MOSCHI
Eth.
MOSCHI (Eth.
Μόσχοι, Hecat.
Fr. 188, ap.
Steph. B. sub voce s. v.), a Colchian tribe, who have been identified with the MESHECH of the prophet Ezekiel (27.13; Rosenmüller,
Bibl. Alterthumsk, vol. i. pt. i. p. 248). Along with the Tibareni, Mosynaeii, Macrones, and Mardae, they formed the, 19th satrapy of the Persian empire, extending along the SE. of the Euxine, and bounded on the S. by the lofty chain of the Armenian mountains. (Herod, 3.94, 7.78.)
In the time of Strabo (xi. pp. 497--499) MOSCHICE (
Μοσχική)--in which was a temple of Leucothea, once famous for its wealth, but plundered by Pharnaces and Mithridates--was divided between the Colchians, Albanians, and Iberians (comp. Mela, 3.5.4;
Plin. Nat. 6.4). Procopius (
B. G. 4.2), who calls them
Μέσχοι, says that they were subject to the Iberians, and had embraced Christianity, the religion, of their masters.
Afterwards their district became the appanage of Liparites, the Abasgian prince. (Cedren. vol. ii. p. 770; Le Beau,
Bas Empire, vol. xiv. p. 355; St. Martin,
Mémoires sur l'Armenie, vol. ii. p. 222.)
[
E.B.J]
