Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/367

 METHORA. ME'THORA (UiOopa, Arrian, Indie. 8), a small state in the centre of India, which was subject to the great tribe of the Prasii. It was situated near, if not upon, the Jomanes or Juvina (Plin. vi. 19. s. 22), and has, with much probability, been as- sumed to be on the site of the present Allaha- bad. [V.] METHURIADES (MeSoupiaSes), a group of small islands, lying between Nisaea, the port of Megara, and Salamis. (Plin. iv. 12. s. 19.) Strabo describes them, without mentioning their names, as five small islands, lying before Nisaea to a person sailing into Attica (ix. p. 393). Stephanus B. («. i>.) loosely speaks of them as lying between Aesina and Attica. METHY'DRIUM {yiMfipiov. Eth.Mee-jSpieis), a town in central Arcadia, situate 170 stadia north of Megalopolis (Pans. viii. 35. § 5), obtained its name, like Interamna, from being situated upon a lofty height between the two rivers JIaloetas and Mylaon. (Paus. viii. 36. § 1.) It was founded by Orchomenus; but its inhabitants were removed to Jlegalopolis, upon the establishment of that city. It never recovered its former population, and is mentioned by Strabo (viii. p. 388) among the places of Ai-cadia which had almost entirely disappeared. It continued, however, to exist as a village in the time of Pausanias, who saw there a temple of Poseidon Hippius upon the river llylaon. He also mentions, above the river Maloetas, a mountain called Thaumasium, in which was a cave where Rhea took refuge when pregnant with Zeus. At the distance of 30 stadia from Jlethydriuin was a fountain named Nymphasia. (Paus. viii. 36. §§ 1 — 3, comp. viii. 12. § 2, 27. §§ 4. 7.) Methydrium is also mentioned in the following passages : Thuc. v. 58 ; Polyb. V, 10, 11, 13; Phn. iv. 6. s. 10; Steph. B.s.v. There is some difficulty in determining the exact site of Methydrium. Some writers identify it with the Hellenic remains called Palatia- but these are not on a lofty bill between two rivers, but in a low situation above the junction of the rivers on the right bank of one of them. Jlethydrium should rather be placed 45 minutes further, at the distance of 10 miles SE. of the village of Nimnilzu, where there are some ancient ruins, one between two streams, on a height below Pt/rgo, otherwise called Pyrgdko. It is true that tins also is not a lofiy liill; but Pausanias uses the expression koXoivos {i^ns, and vxprjXSs has reference to KoAwvbs, which means only a slight elevation. (Leake, Morea, vol. ii. p. 57, Peloponnesiaca, p. 201; Boblaye, Recherches, cfc. p. 151 ; Ross, Reken im Peloponnes, p. 116; Curtius, Pdoponnesos, vol. i. p. 309.) METHYMNA (M-ndv/nfa, and on coins Medufiva, mievfiva: Eth. Mrjevfivaios), a town in Lesbos, the most important next after Mytilene. It was situated on the northern shore of the island, where a cliannel of 60 stadia (Strab. xiii. p. 618) inter- vened between it and the coast of the mainland near Assos. _ One of the earliest notices of the Methymnaeans IS the mention of their conquest of Arisba, another town of Lesbos, and their enslaving of its citizens. (Herod. 1. 151.) The territory of Methymna seems to have been contiguous to that of Mytilene, and this may have been one cause of the jealousy be- tween the two cities. The power and fame of Mytilene was on the whole far greater; but in one period of the history of Lesbos, Blethynina enjoyed greater prosperity. She did not join the revolt of METROPOLIS. )1 the other Lesbians from Athens in the Peloponncsian War (Tliuc.iii.2, 18), andshe was therefore exeiu|,tL'd from the severe punishment which fell on Mytilene. (Thuc. iii. 50.) Hence she retained the old privilege of furnishing a naval contingent instead of a tribute in money. (Thuc. vi. 85, vii. 57.) Shortly before the battle of Arginusae, Methymna fell into the power of the Lacedaemonians, and it was on this occasion that the magnanimous conduct of Callicratidas pre- sented so remarkable a contrast to that of the Athe- nians in reference to Mytilene. (Xen. Hellen. i. 6. § 14.) After this time Methymna seems to have become less and less important. It comes into notice, however, in every subsequent period of history. It is mentioned in the treaty forced by the Romans (b.c. 154) between Attains II. and Prusias IL (Polyb. xsxiii. 11.) It is stated by Livy (xlv. 31) and by Pliny (v. 31) to have in- corporated the inhabitants of Antissa with its own. Its coins, both autonomous and imperial, are nu- merous. It was honourably distinguislied [see Lesbos] for its resistance to the Mahomedans, both in the 12th and 15th centuries; and it exists on the same spot at the present day, under the name of Moliuo. We have no information concerning the buildings and appearance of ancient Methymna. It evidently possessed a good harbour. Its chief fame was con- nected with the excellent wine produced in its neighbourhood. (Virg. Georg. ii. 90; Ovid, Art. Am. i. 57; Hor. Sat. ii. 8. 50.) Horace {Od. i. 17. 21) calls Lesbian wine "innocens;" and Athenaeus (ii. p. 45) applies the epitLet ivcndnaxos to a sweet Lesbian wine. In another place (i. p. 32) he describes the medicinal effect of the wine of this island. (See also i. pp. 28, 29 ; and Aul. Cell. xiii. 5.) Pliny says (xiv. 9) that it had a salt taste, and ap- parently mentions this as a merit. Pausanias, in his account of Delphi (x. 19), tells a story of some fishermen of Jlethymna dragging in their nets out of the sea a rude image of Bacchus, which was afterwards worshippeil. Methymna was the birthplace of the poet and musician Arion. Myrsilus alao, who is .said to have written a history of Lesbos, is supposed to have been born here. rj. g. h .] COIN OF METHYJINA. METHYMNA (MTjei^^"")), a city in Crete, near Rhocca, which Aeliaii (iV. A. xiv. 20) mentions in connection with a curious story respecting a remedy for hydrophobia discovered by a Cretan fisherman. Mr. Pashley (Trav. vol. ii. p. 40) considers that the remains near the chapel of IhUjhios Ge6r(jhius, by Nop/a, on the extreme eastern edge of the plain of Kisamokasttli, represent Methymna. [E. B. J.] METINA INSULA. [K'iiodanits.] METIOSEDUJL [JIelouunum.] ]E'T0RES (MsTo/jf y, Ptol. vi. 4. § 3), a branch of the great robber tribe of the JIaidi, who were h-ettled in Persis. Their name is sometimes written JliriROTOLIS (Mvrp6Trots : Eth. Mrjr/oTro- AiTvjj.) 1. A town in the Caystrian plain in