ISSUS
ISSUS (Λίσσος, Strab. vii. p.316; Ptol. 2.16.5; Steph. B. sub voce Hierocles; Peut. Tab.), a town of Illyricum, at the mouth of the river Drilo. Dionysius the elder, in his schemes for establishing settlements among the Illyrian tribes, founded Lissus. (Diod. 15.13.) It was afterwards in the hands of the Illyrians, who, after they had been defeated by the Romans, retained this port, beyond which their vessels were not allowed to sail. (Plb. 2.12.) B.C. 211, Philip of Macedon, having surprised the citadel Acrolissus, compelled the town to surrender. (Plb. 8.15.) Gentius, the Illyrian king, collected his forces here for the war against Rome. (Liv. 44.30.) A body of Roman citizens was stationed there by Caesar (B.C. 3.26--29) to defend the town; and Pliny (3.26), who says that it was 100 M.P. from Epidaurus, describes it as “oppidum civium Romanorum.” Constantine Porphyrogeneta (de Adm. Imp. 100.30) calls it Ἑλισσός, and it now bears the name of Lesch. (Leake, Northern Greece, vol. iii. p. 477; Schafarik, Slav. Alt. vol. ii. p. 275.)[E.B.J]