Lebedus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lebedus, the Latinized form of the original Greek name Lebedos, is a Roman Catholic Titular see of Asia Minor, suffragan of Ephesus.
[edit] History
It was on the coast, ninety stadia to the east of Cape Myonnesus, and 120 west of Colophon. According to Pausanias, the town was inhabited by Carians when the Ionian Greeks immigrated there under the guidance of Andræmon, a son of Codrus. Strabo however states it was colonized by Andropompus, and that it previously bore the name of Artis. It became a flourishing city by its commerce, and was famous for its mineral springs, and a member of the Ionian League.
It was nearly destroyed by Lysimachus, who transported the population to Ephesus. Under Roman rule, it flourished anew, became the meeting place of the actors of all Ionia, and festivals were celebrated in honour of Dionysus.
Its remains, of little interest, are seen near Hypsili Hissar, in the former Ottoman caza of Sivri Hissar, vilayet of Smyrna. Lebedus appears in "Notitiæ episcopatum" as an episcopal see, suffragan of Ephesus until the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Three bishops only are known: Cyriacus, who witnessed the Second Council of Ephesus, 449; Julian, represented by his metropolitan at the Council of Chalcedon, in 451; Theophanes or Thomas, who attended the Second Council of Nicæa in 787.
