Note 1549 — Chapter VIII · COMMERCE OF DORIC STATES.
Reading edition
At least I find this notion in Dapper, Desc. de l’Arch. p. 375-378, who observes “D’autres assurent qu’elle avoit été ainsi nommée à cause du porphyre qu’on y trouve en abondance.” The name has with more probability, however, been derived from the purple fish (Πορφύρα) which abounds on the coast, ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ Πορφύρουσσα, διὰ τὸ κάλλος τὸ παρὰ τῶν πορφυρῶν, ὡς Ἀριστοτέλης. Steph. de Urb. 487, a. To the same purpose, Eustathius ad Dion. Perieg. 498: ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ, φασὶ, καὶ Πορφυροῦσσα ποτὲ, διὰ τὸ καλλίστας ἔχειν πορφύρας. Cf. ad Il. ο. p. 1031. 13. Plin. Nat. Hist. iv. 19.