whether the name of the region and its inhabitants | ing its name, the genuineness of which, however, is ought not to be Artabene and Artabeni respectively. According to Ptolemy the Astabeni were a people of Hyrcania, on the coast of the Caspian. The ASTACENI of Plin. (ii. 105, 109) are probably the same people. [V.]

ASTABORAS. [NILUS.]

questionable. It was not, as Hardouin thought, the
OSTIPPO of Pliny: its total destruction accounts for
the absence of its name from the Itineraries and the
pages of the geographers. (Morales, Ant. vi. 28;
Florez, vol. iii. p. 16; Sestini, p. 33; Eckhel, vol. i
p. 15; Ukert, i. 2, p. 360.)
[P.S.]

ASTAPUS. [NILUS.]

A'STACUS (Αστακος: Eth. Αστακηνίς, ΑστάKIOs), a town on the W.coast of Acarnania, on the bay ASTELEPHUS ('Αστέλεφος), one of the small now called Dragamesti, one side of which is formed rivers of Colchis, rising in the Caucasus, and falling by the promontory anciently named Crithote. The into the Euxine 120 stadia S. of Dioscurias or Seruins of Astacus are probably those described by bastopolis, and 30 stadia N. of the river Hippus. Leake as below a monastery of St. Elias, and which (Arrian. Perip. Pont. Eux. 9, 10; Plin. vi. 4.) It he supposes to be those of Crithote. There was, is also called Stelippon (Geogr. Rav.) and Stempeo however, no town Crithote, but only a promontory of (Tab. Peut.). Different modern writers attempt to this name; and Leake has misunderstood the pas- identify it with different streams of the many on this sage of Strabo (p. 459), in which Crithote is men- coast: namely, the Markhoula or Tamüsch, the tioned.* Astacus is said to have been a colony Mokri or Aksu, the Shijam or Keleuhol, and the of Cephallenia. At the commencement of the Pelo- Kodor. (Ukert, vol. iii. pt. 2, p. 204; Mannert, vol. ponnesian war, it was governed by a tyrant, named iv. p. 394; Forbiger, vol. ii. p. 443.) [P.S.] Evarchus, who was deposed by the Athenians (B.C. ASTE'RIA. [DELOS.] 431), but was shortly afterwards restored by the Corinthians. It is mentioned as one of the towns of Acarnania in a Greek inscription, the date of which is subsequent to B.C. 219. (Strab. I. c.; Steph. Byz. s. v.; Thuc. ii. 30, 33, 102; Scylax, p. 13; Ptol. iii. 14; Böckh, Corpus Inscript., No. 1793; Leake, Northern Greece, vol. iv. p. 4, seq.)

A'STACUS ('Aσтakós: Eth. 'Aoтakývos, 'AσtáKos), a city of Bithynia, on the gulf of Astacus, and a colony from Megara and Athens. (Strab. p. 563.) Memnon (Phot. Bibl. 224) says that the first colonists came from Megara, in the beginning of the seventeenth Olympiad, and those from Athens came afterwards. Mela (i. 19) calls it a colony of Megara. It appears that this city was also called Olbia; for Scylax (p. 35), who mentions the gulf of Olbia and Olbia, does not mention Astacus; and Strabo, who names Astacus, does not mention Olbia. The mythical story of Astacus being founded by Astacus, a son of Poseidon and the nymph Olbia, favours the supposition of the identity of Astacus and Olbia. (Steph. 8. υ. 'Αστακός.) Astacus was seized by Doedalsus, the first king of Bithynia. In the war between Zipoetes, one of his successors, and Lysimachus, the place was destroyed or damaged. Nicomedes II., the son of Zipoetes, transferred the inhabitants to his city of Nicomedia (Ismid), B. c. 264. Astacus appears to have been near the head of the gulf of Astacus, and it is placed by some geographers at a spot called Ovaschik, and also Bashkele.

Nicomedia was not built on the site of Astacus [NICOMEDIA]; it is described by Memnon as opposite to Astacus. [G. L.]

