Ebĕnus
(
ἔβενος) and
Hebĕnus
(
ἕβενος). Ebony; spoken of by Vergil as produced only in
India, but by Herodotus mentioned as one of the articles of tribute paid by the Ethiopians to
the king of Persia (
Georg. ii. 117;
Herod.iii. 97). By the
ancients it was frequently inlaid with ivory because of the contrast of the colours.