MACROCE´PHALI
Eth.
MACROCE´PHALI (
Μακροκέφαλοι), that is, “people with long heads.” (
Strab. i. p.43.) The Siginni, a barbarous tribe about Mount Caucasus, artificially contrived to lengthen their heads as much as possible. (
Strab. xi. p.520; comp. Hippocr.
de Aer. 35.)
It appears that owing to this custom they were called Macrocephali; at least Pliny
6.4), Pomp. Mela (1.19), and Scylax (p. 33), speak of a nation of this name in the north-east of Pontus.
The anonymous author of the
Peripl. Pont. Eux. (p. 14) regards them as the same people as the Macrones, but Pliny (
l.c.) clearly distinguishes the two.
[
L.S]
