Χαλκίς

Chalkis: a city in Euboia. Hekataios in Europe: ‘Chalkis is a city, which was previously named Euboia.’ It was called after Kombe, who was called Chalkis, daughter of Asopos. Some say that the Chalkideis were named because bronze-works were first seen among them. In ancient times it was named Stymphelos, but now Halikarna [but also Hypochalkis, because it lies under a mountain called Chalkis]. The poet too mentions it: ‘Chalkis and Eretria and Histiaia rich in grapes.’ A citizen is a ‘Chalkideus’, as if from the genitive ‘Chalkidos’, just as ‘Arkadeus’ is from ‘Arkados’ and ‘Troiadeus’ from ‘Troiados’. The feminine form is homonymous with the city, as ‘Phokis’ and ‘Lokris’ are, both the territory and the woman. Hellanikos in book 2 of his Priestesses of Hera: ‘Theoklees from Chalkis, with Chalkideis and Naxians, founded cities in Sicily.’ The possessive is ‘Chalkidikon’. Aristophanes in Knights: ‘What is this Chalkidic cup doing?’ Those in Kyme in Sicily are also called Chalkideis. They are colonists from Euboia. There is also a Chalkidikon mountain in Sicily, as Polybios says in book 1: ‘he made his march from Syracuse and, after pitching camp on the other side, near the so-called Chalkidikon mountain.’ There is also (2) Chalkis, a city in Korinthos. (3) One in Aitolia, from which the Acheloos flows. Dionysios the Periegete: ‘and of other islands too, as many as, flowing from Chalkis...’ (4) A city in Syria, founded by Monikos the Arab. Its ethnonym is ‘Chalkidenos’. [(5)] There is also a city Chalkis in Skythia, whose citizens are ‘Chalkitai’ [there is] and the territory ‘Chalkitis’, as per Hermeias in Periegesis. (6) Also a city Chalkitis in Messapia in Italy. (7) An island with a homonymous city near Lesbos, whose citizens are ‘Chalkideis’. There is also another Chalkis in Athos, as Eudoxos says in book 4: ‘after Athos as far as Pallene, which on the other side has formed a deep and wide gulf named Chalkis.’