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Amasis was partial to the Greeks, and among other favours which he
granted them, gave to such as liked to settle in Egypt the city of
Naucratis for their residence. To those who only wished to trade upon
the coast, and did not want to fix their abode in the country, he
granted certain lands where they might set up altars and erect temples
to the gods. Of these temples the grandest and most famous, which is
also the most frequented, is that called "the Hellenium." It was
built conjointly by the Ionians, Dorians, and Aeolians, the
following cities taking part in the work: the Ionian states of
Chios, Teos, Phocaea, and Clazomenae; Rhodes, Cnidus,
Halicarnassus, and Phaselis of the Dorians; and Mytilene of the
Aeolians. These are the states to whom the temple belongs, and they
have the right of appointing the governors of the factory; the other
cities which claim a share in the building, claim what in no sense
belongs to them. Three nations, however, consecrated for themselves
separate temples - the Eginetans one to Jupiter, the Samians to
Juno, and the Milesians to Apollo.
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