Alexandria Troas (mod. Eski Stambul) is an ancient Greek city
of the Troad, situated on the west coast at nearly its middle
point, a little south of Tenedos. It was built by
Antigonus,
perhaps about
310 BC, and was called by him Antigonia
Troas. Early in the next century the name was changed by
Lysimachus to Alexandria Troas, in honour of Alexander's
memory. As the chief port of north-west Asia Minor, the place
prospered greatly in Roman times, and the existing remains
sufficiently attest its former importance. Thence St Paul
sailed for Europe for the first time, and there occurred
later the episode of the raising of Eutychus (Acts xx.
5-12). The site is now covered with valonia oaks, and has
been much plundered, e.g by Mahommed IV., who took columns
to adorn his new Valideh mosque in Stambul; but the circuit
of the old walls can be traced, and in several places they
are fairly well preserved. They had a circumference of about
six English miles, and were fortified with towers at regular
intervals. Remains of some ancient buildings, including a
bath and gymnasium, can be traced within this area. Trajan
built an aqueduct which can still be traced. The harbour had
two large basins, now almost choked with sand. A Roman colony
was sent to the place, as Strabo mentions, in the reign of
Augustus. The abridged name "Troas" (Acts xvi. 8) was
probably the current one in later Roman times. (D. G. H.)
(from an old encyclopedia)
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