A'STAPA('Aσтaná: Eth. Aσтañało, Astapenses: Estepa, Ru.), an inland city of Hispania Baetica, in an open plain on the S. margin of the valley of the Baetis, celebrated for its fate in the Second Punic War. Its firm attachment to Carthage had made it so obnoxious to the Romans, that, though it was perfectly indefensible, its inhabitants resolved to hold out to the last, when besieged by Marcius, the lieutenant of Scipio, and destroyed themselves and their city by fire, rather than fall into his hands. (Appian, Hisp. 33; Liv. xxviii. 22.) A coin is extant, bear

*The word woλíxvn in this passage refers to the place of this name in the Thracian Chersonesus, which Strabo mentions cursorily, on account of its bearing the same name as the promontory in Acarnania. (Hoffmann, Griechenland, p. 450.)

ASTE'RION. [ARGOS, p. 201, a.]

A'STERIS ('ATTEpis, Hom., 'AσTepía), an island between Ithaca and Cephallenia, where the suitors laid in wait for Telemachus on his return from Peloponnesus (Hom. Od. iv. 846). This island gave rise to considerable dispute among the ancient com. mentators. Demetrius of Scepsis maintained that it was no longer in existence; but this was denied by Apollodorus, who stated that it contained a town called Alalcomenae. (Strab. i. p. 59, x. pp. 456, 457). Some modern writers identify Asteris with a rocky islet, now called Dyscallio; but as this island lies at the northern extremity of the strait between Ithaca and Cephallenia, it would not have answered the purpose of the suitors as a place of ambush for a vessel coming from the south. (Mure, Tour in Greece, vol. i. p. 62; Kruse, Hellas, vol. ii. pt. ii. p. 454.)

There

ASTERIUM (Αστέριον: Eth. Αστεριώτης), town of Thessaly, mentioned by Homer, who speaks of "Asterium and the white summits of Titanus." ('Αστέριον Τιτάνοιό τε λευκὰ κάρηνα, Il. ii. 735.) Asterium was said to be the same city as Peiresia or Peiresiae (Steph. B. s. v. 'Aσrépiov), which is described by Apollonius Rhodius (i. 35) as placed near the junction of the Apidanus and Enipeus, and by the author of the Orphica as near the confluence of the Apidanus and Enipeus. (Orphic. Argon. 164.) Leake remarks that both these descriptions may be applied to the hill of Vlokhó, which is situated between the junction of the Apidanus and the Enipeus and that of the united stream with the Peneius, and at no great distance from either confluence. are some ruins at Vlokhó, which represent Asterium or Peiresiae; while the white calcareous rocks of the hill explain and justify the epithet which Homer gives to Titanus. Strabo (ix. p. 439), who places Titanus near Arne, also speaks of its white colour. Peiresiae is said by Apollonius (1. c.) to have been near Mount Phylleium, which Leake supposes to be the heights separated by the river from the hill of Vlokhó. Near Mount Phylleium Strabo (ix. p. 435) places a city Phyllus, noted for a temple of Apollo Phylleius. Statius (Theb. iv. 45) calls this city Phylli. The town of IRESIAE, mentioned by Livy (xxxii. 13), is perhaps a false reading for Peiresiae. (Leake, Northern Greece, vol. iv. p. 322, seq.)

ASTIGI, ASTI'GIS ('Aσriyís, Ptol. ii. 4. § 14; Strab. iii. p. 141, corrupted into 'AσTývas in all the

MSS.). 1. ASTIGITANA COLONIA AUGUSTA FIRMA (Ecija), was, under the Romans, one of the chief cities of Hispania Baetica, and the seat of a conventus juridicus. It stood in the plain of the Baetis, some distance S. of the river, on its tributary the Singulis (Genil), which began here to be navigable. It was at the junction of the roads from Corduba (Cordova) and Emerita (Merida) to Hispalis (Seville), at the respective distances of 36 M. P., 105 M. P., and 58 M. P. (Itin. Ant. pp. 413, 414; Mela, ii. 6. § 4; Plin. iii. 1. s. 3; Florez, Esp. S. x. p. 72.)

2. ASTIGI VETUs (Alameda), a free city of Hispania Baetica, N. of Antiquaria (Antequera), belonging to the Conventus Astigitanus [see No. 1]. (Plin. iii. 1. s. 3; Florez, Esp. S. x. p. 74.)

