EGINA, in Ancient Geography, an island in the Saronic gulf, 20 miles distant from the Piræus, formerly vying with Athens in naval power, and at the sea-fight of Salamis disputing the palm of victory with the Athenians. It was the country and kingdom of Æacus, who called it Ægina, from his mother's name, it being before called Enopia. (Ovid.) The inhabitants were called Æginæta, and Æginætes. The Greeks had a common temple dedicated to Jupiter in Ægina, the remains of which still exist. The Æginæta applied themselves to commerce, and were the first who coined money called Nequaia Ægina; hence Ægineticum as, formerly in great repute. The inhabitants were called Myrmidones, or a nation of ants, from their great application to agriculture. The island was reckoned 180 stadia, or 22 miles and a half, in circumference. It is now called Ægina, the g soft and the i short, and was generally the seat of the Greek government in 1828 and 1829. The temple above mentioned is situated upon the summit of a mountain called Panhellenius, at some distance from the shore. It was of the Doric order, and had six columns in front. Twenty-one of the exterior columns are yet standing, with two in the front of the pronaos and of the posticum, and five of the number which formed the ranges of the cell. The entablature, except the architrave, is fallen. The stone is of a light brownish colour, much eaten in many places, and indicating a very great age. Some of the columns have been injured by boring to their centres for the metal. In several, the junction of the parts is so exact that each seems to consist of one piece. This ruin Mr Chandler considers as scarcely to be paralleled in its claim to a remote antiquity. The situation, on a lonely mountain at a distance from the sea, has preserved it from total demolition amid all the changes and accidents of numerous centuries. The soil of this island is, as described by Strabo, very stony, especially the bottoms; but in some places not unfertile in grain. Besides corn, it produces olives, grapes, and almonds; and abounds in pigeons and partridges. It has been related, that the Æginæta annually wage war with the feathered race, carefully collecting or breaking their eggs, to prevent their multiplying to such numbers as to produce a famine. They have no hares, foxes, or wolves. The rivers in summer are all dry.