SIGMAN
SIGMAN (
Σίγμαν), a river in Gallia. Ptolemy (
2.7.2) places the mouth of the Sigman between the Aturis (
Adour) and the
Garonne; and between the Sigman and the
Garonne he places Curianum Promontorium. [
CURIANUM] Marcianus (
Peripl.), who has the name Signatius, gives two distances between the mouth of the
Adour and that of the Sigman, one of which is 500 and the other 450 stadia. We cannot trust either the latitudes of Ptolemy or the distances of Marcian along this coast.
There is no river between the
Adour and the
Garonne that we can suppose to have been marked down by the ancient coasting ships to the exclusion of the
Leyre, which flows into the
Bassin d'Arcachon. But Gosselin supposes the Sigman to be the
Mimisan, which is about half-way between the
Adour and the
Bassin d'Arcachon. [
G.L]