The Cicones, Ciconians or Kikonians (Greek: Κίκονες, Kikones) were a Homeric Thracian tribe, whose stronghold in the time of Odysseus was the town of Ismara (or Ismarus), located at the foot of mount Ismara, on the south coast of Thrace (modern Greece). They are mentioned in book two of the Iliad as having joined the war on the side of the Trojans, led by Euphemos. In book nine of the Odyssey written by Homer, Odysseus and his men take Ismara by surprise and slay most of the Ciconian men they come across, taking Ciconian women as slaves. Later Ciconian reinforcements arrive and attack the invading Achaeans, killing so many of them that Odysseus and his men are forced to flee in their ships. Six men of each of Odysseus' ships were killed: