Neither the New English Bible nor the Revised Standard Version includes the reference to Trogillium in Paul’s journey from Assus to Miletus. It is, however, in the King James Version in Acts 20:15. Trogillium Is on the cape where the Turkish mainland comes within a kilometer of the Greek island of Samos. The north slope of the mountain which forms the headland, Mt. Mycale (Samsun Dağı), was the place of the Panionian shrine. This was sacred to Poseidon, the god of the sea; one of his chief altars was located here.
The Pan Ionic festival of the twelve cities of the Ionic League (Miletus, Myus, Priene, Samos, Ephesus, Colophon, Lebedus, Teos, Erythrae, Chios, Clazomenae, and Phocaea) was celebrated here. This Ionic confederation was more a sacred than a political union; the cities were autonomous although they did support and defend each other on occasion. It is quite possible that ships sailing from Chios and Samos to Miletus would regularly call at Trogillium for sailors to go ashore briefly and sacrifice to Poseidon although the festival by Paul’s time had been overshadowed by another held in Erythrea.
Trogyllium,
