Brill’s New Pauly

Get access Subject: Classical Studies
Edited by: Hubert Cancik and Helmuth Schneider (Antiquity) and Manfred Landfester (Classical Tradition).
English translation edited by Christine F. Salazar (Antiquity) and Francis G. Gentry (Classical Tradition)

Help us improve our service

Brill´s New Pauly is the English edition of the authoritative Der Neue Pauly, published by Verlag J.B. Metzler since 1996. The encyclopaedic coverage and high academic standard of the work, the interdisciplinary and contemporary approach and clear and accessible presentation have made the New Pauly the unrivalled modern reference work for the ancient world. The section on Antiquity of Brill´s New Pauly are devoted to Greco-Roman antiquity and cover more than two thousand years of history, ranging from the second millennium BC to early medieval Europe. Special emphasis is given to the interaction between Greco-Roman culture on the one hand, and Semitic, Celtic, Germanic, and Slavonic culture, and ancient Judaism, Christianity, and Islam on the other hand. The section on the Classical Tradition is uniquely concerned with the long and influential aftermath of antiquity and the process of continuous reinterpretation and revaluation of the ancient heritage, including the history of classical scholarship. Brill´s New Pauly presents the current state of traditional and new areas of research and brings together specialist knowledge from leading scholars from all over the world. Many entries are elucidated with maps and illustrations and the English edition will include updated bibliographic references.

Subscriptions: see brill.com

Zaa

(57 words)

Author(s): Helck, Wolfgang
[German version] (Ζαά/ Zaá). People in Aethiopia, mentioned by a king of Axum in an inscription found in Adoulis (CIG III 5127 B 10), with the Lasinae and the Gabala (modern Galla) at hot s…

Zaabram

(228 words)

Author(s): Toral-Niehoff, Isabel (Freiburg)
[German version] (Ζααβράμ, also Ζαβάμ/ Zabám, Ζααράμ/ Zaarám, Ζάμβρα/ Zámbra). City on the western coastal strip of the Arabian Peninsula. According to Ptol. 6,7,5 domain (βασίλειον/ basíleion) of the Kinaidokolpites (cf. also Steph. Byz. 293,16, where it is Ζαδράμη/ Zadrámē). Z. was probably the seat of power of a dependent prince (elsewhere in Ptol. μητρόπολις/ mētrópolis) and according to [1. 65] was in Marsā Ibrāhīm (Portuguese: Massabraim), the port of the Al-Līṯ oasis to the south of Jeddah (see [5]); others [2; 3; 4] locate Z. nearer to Mecca in the Wā…

Zaba

(66 words)

Author(s): Schwarz, Franz Ferdinand (Graz)
[German version] (Ζάβα/ Zába). An island, which Ptol. 7,4,13, while listing islands off Taprobane (Ptol. 7,4,11), mentions only by name. Given the geographical width and length of the Bóreion ákron of Taprobane (Ptol. 7,4,2) Z. has to be located to the east of Sri Lanka, so that the Nicobar islands are the most likely candidates. Schwarz, Franz Ferdinand (Graz) Bibliography H. Treidler, s. v. Zaba, RE 9 A, 2195-2197.

Zabdicena

(223 words)

Author(s): Hauser, Stefan R. (Berlin)
[German version] (Amm. Marc. 25,7,9; Syriac Beth Zabde). Southern Armenian region where the Tigris emerges from the Taurus mountains. In AD 298, Z. became the most easterly province of the Roman Empire (Petrus Patricius Fr. 14 FHG 4, 189: Ζαβδικηνή/ Zabdikēnḗ) and in 363 was returned - together with e.g. Nisibis and four other regiones Transtigritanae/'regions beyond the Tigris' (Arzanena, Moxuena, Rehimena and Corduena; Limes VI with map) - to the Sassanids (Amm. Marc. ad loc.). Z. was then an administrative unit ( rōstāg) of the Sassanid district of Nisibis in Arbāyestān/Ar…

Zabe

(65 words)

Author(s): Huß, Werner (Bamberg)
[German version] (Ζάβη/ Zábē). Moorish region ( chṓra), Mauritanía hē prṓtē ('First Mauretania') as a Byzantine province, beyond the Aurès mountains, probably the area of Chott el-Hodna (in Algeria): Procop. Vand. 2,20,30. Sitifis was the mētrópolis [2] of this region. Not identical with the city of Zabi (It. Ant. 30,3). Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography C. Courtois, Les Vandales et l'Afrique, 1955 H. Treidler, s. v. Z., RE 9 A, 2203 f.

