I.Phœnicia, a country of Syria, especially celebrated for the purple which came from there; its principal cities were Tyre and Sidon, Mel. 1, 12; Plin. 5, 12, 13, § 66; 5, 19, 17, § 75; 36, 26, 65, § 190; Cic. Ac. 2, 20, 66; id. Phil. 11, 13, 35; id. Fin. 4, 20, 56.—Called also Phoenīcĭa , ae, f., Mart. Cap. 6, §§ 678, 680; Serv. Verg. A. 1, 446; 3, 88.—
2. A small island in the Ægean Sea, otherwise called Ios, Plin. 4, 12, 23, § 69.—
3. A town of Epirus, Liv. 29, 12.—
4. Vid. phoenicea.— Hence,
A. Phoenīces , um, m., the Phœnicians, celebrated as the earliest navigators and as founders of many colonies, especially of Carthage, Mel. 1, 12; Plin. 5, 12, 13, § 67; Cic. N. D. 2, 41, 106; Luc. 3, 220; Tac. A. 11, 14.—In sing.: Phoenix , a Phœnician, Cadmus, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 197.—
2. Transf., the Carthaginians, Sil. 13, 730; in sing., a Carthaginian, id. 16, 25.—Adj., Phœnician: “elate,” Plin. 29, 3, 13, § 56.—
B. phoenī-cĕus (poenī-, foenī- ), a, um, adj., = φοινίκεος, purple-red: “aut phoeniceum florem habet aut purpureum, aut lacteum,” Plin. 21, 23, 94, § 164; cf. Gell. 2, 26, 9: “poeniceas vestes,” Ov. M. 12, 104: “poeniceum corium,” i. e. made purple-red with blows, Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 92.—
D. Phoenissus , a, um, adj., Phœnician: “Dido,” Verg. A. 1, 670: “exsul,” i. e. Anna, Ov. F. 3, 595: “Tyros,” id. M. 15, 288.—As subst.: Phoenissa , ae, f.: “Dido,” Verg. A. 1, 714.—Plur.: Phoenissae, the Phœnician women, the name of a tragedy by Euripides; also of one by Seneca.—
2. Transf.
a. Theban, because Cadmus was a Phœnician: “cohors,” Stat. Theb. 9, 527.—
b. Carthaginian: “classis,” Sil. 7, 409: “juventa,” id. 17, 632.—In neutr. plur.: “Phoenissa agmina,” Sil. 17, 174.—Subst.: Phoenissa , ae, f., Carthage, Sil. 6, 312.—
E. Phoenīcĭas , ae, m., the south-south-east wind, Plin. 2, 47, 46, § 120.