Cicones

The Cicones, Ciconians or Kikonians, (Grrek: Κίκονες) were a Homeric ThracianThe Histories (Penguin Classics) by Herodotus, John M. Marincola, and Aubery de Selincourt, ISBN 0-14-044908-6, 2003, page 452: "... I10 The Thracian tribes lying along his route were the Paeti, Cicones, Bistones, Sapaei, Dersaei, Edoni, and Satrae; ..." tribe, whose stronghold in the time of Odysseus was the town of Ismara (or Ismarus), located at the foot of mount Ismara,An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis: An Investigation Conducted by The Copenhagen Polis Centre for the Danish National Research Foundation by Mogens Herman Hansen, 2005, page 878 on the southCicones,"The Ciconians or Cicones, who lived on the southwestern coast of Thrace, sided with Troy against the Achaean invaders during the Trojan War. On this occasion they were led by Euphemus 2 (son of Troezenus, son of Ceas), who may therefore be counted among the TROJAN LEADERS. Another Ciconian leader during the Trojan War was Mentes , in whose shape Apollo addressed Hector , encouraging him to fight for the arms of the dead Patroclus . The fate of these two leaders has not been reported.After the sack of Troy, [[Odysseus[[, on his homeward way, came with his twelve ships to the land of the Ciconians, where he pillaged the city of Ismarus, not sparing anyone except a priest of Apollo called Maron , son of Evanthes . This Evanthes , who reigned in Marioneia, is said to be the son of Oenopion (son of Ariadne, either by Theseus or by Dionysus), who is said to have blinded Orion. In the land of the Ciconians, the Achaeans gave themselves to plunder and murder, and when they had taken women and treasures, Odysseus said to his men that they ought to be off, but as his soldiers enjoyed the Ciconian wine and food, they kept drinking and butchering animals by the shore, refusing to leave. Meanwhile, the Ciconians received reinforcements from their up-country neighbours, who were well trained at fighting from chariots, or on foot. When they had grouped, they attacked the Achaeans by the ships and, after fighting for a whole day, they broke their ranks. This is why the Achaeans put to sea, and fled after suffering what may be considered as heavy losses; for more than seventy men belonging to Odysseus' army were killed. " coast of Thrace (modern Greece). They are mentioned in book two of the Iliad as having joined the war on the side of the Trojans, led by Euphemos. In book nine of the Odyssey written by Homer, Odysseus and his men take Ismara by surprise and slay most of the Ciconian men they come across, taking Ciconian women as slaves. Later Ciconian reinforcements arrive and attack the invading Achaeans, killing so many of them that Odysseus and his men are forced to flee in their ships. Six men of each of Odysseus' ships were killed:
The Cicones are also referred to in the book of poems Metamorphoses by Ovid. They are mentioned in book VI when he writes of Boreas and Orithyia, when Ovid states:
In classical times and in a historical context they go into obscurity. Non mythical instances of them occur in Herodotus (5th century BCE) as he writes of their land that Xerxes's army passed by.The History: An Account of the Persian War on Greece, Including the Naval Battle at Salamis, the Battle With Athens at Marathon, And With Sparta at Thermopylae by Herodotus, ISBN 1-934941-49-2, 2009, page 301: "... Thracian tribes through whose country he marched: the Paeti, the Ciconians, the Bistonians, the Sapaeans, the Dersaeans, the Edonians, and the Satrae. Some ..." The tribe itself is thought to have disappeared early on.Greece, Anatolia, and Europe: Cultural Interrelations During the Early Iron Age (Amazone Reeks) (Hardcover)
by Jan Bouzek Jan Bouzek, ISBN 91-7081-168-7, 1997, page 208: "Some tribes, like the Homeric Kikones, disappeared soon, while others only"
==References==
==See also==
*Orpheus
Category:Greek Mythology
Category:Ancient History