Sithŏnia, a country of Thrace between mount Hæmus and the Danube. Sithonia is often applied to all Thrace, and thence the epithet Sithonis, so often used by the poets. It received its name from king Sithon. Horace, bk. 1, ode 18, li. 9.—Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 6, li. 588; bk. 7, li. 466; bk. 13, li. 571.—Herodotus, bk. 7, ch. 122.
Sitius, a Roman who assisted Cæsar in Africa with great success. He was rewarded with a province of Numidia. Sallust, Jugurthine War, ch. 21.
Sitones, a nation of Germany, or modern Norway, according to some. Tacitus, Germania, ch. 45.
Sittace, a town of Assyria. Pliny, bk. 6, ch. 27.
Smaragdus, a town of Egypt on the Arabian gulf, where emeralds (smaragdi) were dug. Strabo, bk. 16.
Smenus, a river of Laconia rising in mount Taygetus, and falling into the sea near Hypsos. Pausanias, bk. 3, ch. 24.
Smerdis, a son of Cyrus, put to death by order of his brother Cambyses. As his execution was not public, and as it was only known to one of the officers of the monarch, one of the Magi of Persia, who was himself called Smerdis, and who greatly resembled the deceased prince, declared himself king, at the death of Cambyses. This usurpation would not, perhaps, have been known, had not he taken too many precautions to conceal it. After he had reigned for six months with universal approbation, seven noblemen of Persia conspired to dethrone him, and when this had been executed with success, they chose one of their number to reign in the usurper’s place, B.C. 521. This was Darius the son of Hystaspes. Herodotus, bk. 3, ch. 30.—Justin, bk. 1, ch. 9.
Smilax, a beautiful shepherdess who became enamoured of Crocus. She was changed into a flower, as also her lover. Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 4, li. 283.
Smilis, a statuary of Ægina in the age of Dædalus. Pausanias, bk. 7.
Smindyrides, a native of Sybaris, famous for his luxury. Ælian, Varia Historia, bk. 9, ch. 24, & bk. 12, ch. 24.