Ptolemais, City

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Ptolemais, a very ancient City in Phoenicia, seated on the Mediterranean Sea, and called Ace, or Acre. The Tribe of Asher was never able to reduce this City, it being in those early days very strong, rich and populous, and of a Triangular Form, two of its sides being secured by the Sea, and the third fortified to a Wonder. Its Haven was on the South large, safe and admitting Gallies within the Walls, to the great inriching of the Inhabitants. In the year of Christ 1667 there perished here 2000 Jews. It was taken by the Western Christians in 1104. Retaken by Saladin in 1187. Taken again by Richard, King of England, in 1190. The Nubian Geographer saith, That when this City was in the hands of the Western Christians it was two miles in length, but not of equal breadth. On the West side it had a Lake of fresh Water, twelve miles square. It was made a Roman Colony by Claudius Caesar. And during the Holy-war war the Seat of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. In 1290 the Saracens having taken all the other Towns which the Western Christians had taken during the Holy War, they marched against this Place last of all, and the Christians deserting it, the Saracens dugg up the Foundations, and from thence forward Palaestine became inaccessible to our Armies. It took the Name of Ptolemais from one of the Kings of Egypt, being before called Acca. To the East it had a very fruifull Field, in which Tulck, King of Jerusalem, was slain hunting of a Hare, his Horse falling upon him. This City was taken first from the Christians by Homar, a Saracen, An. Chr. 636. After they had ruined it in 1291: the Sultans of Egypt rebuilt it, and it continued under them till 1517, when it was taken by Selim, the Grand-Seignior of the Turks. A Council was held here in 411 by Synesius their Bishop, wherein they excommunicated Andronicus Governor of Pentapolis, for his Cruelty and Blasphemy, saying, That neither Clergy nor People should escape him, tho' they laid hold on the feet of Christ himself. Which Excommunication brought him to repent.