Asconius Labeo, a preceptor of Nero.——Pedia, a man intimate with Virgil and Livy.——Another of the same family in the age of Vespasian, who became blind in his old age, and lived 12 years after. He wrote, besides some historical treatises, annotations on Cicero’s orations.
Ascra, a town of Bœotia, built, according to some, by the giants Otus and Ephialtes, at the foot of Mount Helicon. Hesiod was born there, whence he is often called the Ascrean poet, and whatever poem treats on agricultural subjects Ascræum carmen. The town received its name from Ascra, a nymph, mother of Œoclus by Neptune. Strabo, bk. 9.—Pausanias, bk. 9, ch. 29.—Paterculus, bk. 1.
Ascŭlum, now Ascoli, a town of Picenum, famous for the defeat of Pyrrhus by Curius and Fabricius. Florus, bk. 3, ch. 18.——Another in Apulia, near the Aufidus.
Asdrŭbal, a Carthaginian, son-in-law of Hamilcar. He distinguished himself in the Numidian war, and was appointed chief general on the death of his father-in-law, and for eight years presided with much prudence and valour over Spain, which submitted to his arms with cheerfulness. Here he laid the foundation of new Carthage, and saw it complete. To stop his progress towards the east, the Romans, in a treaty with Carthage, forbade him to pass the Iberus, which was faithfully observed by the general. He was killed in the midst of his soldiers, B.C. 220, by a slave whose master he had murdered. The slave was caught and put to death in the greatest torments, which he bore with patience, and even ridiculed. Some say that he was killed in hunting. Silius Italicus, bk. 1, li. 165.—Appian, Wars in Spain.—Polybius, bk. 2.—Livy, bk. 21, ch. 2, &c.——A son of Hamilcar, who came from Spain with a large reinforcement for his brother Annibal. He crossed the Alps and entered Italy; but some of his letters to Annibal having fallen into the hands of the Romans, the consuls Marcus Livius Salinator and Claudius Nero attacked him suddenly near the Metaurus, and defeated him, B.C. 207. He was killed in the battle, and 56,000 of his men shared his fate, and 5400 were taken prisoners; about 8000 Romans were killed. The head of Asdrubal was cut off, and some days after thrown into the camp of Annibal, who, in the moment that he was in the greatest expectations for a promised supply, exclaimed at the sight, “In losing Asdrubal, I lose all my happiness, and Carthage all her hopes.” Asdrubal had before made an attempt to penetrate into Italy by sea, but had been defeated by the governor of Sardinia. Livy, bks. 21, 23, 27, &c.—Polybius.—Horace, bk. 4, ode 4.——A Carthaginian general, surnamed Calvus, appointed governor of Sardinia, and taken prisoner by the Romans. Livy.——Another, son of Gisgon, appointed general of the Carthaginian forces in Spain, in the time of the great Annibal. He made head against the Romans in Africa, with the assistance of Scyphax, but he was soon after defeated by Scipio. He died B.C. 206. Livy.——Another, who advised his countrymen to make peace with Rome, and upbraided Annibal for laughing in the Carthaginian senate. Livy.——A grandson of Masinissa, murdered in the senate house by the Carthaginians.——Another, whose camp was destroyed in Africa by Scipio, though at the head of 20,000 men, in the last Punic war. When all was lost, he fled to the enemy, and begged his life. Scipio showed him to the Carthaginians, upon which his wife, with a thousand imprecations, threw herself and her two children into the flames of the temple of Æsculapius, which she and others had set on fire. He was not of the same family as Annibal. Livy, bk. 51.——A Carthaginian general, conquered by Lucius Cæcilius Metellus in Sicily, in a battle in which he lost 130 elephants. These animals were led in triumph all over Italy by the conquerors.
Asellio Sempronius, an historian and military tribune, who wrote an account of the actions in which he was present. Dionysius of Halicarnassus.
Asia, one of the three parts of the ancient world, separated from Europe by the Tanais, the Euxine, Ægean, and Mediterranean seas. The Nile and Egypt divide it from Africa. It received its name from Asia the daughter of Oceanus. This part of the globe has given birth to many of the greatest monarchies of the universe, and to the ancient inhabitants of Asia we are indebted for most of the arts and sciences. The soil is fruitful, and abounds with all the necessaries as well as luxuries of life. Asia was divided into many different empires, provinces, and states, of which the most conspicuous were the Assyrian and Persian monarchies. The Assyrian monarchy, according to Eusebius, lasted 1240 years, and according to Justin 1300 years, down to the year of the world 4380. The empire of Persia existed 228 years, till the death of Darius III., whom Alexander the Great conquered. The empire of the Medes lasted 259 years, according to Eusebius, or less, according to others, till the reign of Astyages, who was conquered by Cyrus the Great, who transferred the power from the Medes, and founded the Persian monarchy. It was in Asia that the military valour of the Macedonians, and the bold retreat of the 10,000 Greeks, were so conspicuously displayed. It is in that part of the world that we are to look for the more visible progress of luxury, despotism, sedition, effeminacy, and dissipation. Asia was generally divided into Major and Minor. Asia Major was the most extensive, and comprehended all the eastern parts; and Asia Minor was a large country in the form of a peninsula, whose boundaries may be known by drawing a line from the bay of Issus, in a northern direction, to the eastern part of the Euxine sea. Asia Minor has been subject to many revolutions. It was tributary to the Scythians for upwards of 1500 years, and was a long time in the power of the Lydians, Medes, &c. The western parts of Asia Minor were the receptacle of all the ancient emigrations from Greece, and it was totally peopled by Grecian colonies. The Romans generally and indiscriminately called Asia Minor by the name of Asia. Strabo.—Mela.—Justin.—Pliny.—Tacitus, &c.——One of the Oceanides, who married Japetus, and gave her name to one of the three divisions of the ancient globe. Apollodorus, bk. 1, ch. 2.——One of the Nereides. Hyginus.——A mountain of Laconia. Pausanias, bk. 3, ch. 24.
Asia Palus, a lake in Mysia. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 7, li. 701.
Asiātĭcus, a Gaul in the age of Vitellius. Tacitus, Histories, bk. 2.——The surname of one of the Scipios, and others, from their conquests or campaigns in Asia.
Asĭlas, an augur, who assisted Æneas against Turnus.——A Trojan officer. Virgil, Æneid, bks. 9, 10, &c.
Asināria, a festival in Sicily, in commemoration of a victory obtained over Demosthenes and Nicias at the river Asinarius.