[P.S.]

3. JULIENSES. [ARTIGI.] ASTRAEUM (Liv. xl. 24; 'Aσтpaía, Steph. B. 8. v.; Aloτpalov, Ptol. iii. 13. § 27), a town of Paeonia in Macedonia, which Leake identifies with Strumitza. Aelian (H. An. xv. 1) speaks of a river Astraeus, flowing between Thessalonica and Berrhoea, which Leake supposes to be the same as the Vistrítza. Tafel, however, conjectures that Astraeus in Aelian is a false reading for Axius. (Leake, Northern Greece, vol. iii. pp. 293, 466, seq.; Tafel, Thessalonica, p. 312, seq.)

ASTRUM ("AσTpov: Astro). 1. A town in Cynuria on the coast, and the first town in Argolis towards the frontiers of Laconia. It is mentioned by Ptolemy alone (iii. 16. § 11), but is conjectured by Leake to have been the maritime fortress in the building of which the Aeginetae were interrupted by the Athenians in the eighth year of the Peloponnesian war. (Thuc. iv. 57.) The place was situated on a promontory, which retains its ancient name. Here there are still considerable remains of an ancient wall. (Leake, Morea, vol. ii. p. 484, seq.; Ross, Peloponnes, p. 162.)

causeway, and it thus became, as it now remains, a peninsula projecting into the sea. It is surmounted by a fortified tower, called the Torre di Astura, a picturesque object, conspicuous both from Antium and the Circeian headland, and the only one which breaks the monotony of the low and sandy coast between them. The Tab. Peut. reckons Astura 7 miles from Antium, which is rather less than the true distance.

There is no doubt that the STORAS of Strabo is the same with the Astura, which Festus also tells us was often called Stura (p. 317, ed. Müll.); but there is no ground for supposing the "Saturae palus" of Virgil (Aen. vii. 801) to refer to the same locality. [E. H. B.]

2. (Ezla or Estola), a river of Hispania Tarraconensis, in the NW., which, rising in the mountains of the Cantabri, the prolongation of the Pyrenees, flows S. through the country of the ASTURES; and, after receiving several other rivers that drain the great plain of Leon, it falls into the Durius (Douro) on its N. side. (Florus, iv. 12; Oros. vi. 21; Isidor. Etym. ix. 2.) [P.S.]

A'STURES (sing. Astur, in poets; Aarupes, Strab. iii. pp. 153, 155, 167; Dion Cass. liii. 25; Plin. iii. 3. s. 4; Flor. iv. 12; Gruter, Inscript. p. 193, No. 3, p. 426, No. 5, &c.: Adj. Astur and Asturicus; Asturica gens, Sil. Ital. xvi. 584; 'AσToúpioi, Strab. p. 162; 'Aσroupol, Ptol. ii. 6. § 28; i. e. Highlanders, see ASTA), a people in the NW. of Hispania Tarraconensis, extending from the N. coast to the river Durius (Douro), between the Gallaeci on the W. and the Cantabri and Celtiberi on the E., in the mountains N. and W. of the great plain of Leon and partly in the plain itself. They were divided into two parts by the Cantabrian mountains (M. Vinnius); those between the mountains and the coast (in the Asturias) being called TRANSMONTANI, and those S. of the mountains (in Leon and A'STURA (AσTupa). 1. A small islet on the coast Valladolid) AUGUSTANI, names, which clearly of Latium, between Antium and Circeii, at the mouth indicate the difference between the Roman subjects of a river of the same name, which rises at the of the plain and the unsubdued tribes of the mounsouthern foot of the Alban hills, and has a course of tains and the coast. They comprised a population about 20 miles to the sea. It is called Storas 276- of 240,000 free persons, divided into 22 tribes (Plin. pas) by Strabo, who tells us that it had a place of 1. c.), of which Ptolemy mentions the following anchorage at its mouth (v. p. 232). It was on the names: Lanciati (Lancienses, Plin.), Brigaecini banks of this obscure stream that was fought, in (Trigaecini, Flor.), Bedunenses, Orniaci, Lungones, B. C. 338, the last great battle between the Romans Saelini, Superatii, Amaci, Tibures, Egurri or Giand the Latins, in which the consul C. Maenius to- gurri (Cigurri, Plin.), and the Paesici, on the petally defeated the combined forces of Antium, Lanu-ninsula of C. de Peñas (Plin. iv. 20. s. 34), to vium, Aricia and Velitrae. (Liv. viii. 13.) At a much later period the little island at its mouth, and the whole adjacent coast, became occupied with Roman villas; among which the most celebrated is that of Cicero, to which he repeatedly alludes in his letters, and which he describes as "locus amoenus et in mari ipso," commanding a view both of Antium and Circeii (ad Att. xii. 19, 40, ad Fam. vi. 19). It was from thence that, on learning his proscription by the triumvirs, he embarked, with the intention of escaping to join Brutus in Macedonia; a resolution which he afterwards unfortunately abandoned. (Plut. Cic. 47.) We learn from Suetonius also that Astura was the occasional resort both of Augustus and Tiberius (Suet. Aug. 97, Tib. 72), and existing remains prove that many of the Roman nobility must have had villas there. (See Nibby, Dintorni di Roma, vol. i. pp. 267-277.) But it does not appear that there ever was a town of the name, as asserted by Servius (ad Aen. vii. 801). The island was at some

