Location information

History

  The newly-established Municipality of Topeiros owes its name to a city which existed on The Egnatia Road, during the Roman Ages, in the same area in which the Municipality extends today.
  Approaching the bridge over the Nestos river, in the area between the villages of Toxotes and Paradeisos, 14 Km west of Xanthi, you can see the remains of the ancient city of Topeiros, where monuments of old Christian and Byzantine ages, mostly parts of Churches and Monasteries, have been revealed and conserved. It was established in the 1st century A.C. and it was the Bishop' s See from the 5th to 8th century. Recent clear evidence for the Bishopric of Topeiros comes from the 1st early Byzantine Ages, specifically from 4th and 5th century. As a consequence So, Bishop's names are reported in the records of the Third and Forth Ecumenical Synods.
  At the end of the 4th century, Topeiros gained distinction from Traianoupoli's Metropolitan Bishop, under whose domination remained for at least 900 ages. During the 2nd century A.C. the city of Topeiros had its own coins (Proof of self rule and wealth). With the division of the Roman Empire into East and West, the area of Xanthi with the city Topeiros as capital, belongs to the East Empire and it is its western boundary. In 549 A.C. during the Justinian Empire the city was conquered by the Slavs, who totally destroyed it. 2 years later, Justinian rebuilt it and surrounded it with stronger walls (the remains of these awlls are across the army camp of Toxotes). The city has historical presence until 812 A.C. when destroyed by the Bulgarian Tzar "Croumo".

• http://www.topeiros.gr/en/history.asp

Topiris

  Toperis, (or Topirus Topeiros). A town in the SW. of Thrace, a little NE. from the mouth of the Nestus, and a short distance W. of Abdera. In the time of Procopius (B. G. iii. 38) it was the first of the maritime cities of Thrace, and is described as distant 12 days' journey from Byzantium. Very little is known about this place. In later times it was called Rhusion (Rhousion, Hierocl. l. c.; cf. Aposposm. Geo. in Hudson. iv. p. 42; and Anna Comn. p. 212), and was the seat of a bishopric. (Cone. Chalced.) Justinian rebuilt its walls, which had been demolished, and made them stronger than before. (Procop. de Aed. iv. 11.) According to Paul Lucas and Boudoue, the modern Tosbur occupies its site; but Lapie identifies it with Kara-Giuenzi.

This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited June 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD)
• http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Per...