APO´LLINIS PROMONTORIUM
APO´LLINIS PROMONTORIUM (
Ἀπόλλωνος ἄκρον), in N. Africa.
1.
Also called
Ἀπολλώνιον (
Strab. xvii. p.832), a promontory on the N. coast of Africa Propria, near Utica, and forming the W. headland, as the Mercurii Pr. formed the E., of the great gulf of Utica or Carthage. (Strab.
l.c.) This description, and all the other references to it, identify it with
C. Farina or
Ras Sidi Ali-al-Mekhi, and not the more westerly
C. Zibeeb or
Ras Sidi Bou-Shusha. (It is to be observed, however, that Shaw applies the name
Zibeeb to the
former). Livy (
30.24) mentions it as in sight of Carthage, which will apply to the former cape, but not to the latter. Mela (1.7) mentions it as one of the three great headlands on this coast, between the other two, Candidum and Mercurii.
It is a high pointed rock, remarkable for its whiteness. (Shaw, p. 145; Barth,
Wanderungen, &c., vol. i. p. 71).
It is almost certain that this cape was identical with the PULCHRUM PR., at which Scipio landed on his expedition to close the Second Punic War; and which had been fixed, in the first treaty between the Romans and Carthaginians, as the boundary of the voyages of the former towards the W. (
Plb. 3.22;
Liv. 29.27; Mannert, vol. x. pt. 2, pp. 293, foll.)
2.
A promontory of Mauretania Caesariensis, adjacent to the city of Julia Caesarea. (
Plin. Nat. 5.2. s. 1; Ptol.) [
P.S]