which Pliny adds the Zoelae, near the coast, celebrated for their flax. (Plin. iii. 4, xix. 2.)

The country of the Astures (Asturia, Plin.: 'AσToupía, Ptol.), was for the most part mountainous and abounded in mines More gold was found in Asturia than in any other part of Spain, and the supply was regarded as more lasting than in any other part of the world. (Plin. xxxiii. 4. s. 21.) To this the poets make frequent allusions: e. g. Sil. Ital. i. 231:

Astur avarus,

Comp. vii. 755. Callaicis quidquid fodit Astur in arvis,

Mart. x. 16.

Merserit Asturii scrutator pallidus auri,

Lucan. iv. 298.

(according to Oudendorp's emendation: comp. Stat. Silv. iv. 7. 13, Pallidus fossor concolor auro, and Claudian. Cons. Prob. et Olybr. 50.)

the small ambling Spanish jennet, described by Pliny (viii. 42. s. 67), Silius Italicus (iii. 335337 in the preceding lines the poet derives the name of the people from Astur the son of Memnon), and Martial (xiv. 199):

“Hic brevis, ad numerum rapidos qui colligit ungues, Venit ab auriferis gentibus, Astur equus."

The species of horse was called Asturco, and the name was applied to horses of a similar character bred elsewhere, as Asturco Macedonicus. (Petron. Sat. 86: comp. Senec. Ep. 87.)

The Asturians were a wild, rugged, and warlike race. (Strab. I. c.; Sil. Ital. i. 252, exercitus Astur; xii. 748, belliger Astur; Flor. iv. 12, Cantabri et „Astures validissimae gentes.) Their mountains have always been the stronghold of Spanish independence. In the war of Augustus against the Cantabri, B. C. 25, the Asturians, anticipating the attack of the Romans, were defeated with great slaughter on the banks of the river Astura, and retreated into Lancia, which was taken, after some resistance. (Dion Cass. l. c.; Flor. iv. 12. § 56, ed. Duker; Oros. vi. 21; Clinton, s. a.) These actions ended the Cantabrian war, as the result of which the country south of the mountains became subject to Rome; but the highlands themselves, and the strip of land between the mountains and the coast (the modern Asturias), still furnished a retreat to the natives, and afterwards sheltered the remnants of the Goths from the Arab invasion, and became the cradle of the modern Spanish monarchy. In its retired position, its mountainous surface, and in a certain resemblance of climate, the Asturias is the Wales of Spain; and, in imitation of our principality, it gives to the heir apparent his title.

