TINGIS(Τίγγις, Strab. 3. p. 140, and Τίγα, 17. p. 827; in Ptol. 4.1.5, Τίγγις Καισάρεια), a very ancient city on the N. coast of Mauretania. Mela (1.5) calls it Tinge, Pliny (Plin. Nat. 5.1. s. 1) Tingi. It lay 60 miles W. of the promontory of Abyla ( Itin. Ant. p. 9, &c.) and 30 miles from Belo on the opposite coast of Spain (Plin. l. c.). Mela and Pliny record the tradition of its foundation by Antaeus, whilst according to Plutarch it was founded by Sophax, a son of Hercules and the widow of Antaeus ( Sert. 9). In that neighbourhood was the fabled grave of Antaeus, and his skeleton 60 cubits long (Strab. 17.829, cf. 3. p. 422). These mythic legends serve at least to indicate the great antiquity of the place. (Cf. Strab. l. c.;Solin. 100.45.) It was raised by Augustus to the rank of a free city （Dio Cass.), and in the time of Claudius became a Roman colony (Plin. l. c.; Itin. Ant. 8, 12) and the capital of the province of Tingitana. It was also a place of considerable trade. Now Tangier.
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