Difference between revisions of "Mediterranean"

<p> SEA, a later name (Solin. 22:18; see Forbiger, Handb. de alt.'Geogr. 2:13 sq.) for the usual Roman title (Mare Internum) of that immense body of water between Europe, Asia, and Africa, styled by the Hebrews " the Great Sea" '''''הִיָּם''''' '''''הִגָּדוֹל''''' , &nbsp;Numbers 34:6 sq.; &nbsp;Joshua 1:4; &nbsp;Ezekiel 47:10, etc.; likewise in the Talmud, '''''ימא''''' '''''רבא''''' ; so '''''Ἡ''''' '''''Μεγάλη''''' '''''Θάλασσα''''' , Hecat. Fragm. p. 349), or "the hinder (i.e. Western) sea" ( '''''הִיָּם''''' '''''הָאִחֲרוֹן''''' ; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 12:24; in distinction from "the forward [i.e. Eastern] sea," i.e. the [[Dead]] Sea, &nbsp;Zechariah 14:8, etc.), "sea of the Philistines" ( '''''יָם''''' '''''הִפְּלַשְׁתַּים''''' ''',''' &nbsp;Exodus 23:31), and also simply "the Sea" (&nbsp;Joshua 19:6; as likewise in the Greek, '''''Ἡ''''' '''''Θάλασσα''''' , &nbsp;1 [[Maccabees]] 14:34; &nbsp;1 Maccabees 15:11; &nbsp;Acts 10:6; &nbsp;Acts 10:32), and bounding Palestine o0 the west. It has, from [[Tyre]] to Ptolemais, a high and rocky shore, which farther south becomes low and sandy (Strabo, 16:758 sq.; comp. Josephus, [[Ant]] . 15:9, 6; [[War]] , 1:21, 5; see Scholz, ''Reise'' , p. 130); it makes at Mount [[Carmel]] a great bay (that of [[Accho]] or Ptolemais), but elsewhere it affords very few good harbors (chiefly those of Ceesarea, Joppa, and Gaza). Its surface lies higher than that of the Dead Sea. The ebb and flow of the tide in the Mediterranean is irregular, and noticeable only in particular localities, and unimportant on the coast of Palestine (see Michaelis, Einleit. ins A. T. 1:74, anm.). The current of the sea is regularly from south to north, and is doubly strong at the time of the Nile freshet, so as to carry the deposit of mud and sand against the southern (Philistian) shore, which accordingly is continually pushing farther and farther into the sea (see Ritter, Erdk. 2:460, 462). Under the water there are found at the coast from [[Gaza]] to Jaffa large coral reefs (Volney, Voyage, 2:246); and the sea abounds in fish. [[Commerce]] finds on it. a great sphere; but the Phoenicians and [[Egyptians]] had-nearly a monopoly of this, as the [[Mosaic]] legislation was unfavorable even to coast trading. [[Particular]] portions of this vast body of water were designated by special names, hut of these only the Adriatic ( '''''Οα῾᾿Δραίς''''' ) is distinctively named in the Bible (&nbsp;Acts 27:27). (See [[Adria]]). </p> <p> Vague mention, however, is made likewise of the Egman Sea, the modern Archipelago (&nbsp;Acts 17:14; &nbsp;Acts 17:18), the sound between [[Cilicia]] and [[Cyprus]] (&nbsp;Acts 27:5), and the [[Syrtis]] of the Lybian Sea (&nbsp;Acts 27:17). See generally Bachiene, ''Palast'' . I, 1:87 sq.; Hamesveld, ''Bibl. Geogr'' . 1:440 sqWiner, 2:70. (See [[Sea]]). </p> <p> The whole of the coast, from the Nile to. Mount Carmel, was anciently called the Plain of the Mediterranean Sea. The tract between Gaza and [[Joppa]] was simply called the Plain; in this stood the five principal cities of the [[Philistine]] satrapies -Ascalon, Gath. Gaza, [[Ekron]] or Accaron, and [[Azotus]] or Ashdod. The countries bordering on the Mediterranean were unquestionably the cradle of civilization, and they have in all ages been the scene of mighty changes and events, the investigation of which belongs to the general historian; all, however, that has relation to scriptural subjects will be found stated under the heads (See [[Cyrene]]), (See [[Egypt]]), (See [[Greece]]), (See [[Syria]]), etc., and therefore to enter into the detail here would be superfluous, as would any lengthened notice of the sea itself, the Hebrews having never been a maritime people. See Smith, ''Dict. Of Class. Geogr'' . s.v. Internum Mare; M'Culloch, ''Dict. Of Geogr'' . s.v. (See [[Palestine]]). </p>