The city of Scepsis was situated in two different, non-contemporary sites on
Mount Ida, Palea-Scepsis, and the settlement of Scepsis proper.
Strabo writes that Anaximenes of Lampsacus said that
Miletus colonized the place.
Palea-Scepsis Palea-Scepsis (Old Scepsis) is notable for the native tradition that it was once the "capital of
Aeneas's dominions." It was situated near the source of the
Aesepus, high up on Mount Ida. William Vaux was able to note in 1877 that a village in the neighborhood still bore the name of
Eski Skisepje, which in
Turkish corresponds to "Palea-Scepsis."
Scepsis The later Scepsis was about sixty
stadia (7.5 miles) lower down
Mount Ida from Palae-Scepsis. Its acropolis occupied the hill north of the modern village of Kurşuntepe. This later town of Scepsis is memorable for the discovery there, during the time of
Sulla, of the works of
Aristotle and
Theophrastus, which had been buried by the illiterate relations of one
Neleus (a pupil of Aristotle and friend of Theophrastus), so that they would not be carried off by
Attalus I, who was then founding the
Library of Pergamum. Certain traditions hold that
Saint Cornelius the Centurion, the first
Pagan convert to
Christianity, became the first
bishop of Scepsis in the
early days of Christianity. Scepsis remains a
titular see in the
Roman Catholic Church.
Notable people •
Demetrius of Scepsis, a Greek grammarian •
Metrodorus of Scepsis, he was famous for the excellence of his memory. •
Neleus of Scepsis, a disciple of
Aristotle and
Theophrastus • Midias, tyrant of Scepsis ==Notes and references==