Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/982

 962 SEMIRAMIDIS MONS. Sape (Sobah), on the left bank, 17 days' journey above Meroe, and Daron asain on the Arabian side. Without being able to define the position of this tribe, or to state their relations to the Aethiopians of Meroe, we shall perhaps not err in placing them on the Blue Nile [Astapus], and in the neighbour- hood of Axume. The geographers (Heeren, &c.) who describe the Sembritae as dwelling near the White Nile, have forgotten both their vicinity to Arabia — i. e. the eastern portion of Meroe — and the cliaracter of the regions which the Astapus and Astaboras respectively water. The White Nile flows through lagoons and morasses unsuiled for towns and permanent settlements; while the Blue Nile has always had on its banks a numerous population, dwelling in large villages and towns. Along the Blue Nile ran the principal highways of the trade of Aegypt with Southern Aethiopia, while the White Nile led off to the uncivilised and scattered tribes of the Libyans. The Sembritae, if seated on the latter river, would probably have eluded observation altogether ; whereas on the former they would be as well known to the caravans and their guides as any other of the Aethiopian races. Moreover, the meso- potamian districts suited to towns lie to the east of Aethiopia Proper, and would afford a secure retreat to the refugees from Aegypt in search of a new ha- bitation. (See Cooley's Claudius Ptolemy and the Nile, pp. 7 — 27.) The pre.sent Senaar coiTesponds nearly with tlie territory of the Sembritae. [W.B.D.] SEMIRA'MIDIS MONS (Xeixeipai.dSos opos), a remarkable circular mountain on the N. side of the Persian gulf, and the eastern limit of Caramania. It is noticed both by Arrian {Peripl. M. E. p. 20, ed. Huds.) and by Jlarcian {Peripl. M. Ext. c. 27, ed. Miiller, 1855), who states that it was opposite to Mt. Pasabo, in Arabia, and that these two moun- tains, with their proiuontories, form the straits at the entrance of the gulf of Persia. Ptolemy speaks of it, and states that it was also called Strongylus, probably from its form (vi. 8. § 11). Its modern name appears to be Elbourz. (Vincent, Voyage of Nearchus, i. p. 319—321.) [V.] SE.MNONES (^^ixvwvis or "Zip-vovis), or per- haps more correctly Sennones, are described as the most ancient and illustrious among the Suevi in the north of Germany. They dwelt between the Albis and Viadus, being surrounded on the west by the Cherusci, on the south by the Silingi, on the east by the Manimi and Burgundiones, and on the north-west by the Longobardi. (Tac. Germ. 39; Ptol. ii. 11. §§ 15, 'l7; VelL Pat. ii. 106.) Their country accordingly extended from the hills of Lusatia in the south, as far as Potsdam in the north, and in it they formed 100 commu- nities (pagi), which gave them such strength that they regarded themselves as the head of the Suevi. Their country contained an ancient forest (Semnonum Silva), hallowed by awful superstition and sacrificial rites; at stated seasons deputies from all the kindred tribes met in it, and commenced their proceedings with a human sacrifice. No one, moreover, was allowed to enter this forest except he was bound in chains, a mark of humiliation in the presence of the god; and if any one stumbled he was not permitted to rise, but had to crawl along. As to the history of the Semnones, we learn from Ta- citus (^Ann. ii. 45) and Strabo (vii. p. 290) that in the time of Augustus they were united with the JIarcomanni under Jlaroboduus. In the Monu- mentum Ancyranum the Semnones, are mentioned SENA. - among the German tribes which sought the fiiend- ship of the emperor and the Romans. They appear to have been governed by kings, one of whom bore the name of Masyus, and reigned in the time of Domitian. (Dion Cass. Isvii. 5, comp. Isxi. 20.) After the reign of M. Aurelius they are no loncer mentioned in history, from which circumstance some have unnecessarily inferred that the Semnones were not a distinct tribe, but only a general name for several kindred tribes. As to the Silva Senmonum, it is generally supposed to have existed near Fin- sterwalde or Sonnemoalde, between the rivers Elster and Spree, where three large places have been dis- covered, which were evidently intended as a sort of altars. (Kruse, Deidsche Alterth. vol. ii. part 2, p. 132; Zeuss, Die Deutschen, p. 130.) [L. S.] SENA(2^»'7}, Pol.: 2ii»'a. Strab. : Eth. Senensis), called also for distinction's sake Sena Gallica (^ivaydWiKa, Ptol.: Sinigaglid), a city of Umbria, but situated in the district known as the Gallicus Ager, on the coast of the Adriatic, at the mouth of a small river of the same name. The district in which it was situated had previously belonged to the Galli Senones, and there can be no doubt that both the river and town derived their name from that of this people. (Sih Ital. viii. 453; Pol. ii. 19.) It is therefore probable that there was a Gaulish town of the name before the Roman conquest, but we have no account of it until the establishment of a Roman colony there, which seems to have taken place immediately after the final subjection of the Senones in B.C. 289. (Pol. ii. 19; Liv. Epit. xi.) The colony must have been a " colonia civium." as its name is not mentioned by Livy among the Latin colonies in the Second Punic War. It was at Sena that the two consuls Livius and Nero united their forces before the battle of theMetaurus,;B.c.207 (Liv. xxvii. 46; Appian, Annih. 52; Vict. Vir. III. 48), on which account that battle is described by some au- thors as being fought "ad Senam," and even Cicero alludes to it as the " Senense praeUixm." (Cic. Brut. 18; Eutrop. iii. 18; Oros. iv. 18.) Its name is not again mentioned in history till the Civil Wars be- tween Maiius and Sulla, when it was taken and plundered by Pompeius, the lieutenant of Sulla, b. c. 82. (Appian, B. C. i. 88.) It seems to have always continued to be a flourishing and considerable town, and under the Triumvirate received a fresh accession of colonists. {Lib. Col. pp. 226, 258.) Its name is mentioned by all the geographers, as well as in the Itineraries. It was situated on the line of road which led along the coast from Ancona to Fanum Fortmiae, where it joined the Flaminian Way, pro- perly so called. (Strab. v. p. 227; Plin. iii. 14. s. 19; Ptol. iii. 1. § 22; I tin. Ant. pp. 100, 316; Tab. Pent.) The name was early corrupted from Sena Gallica into the contracted form Senogallia, which is already found in Pliny, and appears also in the Itineraries. The Geographer of Ravenna has Senegallia, thus approaching still more closely to the modern form of Sinigaglia. The city is mentioned as still in existence during the Gothic Wars, after the ftill of the Western Empire, and again under the Lombards (Procop. B. G. iv. 23; P. Diac. Eist. Lang. ii. 22) ; it was for some time also one of the cities of the Pentapolis under the exarchs of Ra- venna, but fell into decay in the middle ages, and is alluded to by Dante in the 14th century as verging rapidly to extinction. (Dante, Par. xvi. 75.) It, how- ever, revived again, and is now a flourishing town, with a considerable trade, but has no ancient remains.