Of this place _Alexander_ in his expedition against _Darius_ took especial notice, endowing it with sundry Immunities, with promise of greater matters at his return from _Persia_; inclined hereunto from the honour he bore unto _Homer_, whose earnest Reader he was, and upon whose Poems, by the help of _Anaxarchus_ and _Callisthenes_, he made some observations. As also much moved hereto upon the account of his cognation with the _Æacides_ and Kings of _Molossus_, whereof _Andromache_ the Wife of _Hector_ was Queen. After the death of _Alexander_, _Lysimachus_ surrounded it with a Wall, and brought the inhabitants of the neighbour Towns unto it, and so it bore the name of _Alexandria_; which, from _Antigonus_, was also called _Antigonia_, according to the inscription of that famous Medal in _Goltsius_, _Colonia Troas Antigonia Alexandrea, Legio vicesima prima_. When the Romans first went into _Asia_ against _Antiochus_ 'twas but a Κωμόπολις and no great City; but, upon the Peace concluded, the Romans much advanced the same. _Fimbria_, the rebellious Roman, spoiled it in the Mithridatick War, boasting that he had subdued _Troy_ in eleven days which the Grecians could not take in almost as many years. But it was again rebuilt and countenanced by the Romans, and became a Roman Colony, with great immunities conferred on it; and accordingly it is so set down by _Ptolomy_. For the Romans, deriving themselves from the Trojans, thought no favour too great for it; especially _Julius Cæsar_, who, both in imitation of _Alexander_, and for his own descent from _Julus_, of the posterity of _Æneas_, with much passion affected it, and, in a discontented humour,[273] was once in mind to translate the Roman wealth unto it; so that it became a very remarkable place, and was, in _Strabo's_ time, ἐλλογίμων πόλεων, one of the noble Cities of _Asia_. [273] Sueton. And, if they understood the prediction of _Homer_ in reference unto the Romans, as some expound it in _Strabo_, it might much promote their affection unto that place; which being a remarkable prophecy, and scarce to be parallel'd in Pagan story, made before _Rome_ was built, and concerning the lasting Reign of the progeny of _Æneas_, they could not but take especial notice of it. For thus is _Neptune_ made to speak, when he saved _Æneas_ from the fury of _Achilles_. _Verum agite hunc subito præsenti à morte trahamus Ne Cronides ira flammet si fortis Achilles Hunc mactet, fati quem Lex evadere jussit. Ne genus intereat de læto semine totum Dardani ab excelso præ cunctis prolibus olim, Dilecti quos è mortali stirpe creavit, Nunc etiam Priami stirpem Saturnius odit, Trojugenum posthæc Æneas sceptra tenebit Et nati natorum et qui nascentur ab illis._