Zaberganes

(79 words)

Author(s): Schottky, Martin (Pretzfeld)
[German version] (Ζαβεργάνης/ Zabergánēs). In 531 the Persian diplomat Z. succeeded in annihilating his rival Mebodes (Procop. BP 1,23,25 f.). In 540 he took part in the conquest of Antioch [1] (Procop. Pers. 2,8,30-32), and shortly afterwards he received a letter from the empress Theodora [2] with a request to mediate peace (Procop. Arc. 2,32-35). In 544 he led negotiations with citizens from Edessa [2], which was under siege (Procop. Pers. 2,26,16-19). PLRE 3B, 1410. Sassanids Schottky, Martin (Pretzfeld)

Zabergas

(131 words)

Author(s): Schottky, Martin (Pretzfeld)
[German version] (Ζαβεργάς; Zabergás). In the winter of AD 558/9, Z. the khan of the Hunnish Cotrigurs led his warriors across the frozen Danube and advanced as far as Constantinople. Belisarius, who had retired from active service in 551, was recalled and sent with a motley army against the Cutrigurs. Z. lost the battle and soon afterwards abandoned his camp at Melantias. Since Iustinianus [1] recalled Belisarius immediately after his initial success, Z. was able to plunder the diocese of Thracia …

Zabi

(98 words)

Author(s): Huß, Werner (Bamberg)
[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: City in Mauretania Sitifensis between Sitifis and Auzia, modern Henchir Bechilga (in Algeria). In the 3rd cent. AD the Mauretanian Limes (VIII C) ran near the city . In Not. Dign. Occ. 25,26 a praepositus limitis Zabensis is mentioned. Destroyed by the Vandals, Z. was rebuilt by Iustinianus [1] I (It. Ant. 30,3; Iulius Honorius, Cosmographia A 48. Inscriptions: CIL VIII 2, 8805 f.; Suppl. 3, 20565). Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography AAAlg, sheet 25, Nr. 85 C. Courtois, Les Vandales et l'Afrique, 1955 M. Leglay, s. v. Z. …

Zabida

(127 words)

Author(s): Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart)
[German version] (Ζάβιδα/ Zábida). Village settlement in the centre of a large oasis in the interior of Arabia Felix (Arabia), on the Wādī Zabīd to the northeast of modern Zabīd (in Yemen), mentioned by Uranius [3] in the third book of his Arabiká (in Steph. Byz. s. v. Z.). Z. and its port on the Erythra Thalatta [1] was the starting point of an important trade route into the high mountains through Achoma (modern Aḫum) and Adana (modern Al-Udain) to Tarphara (modern Ẓafār), the chief town of the Homeritae, the Ḥimyar of Arab literature. Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart) Bibliography A. Dietric…

Zabii

(173 words)

Author(s): Karttunen, Klaus (Helsinki)
[German version] (Ζάβιοι/ Zábioi). Indian people according to Nonnus, Dion. 26,65 (who goes back to the Bassariká of Dionysius [32]). Their territory was probably in northwestern India, neighbouring the Dardae (cf. Steph. Byz. s. v. Δάρδαι/ Dárdai), but is not identifiable [1]. Attempts to make a comparison between the information in Nonnus (and Dionysius) and Indian realities remain tenuous (already [2], later e.g. [3], [4]; see also [5]). Rather, it is a matter of a Greek literary reflection of a mythical India, which only acci…

Zacharias

(658 words)

Author(s): Ego, Beate (Osnabrück) | Rist, Josef (Würzburg)
(Ζαχαρίας/ Zacharías, Graecised form of the Hebrew Zacharyah, 'Yahweh remembers'). [German version] [1] Stoned to death at the command of the king Joash, 9th cent. BC According to 2 Chr 24:17-22, Zechariah bar Jehoiada was stoned to death in the Temple at the command of the king Joash (840-801 BC), for having reproached the people for practicing idolatry and hence abandoning their god. The Jewish Haggada developed this story: the blood of the murdered one boils on the floor of the Temple and does not come to rest (ultima…

Zacynthos

(656 words)

Author(s): Strauch, Daniel (Berlin)
[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Peloponnesian War | Persian Wars | Punic Wars | Delian League | Athenian League (Second) (ἡ Ζάκυνθος; hē Zákynthos). The southernmost of the Ionian islands (401 km2; approximately 37 km in length, 19 km in width); the southeastern coast is 16 km from the mainland (Elis [1] in the Peloponnesus). Three zones cross Z. from northwest to southeast: in the west a broad almost uninhabited limestone mountain range (Vrachionas, up to 756 m high) with a steep harbourless coast, …

Zadokids

(283 words)

