a town of North Finland in Sweden, seated on the river Kune near its mouth in the gulf of Bothnia. E. Long. 22. 35. N. Lat. 62. 6.

BIO THANATI, (from βία, violence, and θάνατος, death,) in some medical writers, denotes those who die a violent death. The word is also written, and with more propriety, biathanati; sometimes biaothanti.

In a more particular sense, it denotes those who kill themselves, more properly called autothanati. In this sense it is that the word is used both by Greek and Latin writers. By the ancient discipline of the church, they were punished by denying them burial, and refusing all commemoration of them in the prayers and offices of the church.

BIO THANATOS is supposed by some to be derived from βίας, life, and θάνατος, death, and alluding to the belief of a future life after death) was also a name of reproach given by the heathens to the primitive Christians, for their constancy and readiness to lay down their lives in martyrdom.

BIO THANATOS is also used, in some writers of the barbarous age, for wicked, damnable, or accursed.