Guide of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

On his return home from Troy, one of Theseus’ sons, Acamas or Demophon stopped in Thrace, in the area where the tribe of the Bisaltians lived. Phyllis, the daughter of the king of the Bisaltians fell in love with this traveller and soon asked her father to marry him. Acamas married the daughter of the king, inherited the throne and settled in Thrace. However, in the course of time the longing for home grew his desire to return back to his birthplace. So Phyllis saw him out to the site of Ennea Dromoi (Nine Roods) and gave him a box of goddess Rea that Acamas should not ever open unless there was no hope left for returning again to his wife. Nevertheless, Acamas never made it to arrive in Athens because of a strong storm that swept him to the island of Cyprus. Phyllis was desperate when she realized that time passed by without Acamas going back to her although he had promised to return soon. In her sorrow she cursed at her husband and hung herself upon a tree at the site of Ennea Dromoi (Nine Roods), which was the last place she saw him. Ever since, the trees in that site feel sorrow for the loss of Phyllis and lose their leaves. On the other hand, after many years Acamas opened the box that his wife had given to him the day of their farewell and he was so overwhelmed by a vision that he fell from his horse upon his own sword and was killed. After his death, his family moved to Cyprus and settled there permanently.