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Ancient Apollonia ad Rhyndacum

Dusk at Lake Uluabat Bursa
Dusk at Lake Uluabat Bursa, originally uploaded by voyageAnatolia.

Dusk at ancient Lake Apolloniatis at ancient Apollonia ad Rhyndacum, Gölyazı, Bursa.

Apollonia (Ἀπολλωνία) was an ancient town astride the Rhyndacus river at Bithynia. According to Strabo, it lay in Mysia (Ἀ. ἐπὶ Ῥυνδακῷ), a description which misled some travellers and geographers, who fixed the site at Ulubat on the Rhyndacus. However, the site is actually modern Apolyont. This site is on the lake now known as Lake Apolyont or Uluabat Gölü. In ancient times this lake was called Apolloniatis (for instance by Strabo), after the town.

Some high land advances into the lake, and forms a narrow promontory, off the southwest point of which is an island with the town of Abullionte. (Hamilton, Researches, &c. vol. ii. p. 87.) The remains of Apollonia are inconsiderable. The Rhyndacus flows into the lake Apolloniatis, and issues from it a deep and muddy river. The lake extends from east to west, and is studded with many islands in the northeast part, on one of which is the town of Apollonia. The circuit of the lake is estimated by some travellers at about 50 miles, and its length about 10; but the dimensions vary considerably, for in winter the waters are much higher. It abounds in fish.

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