The Skamandros in Pseudo-Plutarch’s On Rivers: Literary and Material Evidence

Abstract

In ancient societies, rivers were perceived not merely as vital resources but also as divine beings embodying the identity, economy, and religion of the communities they sustained. This study examines the Skamandros River in the Troad through a comparative analysis of the relevant section of Pseudo-Plutarch's On Rivers (De fluviis XIII) and other ancient literary sources, alongside the material evidence relating to the river. Particular attention is given to coins struck at Ilion, Skepsis, and Kyme between the first and third centuries CE, as well as to a votive relief and sculptural depictions. The originality of this study lies in its systematic integration of this relatively neglected literary passage with the available archaeological evidence. The findings demonstrate that Pseudo-Plutarch's account reduces the divine river to a mortal youth and relies on hard-to-verify sources, whereas the material evidence consistently depicts Skamandros as a divine symbol of prosperity and civic identity at Ilion continuously for approximately one and a half centuries. This contrast illustrates how the identity and economic prosperity of a city could be constructed around the cult and imagery of a river god.