tion of LEGIO VII. GEMINA (Leon), NE. of Asta-
rica (It. Ant. p. 395): between Legio VII. and
Lacobriga were LANCE or Lancia, 9 M. P. (Sollanco or
Mansilla?), and Camala (Cea?); (4) A lower road
to Caesaraugusta (It. Ant. pp. 439, 440): Bedunia,
Brigaecium, 20 M. P. (prob. Benavente), the capital
20 M. P. (prob. La Bañeza), city of the Bedunenses:
of the Brigaecini. In the district between the moun-
tains and the coast, the chief cities were Lucus As-
turum (Ptol.: prob. Oviedo), perhaps the Ovetum
of Pliny (xxxiv. 17. s. 49); NOEGA, and Flavio-
navia (Ptol.: Aviles), on the coast.
To these may
be added, in the S. district, Intercatia, the city of
the Orniaci; Pelontium, city of the Lungones; Nar.
dinium, city of the Saelini (coins, Sestini, Med. Isp.
p. 172); Petavonium, city of the Superatii; and two
or three more, too insignificant to name. (Ukert,
vol. ii. pt. i. pp. 440-443; Forbiger, vol. ii. pp.
83-85.)
[P. S.]

ASTURIA. [ASTURES.]
ASTURICA AUGUSTA (Αὐγούστα Αστουρίκα,
Ptol.: 'AσToupikavoí, Asturicani: Astorga, Ru.), the
chief city of the ASTURES, in Hispania Tarraco-
nensis, belonging to the tribe of the Amaci, stood in
a lateral valley of the NW. mountains of Asturia, on
the upper course of one of the tributaries of the As-
tura (Esla). Under the Romans, it was the seat of
the conventus Asturicanus, one of the seven conven-
tus juridici of Hispania Tarraconensis. Respecting
the roads from it see ASTURES. It obtained the
title Augusta, doubtless, after the Cantabrian war,
when the southern Astures first became the subjects
of Rome; and from it the people S. of the mountains
were called Augustani. Pliny calls it urbs magni-
fica; and, even in its present wretched state, it
bears traces of high antiquity, and "gives a perfect
idea of a Roman fortified town." (Ford, p. 308.)
"The walls are singularly curious, and there are
two Roman tombs and inscriptions, near the Puerta
de Hierro." (Ibid.) The mythical tradition of the
descent of the Astures from Astur, son of Memnon
(Sil. Ital. iii. 334), is still cherished by the people
of Astorga, who make the hero the founder of their
city. There are two coins ascribed to Asturica:
one, of uncertain application, inscribed COL. AST.
AUGUSTA., which may belong to ASTA or ASTIGI ;
the other, of doubtful genuineness, with the epigraph
COL. ASTURICA. AMAKUR. AUgusta.

Asturica is one of Ptolemy's points of astronomical observation, being 3 hrs. 25 min. W. of Alexandria, and having 15 hrs. 25 min. for its longest day. (Plin. iii. 3. s. 4; Ptol. ii. 6. § 36, viii. 4. § 5; It. Ant.; Sestini, p. 104; Eckhel, vol. i. p. 35.) [P.S.]

Under the Romans, Asturia possessed several flourishing cities, nearly all of which were old Iberian towns: most of them were situated in the S. division, the valleys and plain watered by the ASTURA and its tributaries. The capital, ASTURICA AUGUSTA (Astorga), the city of the Amaci, was the centre of several roads, which, with the towns upon them, were as follows (comp. Ptol. ii. 6. § 29): -(1) On the road SW.to BRACARA AUGUSTA (Braga, in Portugal; Itin. Ant. p. 423): ARGENTIOLUM, 14 M. P. (Torienzo or Torneras? La Medulas, Ford): Petavonium, 15 M. P. (Poybueno or Congosta?). (2) NW. also to Bracara, branching out into three different roads through Gallaecia (It. Ant. pp. 423, 429, 431): Interamnium Flavium, 30 M. P. (Ponferrada or Bembibre?): Bergidum, 16 M. P. (prob. Castro de la Ventosa, on a hill near Villa Franca, in a Swiss-like valley at the foot of the mountain pass leading into Gallaecia), beyond which, the following places on the same road, which would seem to belong properly to Gallaecia, are assigned by Ptolemy to Asturia: Forum Cigurrorum (youßpwv, corrected from 'Eyoúppwv), the Forum of the Itinerary, the chief city of the Cigurri (Plin.), now Cigarrosa or S. Estevan de Val de Orres, with ruins and a Roman bridge, where the people preserve a tradition that an old town once stood there, named Guigurra: Nemetobriga (Mendoya), the city of the 2. (Εth. Αστυπαλαιεύς, Αστυπαλαιάτης, ΑstyTiburi. (3) E. to CAESARAUGUSTA (Zaragoza; It. palacensis: called by the present inhabitants AstroAnt. pp. 448, 453): Vallata, 16 M. P. (prob. Puente palaea, and by the Franks Stampalia), an island in the de Orrigo): Interamnium, 13 M. P. (Villaroane): Carpathian sea, called by Strabo (x. p.392) one of the Palantia, 14 M. P. (Valencia de S. Juan): Vimi- Sporades, and by Stephanus B. (s. v.) one of the Cynacium, 31 M. P. (Valderaduei or Beceril?): at the clades, said to be 125 (Roman) miles from Cadistus next station, LACOBRIGA, 10 M. P., in the VACCAEI, in Crete (Plin. iv. 12. s. 23), and 800 stadia from this road was joined by that from the military sta-Chalcia, an island near Rhodes. (Strab. I. c.) Pliny

