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[24] Beyond these [p. 229] territories are the populous districts of the Camaritae, 1 and the Phasis in impetuous course borders on the Colchians, an ancient race of Egyptian origin. There, 2 among other cities, is Phasis, which gets its name from the river, and Dioscurias, well known even to this day, said to have been founded by Amphitus and Cercius of Sparta, the charioteers of Castor and Pollux, and founders of the nation of the Heniochi. 3

1 Bands of pirates, using small ships called camarae.

2 Cf. Hdt. ii. 103-4; Val. Flacc. v. 418 ff.

3 From ἡνίοχος, “charioteer”; Dioscurias is derived from Dioscuri, i.e. (διόσκουροι), “the sons of Zeus,” Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux).

Ammianus Marcellinus. With An English Translation. John C. Rolfe, Ph.D., Litt.D. Cambridge. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1935-1940.

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load focus Introduction (John C. Rolfe, Ph.D., Litt.D., 1940)
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load focus Latin (John C. Rolfe, Ph.D., Litt.D., 1935)
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  • Cross-references to this page (1):
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), DIOSCU´RIAS
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