Sestos [key], ancient town on the Thracian shore of the Hellespont (now Dardanelles) opposite Abydos (in present-day Turkey). It was the scene of the story of Hero and Leander. It was there that Xerxes entered Thrace on his invasion of Greece, crossing the Hellespont on a bridge of boats. The city was later controlled by Athens and remained important in Roman times, but declined after the founding of Byzantium (now İstanbul).
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