Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/282

 266 JIAOGAJMALCHA. remarkable volcanic cone of Sipun Tdgli. (St. JIartin, Mtm. sur VArmenie, vol. i. p. 105; Ritter, ErcUcimde, vol. ix. ji. 994.) [E. B. J.] JIAOGAJIALCHA (Ammian. xxiv. 4), a place in Mesopotamia, attacked and taken by Julian. It was distant about 90 stadia from Ctesiphon. (Zosim. iii. 21.) It appears to have been strongly fortified and well defended. Zasimus evidently alludes to the same place (J. c), though he does not mention it liy name. [V.] SIAON (Maojj'), a city of Judah, in the moun- tains, south of Hebron. It is joined with Carmel, and Zipb, and Juttah (Josh. xv. 55), known only as the residence of Kabul and Abigail (1 Sam. xsv. 2). " The wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon," is identical with or cojitiguous to the wilderness of Ziph, where David and his men hid themselves in the strongholds from the malice of Saul (xxiii. 14 — 25). It is placed by Eusebius in the east of Daroma {Onomast. s. v.) Its site is marked by ruins, still called Main, situated between Cnrmel and Zuph, half an hour south of the former. [Carmel, V(.1. I. p. 521.] [G. W.] MAPHAKITIS (Ma'pap'iTi^), a district of Arabia Felix, lying about the city of Sava (SavT)), which is ])laced by Arrian three days' journey from JIuza, on the Red Sea. [Muza.] He mentions the king's name, Cholaebus (XoAaigos). (Periplus Maris Eryth. p. 1 3.) The Sava of Arrian is probably identical with the Sapphara or Sapphar of Ptolemy (2a7r<f)apa al. 2a7r(J)ap /.tTjTpoTroAis, vi. 7. § 41), the capital no doubt of a tribe named by him Sappharitae (2air<;)apiTa[), the Jlapharitis of Arrian. They are distinct from the MAPnoRiTAE of Ptolemy. [G. W.] JIAPHORI'TAE (MacfopTrai), a people of Arabia Felix, placed by Ptolemy above, i. e. north of, the Rathini, and west of the outer Frankincense country (J] mrhs 2iJvpvo(p6pos contiguous to the Chatra- mamititae (vi. 7. § 25). The similarity of name indicates a connection between this tribe and the Maepha metropolis of the same geographer; the same as the " Aphae metropohs " of Arrian, which he ])laces 9 days' journey east of his JIaphoritis regio, and therefore 12 days from the Red Sea. It was the capital of Charibal-l, the lawful king of the Homeritae and their neighbours the Sabaitae, styled the friend of the Roman emperors, to whom he is said to have sent frequent embassies. [JIaepha.] The district is probably that now known as Wadi/ Mayfa, in the midst of which is situated the remarkable ruins now called Xakab-el- IJtijar, which are supposed to mark the site of the metropolis. This fruitful valley com- mences above the ruins in question and is well culti- vated throughout. It is thus described by Lieut. Wellsted, who traversed its southern part in 1838: — " NaJcah-el-LIajar (ancient Maepiia, q. v.) is situ- ated north-west, and is distant 48 miles from the village of 'Ain, which is marked on the chart in latitude 14° 2' north, and longitude 46° 30' east, nearly. It stands in the centre of a most extensive valley, called by the natives Wady Meifah, which, whether we regard its fertility, population, or extent, is the most interesting geographical feature we have yet discovered on the southern coast of Arabia. Taking its length from where it opens out on the sea-coast to the town of 'Ahhcin, it is 4 days' journey, or 75 miles. Beyond this point I could not ex.actly ascertain the extent of its prolongation; various native authorities give it from 5 to 7 additional days. Throughout the whole of this space it is thickly studded with villages, hamlets, and culti- MARATHESIUM. vaf ed grounds. In a journey of 1 5 miles, we counted more than thirty of the former, besides a great number of single houses." (Wellsted, Travels in A rahiu, voki.p.436.) [G.W.] MAPONIS, in Britain, occurring in Geogr. Ea- venn. among the diversa hca, without any clue to guide us to its locality. An inscription to a topical deity ]Iapon (Deo JIapono), discovered at Plumphm in Cnmherland ; and another (Apollini Mapono) at Ribchesfer, in Lancashire, merely strengthen the probability of the existence of a place so called in Britain, without disclosing its situation. Maporiton also appears in Geogr. Ravenn. among the towns in the north of Britain. [C. R. S.] JIARA'BIUS (Mapd§ios, Mapoiigios, Ptol. v. 9. § 2), a river of Sarmatia, which Eeichard has iden- tified with the Manyez, an afiluent of the Don, on the left bank of that river. Some have considered the Manyez to represent the Achardeus ('Axap- Seos), but Strabo (xi. p. 506) expressly says that the latter discharges itsdf into the Maeotis. (Scha- farik, Slav. Alt. vol. i. pp. 60, 500.) TE. B. J.] MARACANDA (MapaKafSa, Strab.'xi. p. 517; Arrian, iii. 30, iv. 5; Ptol. vi. 11. § 9), the capital of Sogdiana, now Samarcand. It is said by Strabo to have been one of the eight cities which were built in those parts by Alexander the Great. Ptolemy places it in Bactriana. Arrian (iii. 30) states that it contained the palace of the ruler of the Sogdiani, but does not apparently credit the story that Alex- ander had anything to do with the building of it. Curtius states that the city was 70 stadia in circum- ference, and surrounded by a wall, and that he had destined the province for his favom-ite, Clitus, when the unfortunate quarrel took place in which he was slain (viii. 1. § 20). Professor Wilson (Ariana, p. 165) considers that the name has been derived from the Sanscrit Samara-khanda, " the warlike province." In many of the old editions the word was written Paracanda, but there can be no doubt that Maracanda is the correct form. Samarcand has been in all ages a great entrepot for the com- merce of Central Asia. [V.] MARANl'TAE (Uapav^rai, Strab. xvi. p. 776 ; MapaviLs), an ancient people on the W. coast of Arabia Felix, near the comer of the Aelaniticus Sinus, destroyed by the Garindaei. MAEAPHII (Mapa^ioi, Herod, i. 125), one of the three tribes into which the highest class of the ancient Persians was divided, according to Hero- dotus. The other two were the Pasargadae and the Maspii. [V.] MA'RATHA (MapaOa), a village of Arcadia, in the district Cynuria, between Buphagium and Gortys, perhaps represented by the ruin called the Castle of Leodhoro. (Paus. viii. 28. § 1 ; Leake, Morea, vol. ii. p. 66, Peloponnesiaca, p. 232.) MARATHE, a small island near Corcyra, men- tioned only by Pliny (iv. 12. s. 19). MARATHE'SIUM (Map07j(noj/ : Eth. Mapad-n- crios), an Ionian town on the coast of Lydia, south of Ephesus, and not far from the frontiers of Caria, whence Stephanus (s. v.) calls it a town of Caria. (Scylax, p. 37 ; Phn. B. N. v. 31 .) The tovru at one time belonged to the Samians ; but they made an ex- change, and, giving it up to the Ephesians, received Neapolis in return. (Str.ab. xiv. p. 639.) Col. Leake (Asia Minor, p. 261) believes that a few ancient ruins found at a place called Skalanova mark the site of Marathesium, though others regard them as remains of Pygela. [L. S.]