Memphis (mod. Mit Rahina; 29 ̊ 51 ’ N, 31 ̊ 15 ’ E): on west bank of the Nile, about 30 km
upstream of the apex of the Delta; first capital of united Upper and Lower Egypt
(H 2.99). Here Alexander of Macedon celebrated a Greek-style victory in 332
BCE, and Ptolemy V was crowned in the temple of Ptah according to Egyptian rites (196
BCE). PECS 571, S. Shenouda; OCD3 955, D.J. Thompson; EAAE 488 – 490, D. Jeffreys;
BAGRW 75-E1; BNP 8 (2006) 654–656, K. Jansen-Winklen.
A, I.
Me ̄n Karou (near mod. Gereli; 37 ̊ 55 ’ N, 28 ̊ 55 ’ E): on the Lukos river, upstream from
Antioch on the Maiandros, and downstream of Laodikeia on the Lukos; site of a
temple to Me ̄n, an Anatolian horned god of healing and fertility; here was a He ̄rophilean
medical school: S 12.8.20. OCD3 955 – 956, R.L. Gordon; BAGRW 65-A2; BNP 8
(2006) 656–658, G. Petzl.
See: A L, A (H.), D
(H.), H S, Z (H.).
Mende ̄ (mod. Kalandra; 39 ̊ 58 ’ N, 23 ̊ 24 ’ E): coastal colony of Euboian Eretria on the
western peninsula of the Khalkidike ̄, south of Poteidaia; declined in importance after
founding of Kassandreia. PECS 572, S.G. Miller; OCD3 957 – 958, S. Hornblower;
BAGRW 51-A5; BNP 8 (2006) 670–671, M. Zahrnt.
P.
Mende ̄s (mod. Tell el-Ruba; 30 ̊ 57 ’ N, 31 ̊ 31 ’ E): ancient city in the north-east of the Delta
of the Nile, east of Sebennutos, and west of Pe ̄lousion; flourished under the Ptolemies,
declined under Rome. OCD3 958, D.J. Thompson; EAAE 497 – 498, D. Hansen; BAGRW
74-F3; BNP 8 (2006) 671, S.J. Seidlmayer.
B, O ̄, T (?).
Messe ̄ne ̄ (Sicily) (mod. Messina; 38 ̊ 11 ’ N, 15 ̊ 33 ’ E): at the north-east corner of Sicily,
on the straits of Messina, colonized in the 8th c. BCE (as “Zankle ̄”) by Cumae and Euboia;
founded Himera. Occupied by Rhe ̄gion and renamed after the Peloponnesian region ca
480 BCE (T 6.4.5–6). Independent from Rhe ̄gion and allied with Surakousai
in the late 5th c. Taken and sacked by Carthage 396 BCE, liberated by Surakousai
393 BCE; under whom until 354 BCE, then again from 337 BCE (with brief interruptions).
Unemployed mercenaries from Campania seized the town 288 BCE and in 264 BCE
precipitated war between Carthage and Rome; after 241 BCE under Rome as Messana,
a prosperous ciuitas foederata. Base of operations for Pompey’s war against C. PECS
998 – 999, G. Scibona; OCD3 963, H.K. Lomas; BAGRW 47-H2; BNP 8 (2006) 752– 753
(#1), H. Sonnabend. (To be distinguished from the Peloponnesian Messe ̄ne ̄, BAGRW 58-B3;
BNP 8 [2006] 762–765 [#2], Y. Lafond.)
A, D.
Metapontion (mod. Metaponto; 40 ̊ 22 ’ N, 16 ̊ 48 ’ E): coastal city of Lucania at two river
mouths, colonized from Akhaia; a prosperous site in rivalry with Taras; burial site of
P. Supported Athens against Sicily in 413 BCE; dominated by Taras from
370 BCE until captured by Kleonumos of Sparta. PECS 574 – 575, R. Holloway; OCD3
968, H.K. Lomas; BAGRW 45-E4; BNP 8 (2006) 792–793, A. Muggia.
E (?), H, T.
Me ̄thumna (mod. Mithimna/Molyvos; 39 ̊ 22 ’ N, 26 ̊ 10 ’ E): on north coast of Lesbos
island, antagonist of Mutile ̄ne ̄; involved in founding Assos. (See Lesbos.) PECS 502 – 503
(s.v. Lesbos), M. Paraskevaïdis; OCD3 969, D.G.J. Shipley; BAGRW 56-C3; BNP 8 (2006)
806 – 807, H. Sonnabend.
GAZETTEER