Gadilon ( grc, Γαδιλών), also known as Gazelon (Γαζηλών), and possibly Helega, was a town in the north-west of ancient Pontus, in a fertile plain between the Halys River and

Amisus Samsun, historically known as Sampsounta ( gr, Σαμψούντα) and Amisos (Ancient Greek: Αμισός), is a city on the north coast of Turkey and is a major Black Sea port. In 2021, Samsun recorded a population of 710,000 people. The cit ...

. From this town the whole district received the name of ''Gadilonitis'', which is probably the right form, which must, perhaps, be restored in two passages of

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

, in one of which the common reading is ''Galaouitis'' (Γαλαουῖτις), and in the other ''Gazelotos'' (Γαζηλωτός). It was the site of a battle between the

Umayyads Umayyads may refer to: *Umayyad dynasty, a Muslim ruling family of the Caliphate (661–750) and in Spain (756–1031) *Umayyad Caliphate (661–750) :*Emirate of Córdoba (756–929) :*Caliphate of Córdoba The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خ ...

, led by

Abd al-Aziz ibn al-Walid Abd al-Aziz ibn al-Walid ( ar, عبد العزيز بن الوليد, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn al-Walīd; died 728/729) was an Umayyad prince, commander in the wars War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, o ...

, and Byzantines in 713. Its site is located near

Bafra Bafra is a district of Samsun Province of Turkey. It is a settlement located from the Black Sea, in the fertile delta of the Kızılırmak River. The Bafra Plain is famous in Turkey for its rich soil and high quality tobacco growing conditions. ...

in Asiatic Turkey.

References

Populated places in ancient Pontus Former populated places in Turkey History of Samsun Province {{Samsun-geo-stub