ASSOS

(Asʹsos).

A seaport town in Mysia on the N shore of the Gulf of Adramyttium, hence within the Roman province of Asia. On his third missionary tour, the apostle Paul was heading back to Jerusalem and had stopped at Troas. From here he sent Luke and others by boat to Assos, where he planned to join them. The boat had to travel out around Cape Lectum to get to Assos (on the other side of the promontory from Troas) and this enabled Paul to walk the shorter distance (about twenty miles [32 kilometers]) on foot and still arrive at Assos in time to board the ship, which then traveled to Mitylene on the island of Lesbos, S of Assos.—Acts 20:6, 13, 14.

Assos was built on the terraced sides of a volcanic rock formation about seven hundred feet (213 meters) high, about a half mile (805 meters) back from the sea. The site commanded a splendid view of the surrounding area. The road leading from Assos to Troas was well paved in ancient times. The site is today known as Behramköy.