Gordium

Gordium (gôr'dēum) [key], ancient city of Asia Minor, in Phrygia and later Galatia, now in Turkey, 50 mi (80 km) SW of Ankara. It was the capital of Phrygia from c.1000 to 800 B.C. Excavations conducted since 1950 have revealed Hittite, Phrygian, Persian, Gallo-Grecian, and Greco-Roman remains. Gordius was the legendary founder of the city, and it was here that Alexander the Great is said to have cut the Gordian knot. It is also known as Gordion.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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