Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Kadesh, oasis, ancient Palestine

(Encyclopedia)Kadesh –bärnēˈə [key], oasis in the desert S of ancient Palestine, mentioned frequently in the Bible, notably as a limit of Edom. Another biblical name is En-mishpat. ...

Olympia, city, ancient Greece

(Encyclopedia)Olympia, ancient city, important center of the worship of Zeus in ancient Greece, in Elis near the Alpheus (now Alfiós) R. It was the scene of the Olympic games. The great temple of Zeus was especial...

Magnesia, ancient cities, Lydia

(Encyclopedia)Magnesia măgnēˈzhə [key], two ancient cities of Lydia, W Asia Minor (now W Turkey). They were colonies of the Magnetes, a tribe of E Thessaly. One city (Magnesia ad Maeandrum), SE of Smyrna (Izmir...

Mari, ancient city, Mesopotamia

(Encyclopedia)Mari mäˈrē [key], ancient city of Mesopotamia (modern Syria). It is on the middle Euphrates, south of its junction with the Habor (Khabur). The site was discovered by chance in the early 1930s by A...

Memphis, city, ancient Egypt

(Encyclopedia)Memphis mĕmˈfĭs [key], ancient city of Egypt, capital of the Old Kingdom (c.3100–c.2258 b.c.), at the apex of the Nile delta and 12 mi (18 km) from Cairo. It was reputedly founded by Menes, the f...

Laconia, ancient region, Greece

(Encyclopedia)Laconia lăsˌədēˈmən [key], ancient region, S Peloponnesus, Greece, bounded on the W by Messenia and on the N by Arcadia and Argolis. On the Eurotas (now Evrotás), the principal river, stood Spa...

Kish, ancient city, Mesopotamia

(Encyclopedia)Kish kĭsh [key], ancient city of Mesopotamia, in the Euphrates valley, 8 mi (12.9 km) E of Babylon and 12 mi (19 km) east of the modern city of Hillah, Iraq. It was occupied from very ancient times, ...

Palmyra, ancient city, Syria

(Encyclopedia)Palmyra pălmīˈrə [key], ancient city of central Syria. A small modern village known as Tudmor or Tadmor (the Syrian Arabic name of Palmyra) is nearby; residents were relocated from the ancient sit...

Babylon, ancient city, Mesopotamia

(Encyclopedia)Babylon băbˈəlŏn [key], ancient city of Mesopotamia. One of the most important cities of the ancient Middle East, it was on the Euphrates River and was north of the cities that flourished in S Mes...

Tula , ancient city, Mexico

(Encyclopedia)Tula to͞oˈlä [key], ancient city in the present state of Hidalgo, central Mexico. It was one of the chief urban centers of the Toltec. The city is believed to be Tollán, the legendary Toltec capit...