tem.

Mines were held sacred; and, like fountains, were denominated from AEnon,
and Hanes, those titles of the Sun. In Arabia, near Petra, was a mine,
worked by condemned persons, which was named [351]Phinon, and Phaenon.
Epiphanius mentions [352][Greek: Phanesia metalla], or the mines of Hanes;
to which Meletius, a bishop of the Thebais, was condemned.

AI.

Ai, and Aia, signifies a district or province; and, as most provinces in
Egypt were insular, it is often taken for an island. In other parts it was
of much the same purport as [Greek: aia] of the Greeks, and betokened any
[353]region or country. It was from hence that so many places have been
represented by the Greeks as plurals, and are found to terminate in _ai_;
such as Athenai, Thebai, Pherai, Patrai, Amyclai, Therapnai, Clazomenai,
Celaenai. There are others in _eia_; as Chaeroneia, Coroneia, Eleia. In
others it was rendered short; as in Oropia, Ellopia, Ortygia, Olympia,
AEthiopia, Scythia, Caenia, Icaria. It is likewise found expressed by a
single letter, and still subjoined to the proper name: hence we meet with
AEtna, Arbela, Larissa, Roma, Himera, Hemera, Nusa, Nyssa, Patara, Arena,
[354]Cabasa, and the like. We may from hence prove, and from innumerable
other instances, that among the people of the east, as well as among other
nations, the word in regimine was often final. Thus the land of Ion was
termed Ionia; that of Babylon, Babylonia; from Assur came Assyria; from
Ind, India; from Lud, Ludia; in all which the region is specified by the
termination. To say Lydia tellus, Assyria tellus, is in reality
[355]redundant. In the name of Egypt this term preceded, that country being
styled Ai-Gupt, [Greek: Aiguptos], the land of the Gupti, called afterwards
Cupti, and Copti.

COMMON NAMES RELATING TO PLACES.

As to the common names, which are found combined with additional terms, in
order to denote the nature and situation of places; they are, for the most
part, similar to those in the antient Chaldaic, and admit of little
variation.

Air is a city; often expressed Ar, and Ara. Hence Arachosia, Arachotus,
Aracynthus, Arambis, Aramatha (Ar-Ham-aith), Archile, Arzilla, Arthedon:
all which were cities, or else regions denominated from them.

Kir, Caer, Kiriath, are words of the like purport. We read in the
Scriptures of Kiriath Sepher, Kiriath Arba, Kiriath Jearim. It was in some
parts pronounced Kirtha, and Cartha. Melicartus, the Hercules of the
Phenici