Page:A dictionary of the Book of Mormon.pdf/261

Moroni, City of. Moroni, who still keeps ward and watch over these treasures.  MORONI, CITY OF. An important city on the Atlantic coast, in the extreme southeast of the Nephite possessions. It was, doubtless, named after the illustrious Nephite general who was commander-in-chief of their armies at the time this city was founded (B. C. 72). It was built as an outpost to protect that portion of the Nephite dominions from Lamanite invasion and was, consequently, strongly fortified. In B. C. 67 it was captured by the Lamanite forces of Amalickiah, and fortified and held by them until B. C. 61. It was here that Teancum slew Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites, and was himself killed before he could get back to his own soldiery. Of this city we are told nothing more until the time of its destruction, though it undoubtedly fell into the hands of the Lamanites more than once at the times of their successful invasions of the lands of the Nephites. When it was destroyed, at the hour of the Savior's crucifixion, it sank in the depths of the sea and its inhabitants were drowned; and the blue waters of the Atlantic ocean still cover it.   MORONI, LAND OF. The district immediately surrounding the city of the same name. It had for its eastern boundary, the Atlantic ocean, and the great wilderness that separated the Nephites from the Lamanites lay along its southern edge; indeed, until it was settled by the Nephites (about B. C. 72), it formed a portion of that wilderness. The events associated with this land, that are given in the greatest detail in the Book of Mormon, are those connected with the close of the great war commenced by Amalickiah, and continued by his brother Ammoron. In B. C. 61, the Lamanites had been driven out of every Nephite land which they had previously captured, except Moroni, where their armies were massed on the borders of the wilderness. The day after their 