Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/400

 384 MYGDONIA. MYGDO'NIACMtrySoj'ia: Eth. MuV"". Steph. B.), a district of Macedonia, which comprehended the plains round Thessalonica, together with the valleys of Klisali and Besikia, extending towards the E. as far as the Asius (Herod, vii. 123), and including the Lake Bolbe to the E. (Thue. i. 58.) To the N. it was joined by Crestonia, for the Echi- dorus, which flowed into the gulf near the marshes of the Axius, had its sources in Crestonia (Herod. vii. 124), while the pass of Anion or Arethusa was probably the boundary of Mygdonia towards Bisaltia. The maritime part of Mygdonia formed a district called Amphaxitis, a distinction which first occurs in Polvbius (v. 98), who divides all the great plain at the" head of the Thermaic gulf into Amphaxitis and Bottiaea, and which is found three centuries later in Ptolemy (iii. 13. § 36). The latter introduces Amphaxitis twice under the sub- divisions of Macedonia,— in one instance placing under that name the mouths of the Echidorus and Axius, with Thessalonica as the only town, which agrees with Polybius, and particularly with Strabo (vii. p. 330). In the other place, Ptolemy includes Stagura and Arethusa in Amphaxitis, which, if it be correct, would indicate that a portion of Am- phaxitis, very distant from the Axius, was separated from the remainder by a part of Mygdonia; but as this is improbable, the word is perhaps an error in the text. The original inhabitants, the Slygdonians, were a tribe belonging to the great Thracian race, and were powerful enough to bequeath their name to it, even after the Macedonian conquest. (Thuc. ii. 99.) The cities of this district were Thessa- i-ONicA, SiNDUS, Chalastra, Altus, Strefsa, Cissus, Mellisurgis, Heragleustes. Besides these, the following obscure towns occar in Ptolemy (I.e.): — Chaetae, Moryllus, Antigoneia, Calindaea, Boerus, Physca,Trepillus,Carabia, Xylopolis, Assorus, Lete, Phileros. As to the towns which occupied the fertile plain between Mt. Cissus and the Axius, their population was no doubt absorbed by Thessalonica, on its foundation by Cassander, and remains of them are not likely to be found ; nor are the ancient references sufficient to indicate their sites. One of these would seem, from ancient inscriptions which were found at Khaiviit, to have stood in that position, and otliers probably occupied similar positions on the last falls of the heights which extend nearly from Khaindt to the Axius. One in particular is indicated by «ome large '• tumuli " or barrows, situated at two- tiiirds of that distance. (Leake, North. Greece, vol. iii. p. 448.) [E. B. J.] MYGDO'NIA (Mu75ow'a, Plut. Lucull. c. 32; Polyb. v. 31), a district in the NE. part of Mesopo- tamia, adjoining the country now called the Sinjar. According to Strabo, the people who were named Mygdones came originally from Macedonia, and oc- cupied the district extending from Zeugma to Tha- psacus (xvi. p. 747) ; as, however, he states in the same place that Nisibis was called by the Mace- duniaus " Antiocheia in Mygdonia," and places it in the immediate neighbourhood of JI. Masius, he would appear to have thought that it was on the eastern side of Mesopotamia. Plutarch relates the same story of the Greek name of Nisibis (Lucull. c. 32). In Stephanus Byz. the name is written Mux^ofia, which is probably an error. In many of tlie earlier editions of Xenophon, a people are epnken of who are called '^vyhovLoi ; the later and better editions read, however, Map5u;'(oi, which is more probable (^Anab. iv. 3. § 4). [V.J JIYLAE. MYGDO'NIUS {VivyUvtos, Julian. Orat. p. 27), the river which flows by the town of Nisibis (now Nisihin). It takes its rise, together with the Kha- bur and one or two other streams, in the M. Masius (now Karja BagUlar). Its present name is the Hermes or Nahr-al-Uuali. [V.] MYLAE {UvKai: Eth. UvXair-ns, Steph.B.;Mu- Xatos, Diod. : Milazzo),s. city on the N. coast of Sicily, about 30 miles from Cape Pelorus, and20from Tyn- daris, though Strabo calls it 25 miles from each of these points. (Strab. vi. p. 266.) It was situated on the narrow neck or isthmus of a projecting pe- ninsular headland, about 5 miles in length, the furthest point of which is only about 15 miles from the island of Hiera or Vulcano, the nearest to Sicily of the Lipari islands. Jlylae was undoubtedly a Greek colony founded by the Zanckeans, and appears to have long continued subject to, or dependent on its parent city of Zancle. (Strab. vi. p. 272; Seym. Ch. 288.) Hence Thucydides speaks of Himera as in his time the only Greek city on the N. coast of the island, omitting Mylae, because it was not an inde- pendent city or state. (Thuc. vi. 62.) The period of its foundation is wholly uncertain. Siefert would identify it with the city called Chersonesus by Euse- bius, the foundation of which that author assigns to a period as early as B.C. 716, but the identification is very questionable. (Euseb. Chron. ad 01. 161; Siefert, Zanlde-Messana, p. 4.) It is certain, however, that it was founded before Himera, B. c. 648, as, according to Strabo, the Zanclaeans at Mylae took part in the colonisation of the latter city. (Strab. vL p. 272.) Mylae itself does not appear to have ever risen to any great importance; and after the revolu- tion which changed the name of Zancle to that of Messana, still continued in the same dependent re- lation to it as before. It was, however, a strong fortress, with a good port; and these advantages which it derived from its natural situation, rendered it a place of importance to the Messanians as secur- ing their communications with the N. coast of the island. Scylax speaks of it as a Greek city and port (Scyl. p. 4. § 13), and its castle or fortress is mentioned by several ancient writers. The earliest historical notice of the city is found in b. c. 427, when the Athenian fleet under Laches which was stationed at Rhegium, made an attack upon Mylae. The place was defended by the Messanians with a strong garrison, but was compelled to surrender to the Athenians and their allies, who thereupon marched against Messana itself. (Thuc. iii. 90; Diod. xii. 54.) After the destruction of Messana by the Carthaginian general Himilcon, Mylae ajjpears to have for a time shaken off its dependence; and in B. c. 394, the Rhegians, becoming alarmed at the restoration of Slessana by Dionysius, which they regarded as directed against themselves, pro- ceeded to establish at Mylae the exiles from Naxos and Catana, with a view to create a countercheck to the rising power of Messana. The scheme, how- ever, failed of effect; the Rhegians were defeated and the Jlessanians recovered possession of Slylae. (Diod. XIV. 87.) That city is again noticed during the war of Timoleon in Sicily; and in b. c. 315 it was wrested by Agathocles, from the Messanians, though he was soon after compelled to restore it to them. (Id. xix. 65; Plut. Timol. 37.) It was in the immediate neighbourhood of Mylae also (eV t^ MyAoio) TreSio)) that the forces of the Mamertines were defeated in a great battle, by Hieron of Syra- cuse, B. c. 270 (Pol. i. 9; Diod. sxii. 13); though