Rizounta, Rizous or Rizaion (today Rize) was the name of a town and a region in the east of Pontus. Although its residents were largely Islamized, they retained the Pontic dialect, culture and traditions. From 1878 onwards, Rize was the capital of the Ottoman sanjak of Lazistan.
Prior to the first World War the population of the town was 5,000 of which 1,000 were Greeks and the remainder were Turks, while a small number of Armenians also lived there. The town was divided into five parishes: Romanou, Pasayianni (Pasyan), Rosi, Argalia and Lazou. Around Rizounta there were over 150 towns and villages. Some include:
Αγιάννες - Ayiannes
Αιπέτρος - Aypetros
Ακρωτηρ - Akrotir
Ανσέρ - Anser
Απαντινος - Apantinos
Αντών - Anton
Αρων - Aron
Αργαλειός - Argaleios
Αρκολύκος - Arkolikos
Άτινα (Αθηναι) - Atina (Athinai)
Ατσάνος - Atsanos
Βάνε - Vaneh
Βάντρη - Vantri
Βαράχος - Varakhos
Βασάνδρα - Vasandra
Βάρδα - Vartha
Βατουμ (Μπατουμ) - Batoum
Βέλκιον - Velkion
Βέλος - Velos
Γιαλος (Ροσι) - Yialos (Rosi)
Γούρι - Gouri
Γούτος - Goutos
Γλίτσος - Glitsos
Γοργόρ - Gorgor
Δόσμα - Dosma
Καλοχώρ - Kalokhor
Καλοχώραφ - Kalokhoraf
Καλομάνα - Kalomana
Καλωτή - Kaloti
Κάμπος - Kampos
Καπαχώρ - Kapakhor
Κατέβα - Kateva
Κατσαράν - Katsaran
Κλητο - Klito
Κογκαλίνος - Kogkalinos
Κοφίνα - Kofina
Κολέτσα - Koletsa
Κολιανός - Kolianos
Κολονόρος - Kolonoros
Κουγιάτ - Kuyiat
Κουκαράς - Koukaras
Κουλούρος - Koulouros
Κώμη - Komi
Λαζου (Λαζλαρ) - Lazou (Lazlar)
Μάγουλα - Magoula
Μαντίλα - Mantila
Μαυροποτάμ - Mavropotam
Μαχέρα - Makhera
Μοιράκαλος - Mirakalos
Μολέβας - Molevas
Περκάμ - Perkam
Πίντος - Pintos
Ράχοτ - Rakhot
Ρέτος - Retos
Σέβρος - Sevros
Τσετσέβα - Tsetseva
Φελέκος - Felekos
Φίλιππος - Filipos
Φιλίρος - Filiros
Χούρτος - Khourtos
Χωματίνος - Khomatinos
View Greek settlements in other regions of Pontus here
Sources:
Samouilidis C. The History of Pontian Hellenism, Thessaloniki 1992.
Archive of Verbal Submission (Αρχείο Προφορικής Παράδοσης). Centre of Asia Minor Studies.
Encyclopedia of Pontian Hellenism. Malliaris Pedia 1992.
Map below is just a guide and is hosted by an external source.