GELA, in Ancient Geography, a city of great ex-
tent on the south of Sicily, taking its name from the ri-
ver Gelas, which washes it. It was built by colonists
from Rhodes and Crete, 45 years after the building of
Syracuse, or in the third year of the 22d Olympiad, 690
before Christ; originally called Lindus, from the colo-
nists of Lindus, a city of Rhodes, who settled there
first. Now Terra Nuova, and the river called Fiume di
Terra Nuova. The people were called Geloi, Gelenfer,
and Gelani. The city Gela, after having stood 408
years, was destroyed by Phintias, tyrant of Agrigentum;
and the inhabitants were removed to a new city, called
Phintias after his name.