Assy̆ria, a large country of Asia, whose boundaries have been different in its flourishing times. At first it was bounded by the Lycus and Caprus; but the name of Assyria, more generally speaking, is applied to all that territory which lies between Media, Mesopotamia, Armenia, and Babylon. The Assyrian empire is the most ancient in the world. It was founded by Ninus or Belus, B.C. 2059, according to some authors, and lasted till the reign of Sardanapalus, the 31st sovereign since Ninus, B.C. 820. According to Eusebius, it flourished for 1240 years; according to Justin, 1300 years; but Herodotus says that its duration was not above 500 or 600 years. Among the different monarchs of the Assyrian empire Semiramis greatly distinguished herself, and extended the boundaries of her dominions as far as Æthiopia and Libya. In ancient authors the Assyrians are often called Syrians, and the Syrians Assyrians. The Assyrians assisted Priam in the Trojan war, and sent him Memnon with an army. The king of Assyria generally styled himself king of kings, as a demonstration of his power and greatness. The country is now called Curdistan. See: [Syria]. Strabo, bk. 16.—Herodotus, bks. 1 & 2.—Justin, bk. 1.—Pliny, bk. 6, chs. 13 & 26.—Ptolemy, bk. 1, ch. 2.—Diodorus, bk. 2.—Mela, bk. 1, ch. 2.
Asta, a city in Spain.
Astacœni, a people of India near the Indus. Strabo, bk. 15.
Astăcus, a town of Bithynia, built by Acastus son of Neptune and Olbia, or rather by a colony from Megara and Athens. Lysimachus destroyed it, and carried the inhabitants to the town of Nicomedia, which was then lately built. Pausanias, bk. 5, ch. 12.—Arrian.—Strabo, bk. 17.——A city of Acarnania. Pliny, bk. 5.
Astăpa, a town of Hispania Bætica. Livy, bk. 38, ch. 20.
Astăpus, a river of Æthiopia, falling into the Nile.
Astarte, a powerful divinity of Syria, the same as the Venus of the Greeks. She had a famous temple at Hierapolis in Syria, which was served by 300 priests, who were always employed in offering sacrifices. She was represented in medals with a long habit, and a mantle over it, tucked up on the left arm. She had one hand stretched forward, and held in the other a crooked staff in the form of a cross. Lucian, de Deâ Syriâ.—Cicero, de Natura Deorum, bk. 3, ch. 23.
Aster, a dexterous archer of Amphipolis, who offered his service to Philip king of Macedonia. Upon being slighted, he retired into the city, and aimed an arrow at Philip, who pressed it with a siege. The arrow, on which was written “Aimed at Philip’s right eye,” struck the king’s eye, and put it out; and Philip, to return the pleasantry, threw back the same arrow, with these words, “If Philip takes the town, Aster shall be hanged.” The conqueror kept his word. Lucian, Quomodo historia conscribenda sit.
Astĕria, a daughter of Ceus, one of the Titans, by Phœbe daughter of Cœlus and Terra. She married Perses son of Crius, by whom she had the celebrated Hecate. She enjoyed for a long time the favours of Jupiter, under the form of an eagle; but falling under his displeasure, she was changed into a quail, called Ortyx by the Greeks; whence the name of Ortygia, given to that island in the Archipelago, where she retired. Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 6, fable 4.—Hyginus, fable 58.—Apollodorus, bk. 1, ch. 2, &c.——A town of Greece, whose inhabitants went to the Trojan war. Homer, Iliad, bk. 2, li. 782.——One of the daughters of Danaus, who married Chætus son of Ægyptus. Apollodorus, bk. 2.——One of the daughters of Atlas, mother of Œnomaus king of Pisa. Hyginus, fable 250.——A mistress of Gyges, to whom Horace wrote three odes to comfort her during her lover’s absence.
Astĕrion and Astĕrius, a river of Peloponnesus, which flowed through the country of Argolis. This river had three daughters, Eubœa, Prosymna, and Acræa, who nursed the goddess Juno. Pausanias, bk. 2, ch. 17.——A son of Cometes, who was one of the Argonauts. Apollonius, bk. 1.——A statuary, son of Æschylus. Pausanias.——A son of Minos II., king of Crete, by Pasiphæ. He was killed by Theseus, though he was thought the strongest of his age. Apollodorus supposes him to be the same as the famous Minotaur. According to some, Asterion was son of Teutamus, one of the descendants of Æolus, and they say that he was surnamed Jupiter, because he had carried away Europa, by whom he had Minus I. Diodorus, bk. 4.—Apollodorus, bk. 3.—Pausanias, bk. 2, ch. 31.——A son of Neleus and Chloris. Apollodorus, bk. 1, ch. 12.