Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 1.djvu/270

 Mela and Ptolemy, as well as in the Itinerary. (Mel. ii. 4; Ptol. iii. l. § 20; Itin. Ant. p. 313, but in p. 101 it is distincly called "Atero civitas.") From existing remains we learn that the ancient city occupied both banks of the river close to its mouth, which was converted by artificial works into a port. Some vestiges of these still remain, as well as the ruins of an ancient bridge. (Romanelli, vol iii. pp. 79—82.) The modern city of Pescaro, a very poor place, though a strong fortress, is situated wholly on the S. side of the river: it appears to have been already known by its modern appellation in the time of P. Diaconus, who mentions it under the name of Piscaria (ii. 21).

ATERNUS (: Aterno), a considerable river of Central Italy, flowing into the Adriatic Sea between Adria and Ortona. Strabo correctly describes it (v. p. 241) as rising in the neighbourhood of Amiternum, and flowing through the territory of the Vestini: in this part of its course it has a SE. direction, but close to the site of Corfinium it turns abruptly at right angles, and pursues a NE, coarse from thence to the sea, which it enters just under the walls of Pescara. At its mouth was situated the town of Aternum, or, as it was sometimes called, "Aterni Ostia". In this latter part of its course, according to Strabo (l. c.), it formed the limit between the Vestini and Marrucini; and there is little doubt that this statement is correct, though Pliny and Mela extend the confines of the Frentani as far as the Aternus, and Ptolemy includes the mouths both of that river and the Matrinus in the territory of the Marrucini. (Plin. iii. 12. s. 17; Mela, ii. 4; Ptol. iii. I. § 20.) In the upper part of its course it flows through a broad and trough-like valley, bounded on each side by very lofty mountains, and itself elevated more than 2000 feet above the sea. The narrow gorge between two huge masses of mountains by which it escapes from tins upland valley, must have always formed one of the principal lines of communication in this part of Italy; though it was not till the reign of Claudius that the Via Valeria was carried along this line from Corfinium to the Adriatic. (Inscr. ap. Orell. 711.) Strabo mentions a bridge over the river 24 stadia (3 miles) from Corfinium, near the site of the modern town of Popoli; a point which must have always been of importance in a military point of view: hence we find Domitius during the Civil War (B.C. 49) occupying it with the hope of arresting the advance of Caesar. (Caes. B. C. i. 16.) The Aternus, in the upper part of its course, still retains its ancient name Aterno, but below Popoli is known only as the Fiume di Pescara — an appellation which it seems to have assumed as early as the seventh century, when we find it called "Piscarius fiuvius". (P. Diac. ii. 20.) It is one of the most considerable streams on the E. side of the Apennines, in respect of the volume of its waters, which are fed by numerous perennial and abundant sources.

 ATESTE (, Ptol.: Eth. Atestinus: Este), a city of Northern Italy, situated in the interior of the province of Venetia, at the foot of the Euganean hills, and about 18 miles SW. of Patavium. (Ptol. iii. 1. § 30; PHn. iiL 19 s. 23; Martial,x. 93; Itin. Ant. p. 281, where the distance from Patavium is reckoned 25 M. P.) We learn from Pliny that it was a Roman colony; and it is mentioned also by Tacitus (Hist. ill 6) in a manner that clearly shows it to have been a place of consideration under the Roman Empire. But an inscription preserved by

Maffei (Mus. Veron. p. 106; Orell. Inscr. 3110) proves that it was a municipal town of some Importance as early as B.C. 136, and that its territory adjoined that of Vicentia. The modern city of Este is famous for having given title to one of the most illustrious families of modern Europe; it is a considerable and flourishing place, but contains no ancient remains, except numerous inscriptions. These have been collected and published by the Abbate Furlanetto. (Padova, 1837, 8vo.) About 5 miles E. of Este is Monselice which is mentioned by Paulus Diaconus (iv. 26), under the name of, as a strong fortress in the time of the Lombards; but the name is not found in any earlier writer.

 ATHACUS, a town in the upper part of Macedonia, of uncertain site, probably in Lyncestis. (Liv. xxxi. 34.)

 ATHAMA'NIA : Eth. , -; in Diod. xviii. 11, ), a district in the SE. of Epeirus, between Mount Pindus and the river Arachthus. The river Achelons flowed through this narrow district. Its chief towns were Argithea, Tetraphylia, Heracleia, and Theudoria; and of these Argithea was the capital. The Athamanes were a rude people. Strabo classes them among the Thessalians, but doubts whether they are to be regarded as Hellenes. (Strab. ix. p. 434, x. p. 449.) They are rarely mentioned in Grecian history, but on the decay of the Molossian kingdom, they appear as an independent people. They were the last of the Epirot tribes, which obtained political power. The Athamanes and the Aetolians destroyed the Aenianes, and the former extended their dominions as far as Mt Oeta. (Strab. p. 427.) The Athamanes were most powerful under their king Amynander (about B.C. 200), who took a prominent part in the wars of the Romans with Philip and Antiochus. (''Dict. of Biogr.'' art. Amynander.) They were subsequently subdued by the Macedonians, and in the time of Strabo had ceased to exist as a separate people (ix. p. 429). Pliny (iv. 2) erroneously reckons Athamania as part of Aetolia.

 ATHAMA'NTIUS CAMPUS. 1. A plain in Boeotia, between Acraephimn and the lake Copais, where Athamas was said to have formerly dwelt. (Pans. ix. 24. § 1; Leake, Northern Greece, vol. ii. p. 306.) 2. A plain in Phthiotis, in Thessaly, round Halus or Alus, so called from Athamas, the founder of Halus. (Apoll. Rhod. ii. 514; Etym. M. s. v.; Leake, Ibid. vol. iv. p. 337.)

 ATHANA'GIA, a city of Spain, within the Iberus, the capital of the Ilergetes according to Livy (xxi. 61), but not mentioned by any other writer. Ukert (vol. ii. pt. 1. p. 451) takes it for Afframaut, near the ancient Ilerda.

 ATHE'NAE. Besides the celebrated city of this name, Stephanus B. (s. v.) mentions eight others, namely in Laconia, Caria, Liguria, Italy, Euboea, Acarnania, Boeotia, and Pontus. Of these three only are known to us from other authorities.

1., a town in Boeotia, near the promontory Cenaeum, founded by the Athenians (Strab. x. p. 446), or according to Ephorus, by Dias, a son of Abas. (Steph. B. s. v.) 2. An ancient town of Boeotia, on the river Triton, and near the lake Copais, which, together with the neighbouring town of Eleusis, was destroyed by an inundation. (Strab. ix. p. 407; Paus. 