Arginusae

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography

ARGINU´SAE(αἱ Ἀργινοῦσαι), three small islands near the mainland of Aeolis, and near Canae on the mainland. (Strab. p. 617.) They lay between Canae and Mytilene in Lesbos, and 120 stadia from Mytilene. Thucydides (Thuc. 8.101) speaks of Arginusae of the mainland, as if there were a place on the mainland so called. Off these islands the ten generals of the Athenians gained a naval victory over the Spartans, B.C. 406. (Xen. Hell. 1.6)
Stephanus (s. v. Ἀργέννουσα) describes Argennusa as an island on the coast of Troas, near a promontory Argennon. This description,given on the authority of Androtion, does not suit the Arginusae; but Stephanus does not mention them elsewhere. Pliny (Plin. Nat. 5.31)places the Arginusae iv. M. P. from Aege. The modern name of the islands is said to be Janot.
[G.L]

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