Arethusa

ARETHU´SA


1. （Ἀρέθουσα: Eth. Ἀρεθούσιος, Arethusius, Plin. Nat. 5.23), a city of Syria, not far from Apamea, situated between Epiphania and Emesa. (Anton. Itin.; Hierocles.) Seleucus Nicator, in pursuance of his usual policy, Hellenized the name. (Appian, App. Syr. 57.) It supported Caecilius Bassus in his revolt (Strab. p. 753), and is mentioned by Zosimus (1.52) as receiving Aurelian in his campaign against Zenobia. (For Marcus, the well-known bishop of Arethusa, see Dict. of Biog. s. v. ) It afterwards took the name of Rastan(Abulf. Tab. Syr. p. 22), under which name it is mentioned by the same author (An. Mus. 2.213, 4.429). Irby and Mangles visited this place, and found some remains (p. 254).


2. （ Zazúk), a lake of Armenia, through which the Tigris flows, according to Pliny (Plin. Nat. 6.31). He describes the river as flowing through the lake without any intermixture of the waters. Bitter ( Erdkunde, vol. x. pp. 85, 90, 101; comp. Kinneir, Travels, p. 383) identifies it with the lake Nazúk, which is about 13 miles in length, and 5 in breadth at the centre. The water is stated to be sweet and wholesome; which does not correspond with the account of Pliny. [E.B.J]


3. A fountain at Syracuse. [SYRACUSAE]


4. A fountain close to Chalcis in Euboea, which was sometimes disturbed by volcanic agency. Dicaearchus says that its water was so abundant as to be sufficient to supply the whole city with water. (Dicaearch. Βίος τῆς Ἑλλάδος, p. 146, ed. Fuhr; Strab. 1. p. 58, 10. p. 449; Eurip. Iphig. in Aul. 170; Plin. Nat. 4.12.) There were tame fish kept in this fountain. (Athen. 8. 331e. f.) Leake says that this celebrated fountain has now totally disappeared. ( Northern Greece, vol. 2. p. 255.)


5.
A fountain in Ithaca [ITHACA]


6.
A town of Bisaltia in Macedonia, in the pass of Aulon, a little N. of Bromiscus, and celebrated for containing the sepulchre of Euripides. (Ammian. 27.4; Itin. Hierosol. p. 604; Leake, Northern Greece, vol. 3. p. 170.) We learn from Scylax (100.67) that it was an ancient Greek colony. It was probably founded by the Chalcidians of Euboea, who may have called it after the celebrated fountain in the neighbourhood of their city. Stephanus B. (s. v.) erroneously calls it a city of Thrace. It was either from this place or from Bromiscus that the fortified town of Rentine arose, which is frequently mentioned by the Byzantine historians. (Tafel, Thessalonica, p. 68.)