ASTYCUS ('AOTUKÓS: Vrávnitza, or river of Istib), a river of Paeonia, flowing into the Axius, on which was situated the residence of the Paeonian kings. (Polyaen. Strat. iv. 12; Leake, Northern Greece, vol. iii. pp. 464, 475.)

ASTYPALAEA ('Aσrumáλaia). 1. A promontory on the W. coast of Attica, between the promontories Zoster and Sunium and opposite the island of Eleussa. (Strab. ix. p. 398; Steph. B. s. v.; Leake, Demi, p. 59.)

describes Astypalaea (1. c.) as 88 miles in circumference. The island consists of two large rocky masses, united in the centre by an isthmus, which in its narrowest part is only 450 or 500 feet across. On the N. and S. the sea enters two deep bays between the two halves of the island; and the town, which bore the same name as the island, stood on the western side of the southern bay. To the S. and E. of this bay lie several desert islands, to which Ovid (Ar. Am. ii. 82) alludes in the line:-" cinctaque piscosis Astypalaea vadis." From the castle of the town there is an extensive prospect. Towards the E. may be seen Cos, Nisyros, and Telos, and towards the S. in clear weather Casos, Carpathus, and Crete.

Of the history of Astypalaea we have hardly any account. Stephanus says that it was originally called Pyrrha, when the Carians possessed it, then Pylaea, next the Table of the Gods (ewv трánega), on account of its verdure, and lastly Astypalaea, from the mother of Ancaeus (Comp. Paus. vii. 4. § 1.) We learn from Scymnus (551) that Astypalaca was a colony of the Megarians, and Ovid mentions it as one of the islands subdued by Minos. ("Astypaleia regna," Met. vii. 461.) In B. c. 105 the Romans concluded an alliance with Astypalaea (Böckh, Inscr. vol. ii. n. 2485), a distinction probably granted to the island in consequence of its excellent harbours and of its central position among the European and Asiatic islands of the Aegaean. Under the Roman emperos Astypalaca was a "libera civitas." (Plin. l. c.) The modern town contains 250 houses and not

quite 1500 inhabitants. It belongs to Turkey, and is subject to the Pashah of Rhodes, who allows the inhabitants, however, to govern themselves, only exacting from them the small yearly tribute of 9500 piastres, or about 60%. sterling. This small town contains an extraordinary number of churches and chapels, sometimes as many as six in a row. They are built to a great extent from the ruins of the ancient temples, and they contain numerous inscriptions. In every part of the town there are seen capitals of columns and other ancient remains. We learn from inscriptions that the ancient city contained many temples and other ancient buildings. The favourite hero of the island was Cleomedes, of whose romantic history an account is given elsewhere. (Dict. of Biogr. art. Cleomedes.) Cicero probably confounds Achilles with this Cleomedes, when he says (de Nat. Deor. iii. 18) that the Astypalacenses worship Achilles with the greatest veneration.

bitants abandoned in order to build Cos. (Strab. xiv. p. 658; Steph. B.)

