PHOCÆA, the last town of Ionia, (Mela, Pliny); of Æolis, (Ptolemy), because situated on the right or north side of the river Hermus, which he makes the boundary of Æolis to the south. It stood far in the land, on a bay or arm of the sea; had two very safe harbours, the one called Lampter the other Nauplatnmos, (Livy). It was a colony of Ionians, situated in the territory of Æolis, (Herodotus). Massilia in Gaul was again a colony from it. Phocæenses, the people, (Livy); Phocaicus, the epithet, (Lucan); applied to Marseilles. It was one of the 12 cities which assembled in the panionium or general council of Ionia.

Some writers tell us, that while the foundations of this city were laying, there appeared near the shore a great shoal of sea-calves; whence it was called Phocæa, the word phoca signifying in Greek a sea-calf. Ptolemy, who makes the river Hermus the boundary between Æolia and Ionia, places Phocæa in Æolis; but all other geographers reckon it among the cities of Ionia. It stood on the sea-coast, between Cuma to the north, and Smyrna to the south, not far from the Hermus; and was, in former times, one of the most wealthy and powerful cities of all Asia; but is now-a poor beggarly village, though the see of a bishop. The Phocceans were expert mariners, and the first among the Greeks that undertook long voyages; which they performed in galleys of fifty oars. As they applied themselves to trade and navigation, they became acquainted pretty early with the coasts and islands of Europe, where they are said to have founded several cities, namely, Velia in Italy; Alalia, or rather Aleria, in Corsica; and Marfeilles in Gaul. Neither were they unacquainted with Spain; for Herodotus tells us, that, in the time of Cyrus the Great, the Phocceans arriving at Sartessus, a city in the Bay of Cadiz, were treated with extraordinary kindness by Arganthonius king of that country; who, hearing that they were under no small apprehension of the growing power of Cyrus, invited them to leave Ionia, and settle in what part of his kingdom they pleased. The Phocceans could not be prevailed upon to forsake their country; but accepted a large sum of money, which that prince generously presented them with, to defray the expense of building a strong wall round their city. The wall they built on their return; but it was unable to resist the mighty power of Cyrus, whose general Harpagus, investing the city with a numerous army, soon reduced it to the utmost extremities. The Phocceans, having no hopes of any succour, offered to capitulate; but the conditions offered by Harpagus seeming severe, they begged he would allow them three days to deliberate; and, in the mean time, withdraw his forces. Harpagus, though not ignorant of their design, complied with their request. The Phocceans, taking advantage of this concession, put their wives, children, and all their most valuable effects, on board several vessels which they had ready equipped, and conveyed them safe to the island of Chios, leaving the Persians in possession of empty houses. Their design was to purchase the Cnemidian islands, which belonged to the Chians, and settle there. But the Chians not caring to have them so near, left they should engross all the trade to themselves, as they were a sea-faring people, they put to sea again; and, having taken Phocæa, their native country, by surprise, put all the Persians they found in it to the sword. They went to Corsica; great part of them however returned very soon, as did the rest also in a few years. They then lived in subjection either to the Persians, or tyrants of their own. Among the latter we find mention made of Laodamus, who attended Darius Hytaphis in his expedition against the Scythians; and of Dionysius, who, joining Ariftagoras, tyrant of Miletus, and chief author of the Ionian rebellion, retired, after the defeat of his countrymen, to Phenicia, where he made an immense booty, seizing on all the ships he met with trading to that country. From Phenicia he sailed to Sicily, where he committed great depredations on the Carthaginians and Tuscans; but is said never to have molested the Greeks.

In the Roman times the city of Phocæa sided with Antiochus the Great; whereupon it was besieged, taken, and plundered, by the Roman general; but allowed to be governed by its own laws. In the war which Ariphonicus brother to Attalus, king of Pergamus, raised against the Romans, they assisted the former to the utmost of their power; a circumstance which so displeased the senate, that they commanded the town to be demolished, and the whole race of the Phocæans to be utterly rooted out. This severe sentence would have been put in execution, had not the Massilienenses, a Phocæan colony, interposed, and, with much difficulty, assuaged the anger of the senate. Pompey declared Phocæa a free city, and restored the inhabitants to all the privileges they had ever enjoyed; whence, under the first emperors, it was reckoned one of the most flourishing cities of all Asia Minor. This is all we have been able to collect from the ancients touching the particular history of Phocæa.