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Sotion, and Hegesinus ; the historians, Menodotus of Perinthus, Sosilus, Silenus, and Zenon of
Rhodes ; the grammarians, Demetrius of Scepsis, and Aristarchus ; other Greek writers, Polemon,
Adacus, and Mnaseas of Patara ; the painters, Nicias, and Athenion (Bryan) ; the Latin writers,
Fulvius Nobilior the historian, and Caecilius Statius the comic poet.
V I I . ROM AN D OM IN IO N .
“ The same y e a r ” (Liv., and Clint.), war commenced by the Romans against Philippus V. of
Macedonia: and an embassy from Ptolemy V., proposing to remain neutral, unless the Romans
should desire a different course.
“ In this year ” (according to Greek authority, “ Megasthenes” in Drur.), teaching writing on
school-boards introduced into Hindustan, — the method practised to the present day.*
“ 198 B. C.” (Clint, iii. p. 316), the army of Ptolemy V. led by the Aetolian general Scopas,
defeated at Panicum by Antiochus III. After inclining towards the cause of Antiochus III., the Jews
now submitted voluntarily, and passed from the dominion of Egypt.
Meum athamanticum of mountainous situations throughout middle Europe. Called in Britain
spicknel. ox mew (Ainsw., and Prior), in the drug-shops “ radix mei ” (Lindl.), in which we recognize
the M H 0 Y root of the theriac of Antiochus Philometor, inscribed on the temple of Aesculapius —
(Plin. XX. too, and Gal. antid. ii. 14), or the “ mêôn atharaantikon ” of Andromachus, Servilius
Damocrates, Paulus Aegineta, described by Dioscorides as abounding in Spain and Macedonia, in
stem and leaves resembling “ anëthô,” the roots warm to the taste and fragrant : named according
to Pliny XX. 94 as if discovered by Athamas, or by another account found of the best quality in the
A.thamantian district (in Boeotia). Westward, the “ meum ” is further mentioned by Pliny as sparingly
sown in Italy and only by physicians ; M. athamanticum is termed “ bervurtz ” by Hildegarde
ii. 142, was observed by Bartholem. Urbetanus and A. Palla Juvenatiensis on the mountains of N+rsia
(Spreng.) ; is described also by Gesner hort. f. 274, and Dalechamp p. 1170 (Spreng.) ; and is known
to grow in Northern Italy and throughout middle Europe as far as Britain (Jacq. austr. pl. 303, Pers.,
Engl. bot. pl. 2249, 2.nd Lenz). The roots according to Lindley “ are aromatic and sweet, something
like carrot,” and “ form an ingredient in Venice treacle.” Seeds of “ mu ” or “ mei ” are enumerated
by Alpinus as entering into the composition of the Egyptian theriac.
197 B. C. = “ 9th year of Ptolemy V .,” the date of the Poseita Stone: a decree in hieroglyphic
characters, with a translation in demotic, and also in Greek : — thus affording the means of recovering
the art of reading hieroglyphic writing.
“ 196 B. C.” (Polyb., Liv., and Clint), at the Isthmian games, Greece declared free by T. Ouinc-
tius Flamininus. ~
“ 195 B. C .” (Plut., Trog., and Schiegel journ. asiat 182S), Euthydemus succeeded by Apollo-
dotus Soter, fourth king of Bactria ; and (according to some authorities) also by Menander Nicator.
Coins of Apollodotus and Menander continued current in Barygaza (Baroach) in the time of the
author of the Erj'thraean Periplus, and to the present day are found in great numbers from Cabul as
far East as the Jumna (Sm. geogr. diet.).
“ 194 B. C. = 1st year of Hoeï-ti or Hiao-hoeï-ti, of the H a n ” or Seventh dynasty (Chinese
chron. table, and Pauth. p. 235). He revoked the decree against ancient books.
“ The same y e a r ” (Liv., Val. Max., and Clint), at Roman spectacles, separate seats first assigned
to senators.
“ In or about this y e a r ” (Suid., and Sm. b. d.), Eratosthenes succeeded by Apollonius Rhodius
in the charge of the Alexandrian Library.
* Alstonia scholaris of Tropical Eastern Asia and the Malayan archipelago. A tree called in
the environs of Bombay “ satween ” or “ shaitan” (Graham), in Bengalee “ chhatin,” in Telinga
“ edakula-ariti ” or “ edakula-ponna ” or “ edakula-pala ” or “ pala-garuda,” in Tamil “ ezhilaip-palaf”
(Drur.) ; and furnishing the school-boards in question : — the “ saptaparna” with fragrant flowers
according to Kalidasa ragh. iv. 23, prescribed medicinally by Susrutas, is referred here by W. Jones,
and Hessler : A. scholaris was observed by Rheede i. pl. 45 in Malabar ; by Graham, in “ the hilly
parts of the Concan pretty common” as far North as Bombay, employed by the natives medicinally
but held in “ superstitious fear,” supposed to assemble “ all the trees of the forest once a year to
pay homage ; ” was observed by Roxburgh, Wight, Nimmo, and Drury, as fara s Travancore, Coromandel,
and Assam; and is termed by Rumphius ii. pl. 82 “ lignum scholare ” from boys learning to
write on tablets of the wood (Pers.). Farther East, was observed by Blanco on the Philippines,"and
called in Tagalo “ dita,” in Ylocano “ dallopaven ; ” and apparently the same species, observed by
myself as far as the Feejee Islands.
3 9 7
192 B. C. (Liv., and Clint.), by Philopoemen, Sparta joined to the Achaean League.
“ The same y e a r ” (Porphyr., and Clint, iii. p. 399), marriage of Ptolemy V., with Cleopatra
daughter of Antiochus I II. of Syria.
