Abdēra, ōrum, n., and ae, f., =Ἄβδηρα.
I Abdera, a town on the southern coast of Thrace, not far from the mouth of the Nestus, noted for the stupidity of its inhabitants. It was the birthplace of the philosophers Protagoras, Democritus , and Anaxarchus ; n., Liv. 45, 29, 6; Gell. 5, 3, 3; f., Ov. Ib. 469; Plin. 25, 8, 53, § 94 dub.; 4, 11, 18, § 42: hic Abdera, non tacente me, here was Abdera itself, Cic. Att. 4, 17, 3 (4, 16, 6).—
2 Folly, stupidity , madness , Cic. l. l. (cf.: id est Ἀβδηριτικόν, i. e. stupid , id. Att. 7, 7, 4, and Arn. 5, p. 164; Juv. 10, 50; Mart. 10, 25, 4).—
B Hence, derivv.
1 Abdērīta and Abdērītes , ae, m., =Ἀβδηρίτης, an Abderite : Democritus Abderites, Laber. ap. Gell. 10, 17: Abderites Protagoras, Cic. N. D. 1, 23, 63; cf. id. Brut. 8: de Protagora Abderita, id. de Or. 3, 32, 128: Abderitae legati, Liv. 43, 4, 8; cf. id. § 12 sq.; Vitr. 7, 5, 6; Just. 15, 2 al.—
2 Ab-dērītānus , a, um, adj., of Abdera , meton. for stupid, foolish : Abderitanae pectora plebis habes, Mart. 10, 25, 4.—
II A city of Hispania Baetica, on the southern coast , now Adra , Mel. 2, 6, 7; Plin. 3, 1, 3, § 8.