Inycum
Encyclopedia
Inycum or Inycus was an ancient town of Sicily
, situated in the southwest of the island, on the river Hypsas (today the Belice
).
It is principally known from its connection with the mythical legends concerning Minos
and Daedalus
; the capital of the Sicani
an prince Cocalus, who afforded a shelter to the fugitive Daedalus against the Cretan
monarch, being placed by some writers at Inycum, and by others at Camicus. (Paus.
vii. 4. § 6; Charax, ap. Steph. B.
s. v. .)
It is mentioned in historical times by Herodotus
as the place of confinement to which Scythes, the ruler of Zancle (modern Messina
), was sent by Hippocrates
, who had taken him prisoner. (Herod. vi. 23, 24.) Aelian
, who copies the narrative of Herodotus, represents Scythes as a native of Inycum; but this is probably a mistake. (Ael. V. H. viii. 17.)
Plato
speaks of Inycum as still in existence in his time, but quite a small place ; notwithstanding which he makes the sophist Hippias
boast that he had derived from it a sum of 20 minae
. (Plat. Hipp. M. p. 282, e.) It is evident that it always continued to be an inconsiderable place, and was probably a mere dependency of Selinus. Hence we never again meet with its name, though Stephanus tells us that this was still preserved on account of the excellence of its wine.
(Steph. B. s. v. ; Aesych. s. v.) Vibius Sequester
is the only author that affords any clue to its position, by telling us that the river Hypsas (the modern Belice
) flowed by it (Vib. Sequest. p. 12, according to Cluver's emendation); but further than this its site cannot be determined.
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, situated in the southwest of the island, on the river Hypsas (today the Belice
Belice
The Belice is a river, 77 km in length, of western Sicily. From its main source near Piana degli Albanesi it runs south and west for 45.5 km as the Belice Destra until it is joined on the left by its secondary branch, the 42 km Belice Sinistro , which rises on the slopes of Rocca Busambra...
).
It is principally known from its connection with the mythical legends concerning Minos
Minos
In Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every year he made King Aegeus pick seven men and seven women to go to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by The Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades. The Minoan civilization of Crete...
and Daedalus
Daedalus
In Greek mythology, Daedalus was a skillful craftsman and artisan.-Family:...
; the capital of the Sicani
Sicani
The Sicani or Sicanians were one of three ancient peoples of Sicily present at the time of Phoenician and Greek colonization.-History:The Sicani are thought to be the oldest inhabitants of Sicily with a recorded name...
an prince Cocalus, who afforded a shelter to the fugitive Daedalus against the Cretan
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
monarch, being placed by some writers at Inycum, and by others at Camicus. (Paus.
Pausanias of Damascus
Pausanias of Damascus wrote in the last quarter of the 2nd century BC and composed the versified description of the ancient coastal regions that is commonly known as the work of Pseudo-Scymnus....
vii. 4. § 6; Charax, ap. Steph. B.
Stephanus of Byzantium
Stephen of Byzantium, also known as Stephanus Byzantinus , was the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled Ethnica...
s. v. .)
It is mentioned in historical times by Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
as the place of confinement to which Scythes, the ruler of Zancle (modern Messina
Messina, Italy
Messina is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, Italy and the capital of the province of Messina. It has a population of about 250,000 inhabitants in the city proper and about 650,000 in the province...
), was sent by Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
, who had taken him prisoner. (Herod. vi. 23, 24.) Aelian
Claudius Aelianus
Claudius Aelianus , often seen as just Aelian, born at Praeneste, was a Roman author and teacher of rhetoric who flourished under Septimius Severus and probably outlived Elagabalus, who died in 222...
, who copies the narrative of Herodotus, represents Scythes as a native of Inycum; but this is probably a mistake. (Ael. V. H. viii. 17.)
Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
speaks of Inycum as still in existence in his time, but quite a small place ; notwithstanding which he makes the sophist Hippias
Hippias
Hippias of Elis was a Greek Sophist, and a contemporary of Socrates. With an assurance characteristic of the later sophists, he claimed to be regarded as an authority on all subjects, and lectured on poetry, grammar, history, politics, mathematics, and much else...
boast that he had derived from it a sum of 20 minae
Mina (unit)
The mina is an ancient Near Eastern unit of weight equivalent to 60 shekels. The mina, like the shekel, was also a unit of currency; in ancient Greece it was equal to 100 drachmae. In the first century AD, it amounted to about a fourth of the wages earned annually by an agricultural worker...
. (Plat. Hipp. M. p. 282, e.) It is evident that it always continued to be an inconsiderable place, and was probably a mere dependency of Selinus. Hence we never again meet with its name, though Stephanus tells us that this was still preserved on account of the excellence of its wine.
(Steph. B. s. v. ; Aesych. s. v.) Vibius Sequester
Vibius Sequester
Vibius Sequester , is the author of an alphabetical list of geographical names occurring in the Roman poets, with special reference to Virgil, Ovid and Lucan...
is the only author that affords any clue to its position, by telling us that the river Hypsas (the modern Belice
Belice
The Belice is a river, 77 km in length, of western Sicily. From its main source near Piana degli Albanesi it runs south and west for 45.5 km as the Belice Destra until it is joined on the left by its secondary branch, the 42 km Belice Sinistro , which rises on the slopes of Rocca Busambra...
) flowed by it (Vib. Sequest. p. 12, according to Cluver's emendation); but further than this its site cannot be determined.