“ 190 B. C .” (Liv., and Clint), eclipse o f the sun. And at “ Magnesia in Lydia,” Antiochus I II .
defeated by L. C. Scipio ; commanding the first Roman army fed into Asia.
“ 189 B. C. (the plebeian M. Fulvius Nobilior .and Cn. Manlius Vulso consuls,” Cic. tusc. i. 2,
and Sm. b. d.), Fulvius Nobilior, having “ obtained Aetolia as his province,” proceeding thither
accompanied by the poet Ennius.
“ 188 B. C .” (Liv., and Clint.), at Sparta, by Philopoemen again elected Achaean praetor, the
Laws o f Lycurgus abrogated.
“ 187 B. C. = is t year of Liu-chi or Kao-hoang-heou-Iiu-chi, of the Han ” or Seventh dynasty
(Chinese chron. table) ; the first woman who ruled China — (Pauth. p. 236).
“ The same y e a r ” (Polyb., and Clint.), embassies sent by the Achaean League to Rome
and Egypt ; and the alliance of Ptolemy V. with the Achaeans renewed. Before the close of
the year (Clmt. iii. 346), Antiochus I II . succeeded by Seleucus IV. Philopator, seventh Greek kin»
of Syria. “
“ 186 B. C. ( = 326 — “ 140 y rs.” of Masudi, Wilford as. res. ix. 181), in Hindustan, end of the
dynasty of Phour (Porus who was overcome by Alexander).
“ 184 B. C.” (Cic., and Clint.), at Rome, Cato appointed censor.
Smyrnium perfoliatum of the Mediterranean countries. Called in Greece “ tragogouli : ” the
MELANTHI I -ACETABVLVM by physicians called SM YRN I V M according to Cato 102,— or the
“ smyrnion ” of Pliny xxvii. 109 (whose account seems in great part taken from Dioscorides). is
referred here by writers : S. perfoliatum is described by Morison ix. pl. 4 ; is termed “ s. peregrinum
rotundo folio ” by Tournefort inst. 316; and is known to grow in Hungary, Italy, and Spain (Kitaib.,
Pers., and Lenz). Eastward, the “ smurnion” is described by Dioscorides as growing mostly on
mount Amanus and called in Cilicia “ pëtrôsëlinôn,” its stem “ sëlinô’’-like and umbel “ anêthôëithës”
with round black seeds tasting like myrrh for which they can be substituted : S. perfoliatum is termed
s. creticum ’ by Matthioli p. 366 ; and was observed by Sibthorp, Chaubard, and Fraas, frequent
on mountains from Cyprus to Crete and the Peloponnesus.
Asparagus officinalis of Western Europe. Called in Britain asparagus or sometimes sparrow-
grass (Prior), in Germany “ spargel” (Grieb), in France “ asperge ” (A . Dec.), in Italy “ sparag-
g io " or “ asparago” (Lenz), in which we recognize the ASPARAGVS cultivated according to Cato
lo i and especially succeeding in gardens at Ravenna, — mentioned also by Augustus (Suet. oct. 87),
Pliny xix. 42, Palladius iv. 9. 10, and a bundle of the young shoots distinctly figured at Pompeii
(Schouw 4) : A. officinalis is described by Blackwell pi. 332, is known to grow wild in Italy and
throughout middle Europe (Pers., and Lenz), is besides abundantly cultivated as far as Holland.
Eastward, has not been observed in Greece : but “ asparagus ” is enumerated by Alpinus among the
esculent plants of Egypt, and “ asparagus ” roots imported “ from Europe ” are according to Folskal
mat med. employed medicinally. Farther East, was observed by Thunberg under cultivation at
Jeddo in Japan, ancl called “ kikak kusi.” Possibly by European colonists carried to Hindustan
where it was observed by myself in the botanic garden at Bombay, and by Roxburgh, and Graham’
under cultivation, but no native name is given ; and to Burmah, where it is enumerated by Mason as
“ exotic,” and seems devoid of a native name. Clearly by European colonists was carried to Northeast
America, where it continues under cultivation, and occurs besides in wild situations perhaps
fairly naturalized. (See Asparagus tenuifolius).
Glyceria fu ita n s of Temperate climates. Called in Britain foat-grass or fote-grass (Prior)
and the VLVA-OVIVM of Cato 37, — and “ agröstis pôtamiôs ” of Dioscorides i'v. 30 (?) aré
referred here by Thiebault de Berneaud (Fde) : the “ flot grese ” is mentioned by Galfridus pr. pm. •
G. fluitans is termed “ gramen fliiviatile” by Gerarde, “ gr. paniculatum aquaticum fluitans ” by
Tournefort mst. 521; was observed by Desfontaines, and Munby, in Barbary; by Lemann, on
Madeira (A. Dec.) ; by Çrotero, in Portugal ; and is known to grow throughout middle and Northern
Europe as far as Sweden and Iceland (Hook., Fries, and Wats .). Eastward, was observed by
Sibthoip from the Peloponnesus to Constantinople ; is known to grow also in the Tauro-Caspian
countries (Bieb.), and on the Ural in Siberia (Ledeb.). Farther East, was observed by Drummond
at Cumberland House in Lat. 54° m central North America; by Nuttall, on the Arkansas; by
my.self, along the Atlantic from Lat. 43°; and is known to grow as far South as the Delaware
peninsula (Muhl.) and Upper portion of Carolina (Eli.). In the Southern Hemisphere, is known
to grow in Chill (Brogn. is t voy. Astrol. p. 39), and was observed by R. Brown i. p. 179 in
Australia. n
g u n d o festucoides of Barbary. The “ arundinis italiae ” used chiefly for vines, and directions
tor planting which are given by Cato, — or the “ ampelodesmon ” described by Pliny xvi. 67 to xvii.
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