Author(s): Wandrey, Irina (Berlin)
[German version] (Hebrew benē Ṣādōq, 'sons of Zadok') is a term for the descendants of Zadok (a grandson of Aaron), one of the high priests in the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of  David [1] (2 Sam 15:24-37). In the pre-Exilic period (up to 586 BC), they had sole claim to the office of high priest (1 Kg 2:26 f.), and in the post-Exilic period (from 538 BC), they once again were able to prevail in the offices of priest and high priest (Ez 44:6-16; Priests III). In the post-Exilic period, the perform…

Zadracarta

(61 words)

Author(s): Wiesehöfer, Josef (Kiel)
[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Achaemenids | Alexander | Hellenistic states | Hellenistic states (τὰ Ζαδρακάρτα/ tà Zadrakárta; Arr. Anab. 3,23,6; 25,1). Largest city and fortified Achaemenid residence in Hyrcania, whose precise location is not certain (Sārī?, Qale Ḫandān?). Alexander [4] the Great passed through Z. while pursuing Bessus in 331 BC. Wiesehöfer, Josef (Kiel)

Zagazaena

(65 words)

Author(s): Huß, Werner (Bamberg)
[German version] Town on Syrtis Major (modern Gulf of Sidra in Libya); Tab. Peut. 8,1; Ptol. 4,3,14: Σακάμαζα/ Sakámaza or Σακάζαμα κώμη/ Sakázama kṓmē; Geogr. Rav. 37,33: Zacassama; 89,33: Zacasama; Guido, Geographica 133,25: Zacasama. It may be that Z. can be located on the ruins of Ras Bergavad to the west of Ad Turrem (modern Lubrik). Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography H. Treidler, s. v. Z., RE 9 A, 2219 f.

Zagira

(56 words)

Author(s): Marek, Christian (Zürich)
[German version] (Ζάγειρα/ Zágeira). Village in Paphlagonia, whose location has not been determined. Its listing among the towns in the interior ( mesógeioi) in Ptol. 5,4,5 suggests that it can not be identified with a coastal place Zacoria, Zagora, Zagoron to the east of Sinope (cf. [1]). Marek, Christian (Zürich) Bibliography H. Treidler, s. v. Z., RE 9 A, 2220 f.

Zagora

(473 words)

Author(s): Janje, Kristina (Tübingen)
[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Dark Ages Early Iron Age settlement (9th-8th cents. BC) on the western coast of the island of Andros, on a limestone massif rising steeply out of the sea, protected on three sides by cliffs; only a col in the northwest, connecting the high plateau with the island, had to be fortified with a strong embankment and a wall (late Geometric/8th cent. BC). The place of settlement was probably chosen on strategic grounds, since the plateau is exposed to strong north winds and possesses no natural sources of water. Parts of the settlemen…

Zagreus

(351 words)

Author(s): Gordon, Richard L. (Ilmmünster)
[German version] (Ζαγρεύς/ Zagreús). The name Z. (or 'Dionysus Z.') is used as a useful if also problematic term for Dionysus, the son of Zeus (and the daughter of Zeus Persephone) who, according to the Orphic anthropogony (Orphism), had been killed and eaten as a small child by the Titans. Ancient lexica cite Callimachus's Aítia (fr. 43,177) as the sole source for the epiclesis of Dionysus Z.; but this is not used until the 6th cent. AD (in Ps.-Nonnus, Commentaria in Greg. Naz. Serm. 5,30 Nimmo Smith) in the context of the Z. myth. The name, which…

Zagros

(273 words)

Author(s): Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart)
[German version] (Ζάγρος/ Zágros). Alpine mountain range, with the same name today, which runs from the northwest to the southeast in southwestern Iran, stretching from the Armenian highlands to the Kūh-e Fūrġūn on the Gulf of Oman with an area of c. 1200 × 200 km. In ancient literature, the Z. is first mentioned in connection with the rebellion of Molon [1] against Antiochus [5] III as a mountain range which sometimes divides into individual chains, sometimes merges again into a single chain, and is broken up by deep gorges and valleys (Pol. 5,44,7: τὸ Ζάγρον ὄρος/ tò Zágron óros in the yea…

Zakoria

(54 words)

Author(s): Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart)
[German version] Station on the Pontic coast road (Arr. Per. p. E. 21: Ζάγωρα/ Zágōra; Tab. Peut. 10,1; Geogr. Rav. 2,17: Agoria; 5,10: Z.; Guido, Geographica 101) from Sinope to Trapezus between Gurzubathon (modern Kurzuvet) and Zaliches (at modern Alaçam), presumably at modern Çayağzı at the mouth of the Aksu. Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart)
▲   Back to top   ▲