5. A promontory in Caria, near Myndus. (Strab. xiv. p. 657.)

A'STYRA ("Αστυρα, ̓́Αστυρον: Eth. Αστυρη vós), a small town of Mysia, in the plain of Thebe, between Antandros and Adramyttium. It had a temple of Artemis, of which the Antandrii had the superintendence. (Strab. p. 613.) Artemis had hence the name of Astyrene or Astirene. (Xen. Hell. iv. 1. § 41.) There was a lake Sapra near Astyra, which communicated with the sea. Pausanias, from his own observation (iv. 35. § 10), describes a spring of black water at Astyra; the water was hot. But he places Astyra in Atarneus. [ATARNEUS.] There was, then, either a place in Atarneus called Astyra, with warm springs, or Pausanias has made some mistake; for there is no doubt about the position of the Astyra of Strabo and Mela (i. 19). Astyra was a deserted place, according to Pliny's authorities. He calls it Astyre. There are said to

be coins of Astyra.

Strabo (pp. 591, 680) mentions an Astyra above Abydus in Troas, once an independent city, but in Strabo's time it was a ruined place, and belonged to the inhabitants of Abydus. There were once gold mines there, but they were nearly exhausted in Strabo's time. [G. L.]

ATABY'RIUM (ATа6úpiov, Steph. B. Hesych.; 'ITα6úpiov LXX.; Oa6wp: Jebel-et-Tûr), or TABOR, a mountain of Galilee, on the borders of Zebulon and Issachar. (Josh. xix. 22; Joseph. Antiq. v. 1. § 22.) It stands out alone towards the SE. from the high land around Nazareth; while the north eastern arm of the great plain of Esdraelon sweeps around its base, and extends far to the N., forming a broad tract of table-land, bordering upon the deep Jordan valley and the basin of the Lake Tiberias. It was before Mount Tabor that Deborah and Barak assembled the warriors of Israel before their great battle with Sisera. (Judges, iv. 6, 12, 14; Joseph. Antiq. v. 5. §3.) The beauty of this mountain aroused the enthusiasm of the Psalmist, when he selected Tabor and Hermon as the representatives of the hills of his native land; the former as the most graceful; the latter as the loftiest. (Ps. lxxxix. 12: comp. Jer. xlvi. 18; Hos. v. 1.) In B. c. 218 Antiochus the Great ascended the mountain, and came to Atabyrium, a place lying on a breast-formed height, having an ascent of more than 15 stadia; and by stratagem and wile got possession of the city, which he afterwards fortified. (Polyb. v. 70. § 6.) About 53 B. C. a battle took place here between the Roman forces under the proconsul Gabinius, and the Jews under Alexander, son of Aristobulus, in which 10,000 of the latter were slain. (Joseph. Antiq. xiv. 6. § 3, B. J. i. 8. § 7.) In the New Testament Mount Tabor is not mentioned. In later times Josephus (B. J. ii. 20. § 6, Vita, § 37) relates that he had himself caused Mt. Tabor to be fortified, along with various other places. He describes the mountain as having an ascent of 30 stadia (Rufinus reads 20 stadia, which corresponds better with the 15 stadia of Polybius, and is nearer the truth). On the N. it was inaccessible, and the summit was a plain of 26 stadia in circumference. The whole of this circuit Josephus enclosed with a wall in forty days, in which time the inhabitants had to bring water and materials from below, since they had only rainwater. (B. J. iv. 1. § 8.) Still later, when Jo

Hegesander related that a couple of hares having been brought into Astypalaea from Anaphe, the island became so overrun with them that the inhabitants were obliged to consult the Delphic oracle, which advised their hunting them with dogs, and that in this way more than 6000 were caught in one year. (Athen. ix. p. 400, d.) This tale is a counterpart to the one about the brace of partridges introduced from Astypalaea into Anaphe. [ANAPHE.] Pliny (viii. 59) says that the muscles of Astypalaca were very celebrated; and we learn from Ross that they are still taken off the coast. (Ross, Reisen auf den Griech. Inseln, vol. ii. p. 56, seq.; for inscriptions, see Böckh, Inscr. n. 2483, seq.; Ross, Inscr. ined. ii. 153, seq.)

3. A town in Samos, according to Stephanus (s. v.), said by others to be either the acropolis of the city of Samos (Polyaen. Strat. i. 23. § 2), or the name of half of the city. (Etym. M.)