Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 1.djvu/138

 122 AMEBIOLA. which bzasches off from the Via Glodia at Baccanas {Baccano) and leada through Nepe and Faierii to Amelia and thenoe to Tnder: this can be no other than Uie Via Amerina mentioned in an inscription of the time of Hadrian (Orell. 3306). The dis- taoces, as given in the Table, make Ameria distant 67 M. P. from Home by this roate, which agrees vexy doselj with a casual statement of Cicero (jpro Sex. Ro9c. 7. § 18) that it was 56 miles from the DOB to the other. The Castellnm Amerinum placed bj the Table at 9 M. P. from Ameria on the road to Faierii is otherwise nnknovin. [£. H. B.] AMEBI'OLA, a city of ancient Latiom, mentioned by Livy among those rednoed by foroe of arms by the elder Tarqoin (i. 38). It is here ennmerated among the " Prisci Latini " and doubtless at this period was one oil the thirty dties of the league : but its name is not found in the later list given by Dionysius (v. 61), nor does it again occur in lustoiy; and it is only noticed by Pliny (iiL 5. s. 9) among the extinct cities of LatiuuL From the names with which it is associated in Livy we may probably infer that it was situated in the neighbouriiood of the Comiculan Hills: and it has been conjectured by Gell and Nibby that some mins still visible on the northernmost of the three hills, about a mile north of MU S. Angelo, may be those of Amerida. They consist of some remnants of walls, of irregular poly- gonal ooDstruction, running round a defensible eminence, and indicating the site of a small town. But the distance from Mte S. Angdo (on the summit of which there was certainly an ancient city, whether Comiculum or Medullia) is however so small as to render it improbable that another independent town should have existed so close to it. (Gell, Top. of Borne, p. 52 ; Nibby, Dintorm cU iZomo, vol. i. p. 138 ; Abeken, MiUel-Italien, p. 78.) [£. H. B.] AME'SELUM (rh 'AmVcAov) a town of Sidly, mentioned only by Diodorus(xxii. Exc Hoesch.p.499), from whom we learn that it was situated between Centuripi and Agyrium, in a position of great natural strength. It was taken, in b. g. 269, by Hieron long of Syracuse, who destroyed the dty and fortress, and cUvided its territory between its two neighbours the Centuripini and Agyrians. Its exact site is unknown. [E. H. B.3 AME'STRATUS {'Afifiorparos, Steph. B.: Eth, Amestratinus: MistrettaX a dty of Sicily, noticed only by Cicero and Steph. B. From the drcnmstance mentioned by the former, that Verres compelled the inhabitants of Calacte to deliver thdr tithes of com at Amestmtus instead of at Calacte itself, it is clear that it was not very far from that dty: and this fact, coupled with the resemblance of the name, enables us to fix its site at Misirettay now a con- siderable town, situated on a hill about 5 miles from the N. coast of Sicily near Sto. St^ano, and 10 from Carojiia (Calacte). According to Fazello, consider- able remains of antiquity were still visible there in his time; but the place is not described by any recent travdler. We learn from Cicero that it was a small and poor town, though enjoying munidpal privi- l^;es. (Cic in Verr. iii. 39, 43, 74 ; Steph. B. s. v. ; Fazell. de Reb, Sicul. x. p. 415; Cluver. SiciL p. 383.) It is probably the same place as the Amastra of Sihus Italicus (xiv. 267), but there is no foundation for identifying it (as has been done by Cluverins and most subsequent geographers) with the Mytis- tratns of Polybius and 'Pliny: both names being perfectly well authenticated. [Mytistbatub.] AMISUS. That of Amestiiitus, in addition to the testinunj of Cicero and Stephanus, is fully sapportcd by die evidence of its coins, which have the name at foil AMHXTPATINnN. (Castdl SicU, Vet. Num. pL 16 ; Eckhel, voL i. p. 197.) [E. H. B.] A'MIDA ("A/ufia: Eth. 'AfuhiwAs, Amideoai: Diyar-Bekr). The modem town is on the rigbt bank of the Tigris. The waUs are lofty and sub- stantial, and constmcted of the ruins of andeut edifices. As the place is well adi^)ted for a com- mercial dty, it is probable that Amida, wbicfa occupied the site of JHjfar-Behry was a town of considerable antiquity. It was enlarged and stieogUi- ened by Constantins, in whose reign it was besiegd and taken by the Persian king Sapor, a. d. 359. The historian Ammianus MaroeUinus, who todc part in the defence of the town, has given us a minate account of the siege. (Anun. Marc xix. 1, aeq.) It was taken by the Persian king Cabades in tbe reign of Anastasius, a. d. 502 (Prooop. B. Pen. L 7, seq.); but it soon passed again into the hands of the Bomans, since we read that Justidaa re- paired its walls and fortifications. (Procop. d» Aedif. iii. 1.) Ammianus and Prooopius consider it a dty of Mesopotamia, but it nuiy be more properiT viewed as bdonging to Armenia Major. [G. L] AMILUS CAfuAof : Eth, 'A^uAios), a tillage of Arcadia in the territoiy of Orchomenns, and on the road fipom the latter to Stymphalos. (Pans. viiL 14. §5; Steph. B. «.v.) AMI'SIA, a place on the left bank of the river Amisia (Em$), in Germany. (Tacit. ^Mi.iL8.) This place, which is not mraitioiied by sny other an- dent author, is perhaps the same as the town of mentioned by Stephanus Byzantinns as a town of Germany. (Comp. Ledebur, Land «. Volk der Brucierer, p. 180, foil.) [L. S.] AMI'SIA or AMI'SIUS CA/u2<riosor'Aftfur{a,the j^ffu), a river in northern Germany, rising in the hills of the Weserj and emptying itself into tlie Ger- man Ocean near the town of Emden. The river was well known to, and navigated by the Bomans. In B. c. 12, Dmsus fought on it a naval battle against the Bructeri. (Mela, iii 3; Plin. H.N. iv. 14, who calls the river Amuituf Tadt. Ann. i. 60, 63, 70, iL 23, who calls it Amitiaf Strab. p. 290; Ptolem. iL 11; oomp. Ledebur, Land u. Voik der Bructerer, p. 180.) [L. S.] A'^nSUS (AtiuT6s: Eth. 'Afuariv6sj^Afiiffun, Amisenus: Eski Saantun), a dty of Pontus in Asia Minor, situated on the west side of the bay called Amisenus, about 900 stadia from Sin<^ according to Strabo (p. 547). The ruins of Amisos are on a promontoiy about a mile and a half NNW. of the modem town. On the east side of the promontoiy was the old port, part of which is now filled up. The pier which def(^ed the andent harbour may still be traced for about 300 yards, but it is chiefly under water: it cansists of very large blocks of stone. On the summit of the hill where the acropo- lis stood there are many remains of walls <^ ruU>Ie and mortar, and the ground is strewed with frag- ments of Boman tiles and pottety. On the south end of the brow of the hill which overlooks the harbour there are traces of the real Hellenic walls. (Hamilton, Retearchee in Asia Minor ^ voL i. p. 290.) The origin of Amisns appears to be uncertain. Hecataeus (Strab. p. 553) supposed it to be the Enete of Homer (//. iL 852). Theopompas, quoted by Strabo, says that it was first founded by the
 * A/ui(rcm noticed byPtdemy (ii. 11), and the^A/utrira