1. Name – Location

Paisos was a city in Mysia between Lampsacus and Parion. Leaf identifies it with the area around the ruins of a lighthouse, called Fanous in earlier maps, while the river Paisos, which maintained the same name after the destruction of the city, is identified with the river Bairam Chai.¹ Although in geographical terms the city belongs to Mysia, Strabo considers it part of the Troad, based on the Homeric geography of Asia Minor. Apart from the name Paisos, the city is also found in the sources as Apaisos. The variation in the name indicates the Asia Minor roots of the place-name, while some scholars support that the name had a Thracian origin.

2. Historical Background

Paisos is reported twice in the Iliad as a demos belonging, together with other cities of the region (Adrasteia, Pityeia and Tereia), to Adrestos and Amphios, sons of King Merops of Percote. Although there is little historical information concerning the city, it becomes evident that Paisos was a rather prosperous and important city. According to Anaximenes of Lampsacus, it was a Milesian colony. During the Ionian Revolt (499 BC) the city joined the Ionian side, as did all other Hellespontic cities. Not before long, in 497 BC, it was captured by the Persian general Daurises, who found it extremely easy to subordinate most of the cities in the region. After the end of the Persian wars, Paisos joined the Delian League. The city is reported in the Athenian tribute lists, in the section of the Hellespontic contributing cities, between 452/1 and 425/4 BC, with its contribution amounting to 1 talent.²

In the late 1^st c. BC the city was abandoned and the citizens moved to Lampsacus.³