Part 16 (2/2)

DACIA, a country extending between the Danube and the Carpathian mountains to the mouth of the Danube, and to the Euxine, comprising a part of Upper Hungary, Transylvania, and Moldavia. The inhabitants to the west, towards Germany, were called _Daci_; those to the east towards the Euxine were called _Getae_. The whole country was reduced by Trajan to a Roman province.

DAHae, a people of Scythia, to the south of the Caspian, with the Ma.s.sagetae on the east. Virgil calls them _indomitique Dahae_.

DALMATIA, an extensive country bordering on Macedonia and Maesia, and having the Adriatic to the south.

DANDARIDae, a people bordering on the Euxine. Brotier says that some vestiges of the nation, and its name, still exist at a place called _Dandars_.

DANUBE, the largest river in Europe. It rises in Suabia, and after visiting Bavaria, Austria, Hungary, and taking thence a prodigious circuit, falls at last into the Black or Euxine sea. See Manners of the Germans, s. 1. note g.

DELOS, the central island of the Cyclades, famous in mythology for the birth of Apollo and Diana.

DELPHI, a famous inland town of Phocis in Greece, with a temple and oracle of Apollo, situate near the foot of Mount Parna.s.sus.

DENTHELIATE LANDS, a portion of the Peloponnesus that lay between Laconia and Messenia; often disputed by those states.

DERMONA, a river of Gallia Transpadana; it runs into the Ollius (now _Oglio_), and through that channel into the Po.

DIVODURUM, a town in Gallia Belgica, situate on the Moselle, on the spot where _Metz_ now stands.

DONUSA, or DONYSA, an island in the aegean sea, not far from _Naxos_.

Virgil has, _Bacchatamque jugis Naxon, viridemque Donysam_.

DYRRACHIUM, a town on the coast of Illyric.u.m. Its port answered to that of Brundusium, affording a convenient pa.s.sage to Italy.

E.

ECBATANA, the capital of Media; now _Hamedan_.

EDESSA, a town of Mesopotamia; now _Orrhoa_, or _Orfa_.

ELEPHANTINE, an island in the Nile, not far from Syene; at which last place stood the most advanced Roman garrison, _Not.i.tia Imperii_.

ELEUSIS, a district of Attica near the sea-coast, sacred to Ceres, where the Eleusinian mysteries were performed; now in ruins.

ELYMaeI, a people bordering on the gulf of Persia.

EMERITA, a city of Spain; now _Merida_ in the province of _Estramadoura_.

EPHESUS, an ancient and celebrated city of Ionia, in Asia Minor; now _Efeso_. It was the birth-place of Herac.l.i.tus, the weeping philosopher.

EPIDAPHNE, a town in Syria, not far from Antioch.

EPOREDIA, a town at the foot of the Alps, afterwards a Roman colony; now _Jurea_, or _Jura_, a city of Piedmont.

ERINDE, a river of Asia, mentioned by Tacitus only.

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