

— Strabo's Geographica: Book III (4, 6)

The city must have already existed around the 1st century BC, judging by mentions from Strabo and Cicero, who noted it was used during the civil wars as a military base by Quintus Sertorius. While the foundation date of the Roman city cannot be determined, it is known that the settlement possibly inherited from the Iberian establishments at Punta de Benimaquia or Pico del Águila.

See also

• List of ancient Greek cities

Bibliography

• Manuel Cerdá (2009), "Gran enciclopedia temática de la Comunidad Valenciana", Prensa Valenciana (in Spanish), retrieved 2023-10-29{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)