Metropolis ( grc, Μητρόπολις) was an ancient town in the north of
Phrygia
In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; grc, Φρυγία, ''Phrygía'' ) was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River. After its conquest, it became a region of the great empires ...
, and, as the name seems to indicate, a capital of the ancient kings of Phrygia, though
Stephanus of Byzantium
Stephanus or Stephan of Byzantium ( la, Stephanus Byzantinus; grc-gre, Στέφανος Βυζάντιος, ''Stéphanos Byzántios''; centuryAD), was a Byzantine grammarian and the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled ''Ethni ...
derives the name from the mother of the gods. It was situated to the north of
Synnada (Athen. 13.574.), and must not be confounded with
another town of the same name in the south of Phrygia. Its site is, in all probability, indicated by the ruins of Pismesh Kalasi, north of Doganlu, which show a very antique style of architecture, and mainly consist of tombs cut into the rocks; one of these tombs is that of king Midas. Although
William Martin Leake
William Martin Leake (14 January 17776 January 1860) was an English military man, topographer, diplomat, antiquarian, writer, and Fellow of the Royal Society. He served in the British military, spending much of his career in the
Mediterrane ...
is inclined to think that these ruins mark the site of
Nicoleia;
William Smith credits other travelers who identify them with Metropolis. From the extent of the ruins, it would seem that in the time of the
Roman emperors Metropolis was an important town; but afterwards it declined, though it is still mentioned by
Hierocles.
Modern scholars locate its site near
Oynaş Köyü,
Oynaş,
Eskişehir Province
Eskişehir Province ( tr, ) is a province in northwestern Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Bilecik to the northwest, Kütahya to the west, Afyon to the southwest, Konya to the south, Ankara to the east, and Bolu to the north. The provincial ...
,
Asian Turkey
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The reg ...
.
References
Populated places in Phrygia
Roman towns and cities in Turkey
Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey
History of Eskişehir Province
Former populated places in Turkey
Rock-cut tombs
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