by them from the Siculians, others apparently new settlements. Little historical dependence can of course be placed on these statements, but they were probably meant to distinguish the cities in question from those which were designated by tradition as of Pelasgian origin, or colonies of Alba.
Sallust (Cat. 6) speaks of the Aborigines as a rude people, without fixed laws or dwellings, but this is probably a mere rhetorical exaggeration: it is clear that Varro at least regarded them as possessed of fortified towns, temples, oracles, &c.; and the native traditions of the Latins concerning Janus and Saturn indicate that they had acquired all the primitive arts of civilisation before the period of the supposed Trojan colony.[ E. H. B. ]
ABRAUANNUS (Αβραουάννος), Ptol. ii. 3. § 2), a river of Britannia Barbara, which discharges itself a little northward of the Promontorium Novantum, or Mull of Galloway into Luce-Bay. Abravannus is probably the stream which flows through Loch Ryan into the sea—Ab-Ryan, or the offspring of Ryan, being easily convertible into the Roman form of the word Ab-Ryan-us—Abravannus.[ W. B. D. ]
ABRINCATUI, a Gallic tribe (Plin. iv. 18), not mentioned by Caesar, whose frontier was near the Curiosolites. Their town Ingena, called Abrincatae in the Notitia Imperii, has given its name to the modern Avranches; and their territory would probably correspond to the division of Avranchin.[ G. L. ]
ABROTONUM (Άβροτονον), a Phoenician city on the coast of N. Africa, in the district of Tripolitana, between the Syrtes, usually identified with Sabrata, though Pliny makes them different places. (Scylax, p. 47; Strab. p. 835; Steph. B. s. v.; Plin. v. 4)[ P. S. ]
ABSY'RTIDES or APSY'RTIDES (Άψυρτίδες: Eth.Άψυρτευς, Άψυρτυς: Cherso and Osero), the name of two islands off the coast of Illyricum, so called because, according to one tradition, Absyrtus was slain here by his sister Medea and by Jason. Ptolemy mentions only one island Apsorrus (Άψορρος), on which he places two towns Crepsa (Κρεψα) and Apsorrus. (Strab. p. 315; Steph. Byz. s. v.; Mel. ii. 7; Plin. iii. 26; Ptol. ii. 16. § 13.)
ABUS (δΆυς) or ABA (Plin. v. 24. s. 20), a mountain in Armenia, forming a part of the E. prolongation of the Anti-Taurus chain, and separating the basins of the Araxes and of the Arsanias of the S. branch of the Euphrates (Murad). The latter of these great rivers rises on its S. side, and, according to Strabo, the former also rises on its N. side. According to this statement, the range must be considered to begin as far W. as the neighbourhood of Erzeroom, while it extends E. to the Araxes S. of Artaxata. Here it terminates in the great isolated peak, 17,210 feet high, and covered with perpetual snow, which an almost uniform tradition has pointed out as the Ararat of Scripture (Gen. viii. 4), and which is still called Ararat or Agri-Dagh, and, by the Persians, Kuh-i-Nuh (mountain of Noah): it is situated in 39° 42' N. lat., and 44° 35' E. long. The summit forms the culminating point of W. Asia. The chain itself is called Ala-dagh. (Strab. pp. 527, 591; Ptol. v. 13.)[ P. S. ]
ABUS (Άβος, Ptol. ii. 3. § 6: Humber), one of the principle rivers, or rather estuaries in the Roman province of Maxima Caesariensis in Britain, it receives many tributaries, and discharges itself into the
ABYDUS.
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German Ocean south of Ocelum Promontorium (Spurn Head). Its left bank was inhabited by the Celtic tribe, whom the Romans entitled Parisi, but according to a medieval poet cited by Camden, no great town or city anciently stood on its banks.[ W. B. D. ]
ABUSI'NA, ABUSENA, a town of Vindelicia, situated on the river Abens, and corresponding nearly to the modern Abensberg. Abusina stood near to the eastern termination of the high road which ran from the Roman military station Vindenissa on the Aar to the Danube. Roman walls are still extant, and Roman remains still discovered at Abensberg.[ W. B. D. ]
ABY'DUS. 1. (ήΆβυδος, Abydum, Plin. v. 32: Eth. Άβυδηνός, Abydenus), a city of Mysia on the Hellespontus, nearly opposite Sestus on the European shore. It is mentioned as one of the towns in alliance with the Trojans. (Il. ii. 836.) Aidos or Avido, a modern village on the Hellespont, may be the site of Abydos, though the conclusion from a name is not certain. Abydos stood at the narrowest point of the Hellespontus, where the channel is only 7 stadia wide, and it had a small port. It was probably a Thracian town originally, but it became a Milesian colony. (Thuc. viii. 61.) At a point a little north of this town Xerxes placed his bridge of boats, by which his troops were conveyed across the channel to the opposite town of Sestus, B.C. 480. (Herod. vii. 33.) The bridge of boats extended, according to Herodotus, from Abydus to a promontory on the European shore, between Sestus and Madytus. The town possessed a small territory which contained some gold mines, but Strabo speaks of them as exhausted. It was burnt by Darius, the son of Hystaspes, after his Scythian expedition, for fear that the Scythians, who were said to be in pursuit of him, should take possession of it (Strab. p. 591); but it must soon have recovered from this calamity, for it was afterwards a town of some note; and Herodotus (v. 117) states that it was captured by the Persian general, Daurises, with other cities on the Hellespont (B.C. 498), shortly after the commencement of the Ionian revolt. In B.C. 411, Abydus revolted from Athens and joined Dercyllidas, the Spartan commander in those parts. (Thuc. viii. 62.) Subsequently, Abydus made a vigorous defence against Philip II., king of Macedonia, before it surrendered. On the conclusion of the war with Philip (B.C. 196), the Romans declared Abydus, with other Asiatic cities, to be free. (Liv. xxxiii. 30.) The names of Abydus and Sestus are coupled together in the old story of Hero and Leander, who is said to have swam across the channel to visit his mistress at Sestus. The distance between Abydus and Sestus, from port to port, was about 30 stadia, according to Strabo.
