now NAXIA, formerly Strongyle, Dia, Dionysia, Callipolis, and Little Sicily. It was called Strongyle, from a Greek word, signifying "round," though in reality it is rather square than round. The names of Dia or Divine, and Dionysia, were given it as being consecrated in a peculiar manner to the fabulous god Dionysus or Bacchus. The appellation of Callipolis, Pliny and Solinus derive from the metropolis of the island, formerly a most beautiful city, which which is the import of the word Callipolis. The great fertility of the country gave rise to the name of Little Sicily, Naxus being the most fruitful of all the Cyclades, as Agathemerus informs us, and no less fertile than Sicily itself. As for the name of Naxus, some assert that it was borrowed from one Naxus, under whose conduct the Carians possessed themselves of the island; others pretend it received its name from Naxos, the son of Endymion. Stephanus, Suidas, and Phavorinus, derive the name of Naxos, from the Greek word naxai, signifying, “to sacrifice,” and will have it to have been so called from the many sacrifices offered here to Bacchus. With these Bochart agrees, as to its being called Naxos from the sacrifices performed here in honour of Bacchus, but will have the word naxos to be a corruption of the Phoenician nafca, or nica, signifying “a sacrifice, offering.” Naxos is, according to Pliny, 75, but reckoned by the present inhabitants 100 miles, in compass. It has Paros to the west, Myconos and Delos to the north, and Ios to the south. This island is the most fruitful of the Archipelago, and was formerly famed for the excellent wines it produced. Archilochus, as quoted by Athenaeus, compares them to the nectar of the gods; and Aeschylus, cited by Stephanus, assures us, that Bacchus took more delight in Naxos than in any other place whatsoever, having himself taught the inhabitants to cultivate their vines. The wine of Naxos maintains to this day its ancient reputation, being by some deemed the best of the Levant. Besides wine, this island abounds with all sorts of delicious fruits, the plains being covered with orange, olive, lemon, cedar, citron, pomegranate, mulberry, and fig trees. It was formerly famous for quarries of that sort of marble which the Greeks called ophites, from its being green, and speckled with white spots like the skin of a serpent. The best emerald is found here on the mountains near the western coast, whence the neighbouring cape is called by the Italians capo meriggio, or the emerald cape. As to the inhabitants of Naxos, Diodorus relates that the island was first peopled by the Thracians. These were in a little time subdued by a body of Thessalians, who, having possessed the island for the space of 200 years and upwards, were compelled to abandon it by a drought and famine.

After the Trojan war, the Carians settled here, and called the island Naxos, from their king, who was the son of Polemon. He was succeeded by his son Leucippus, and Leucippus by his son Smardius, in whose reign Theseus, coming out of Crete, landed here with Ariadne, whom he was in, his sleep, commanded by Bacchus to leave in this island. In process of time a colony of Cnidian and Rhodian settlers here under the conduct of Hippothous and Xuthus: and last of all the Ionians, who, in time, possessed the whole island; whence the Naxians are, by Herodotus, called Ionians, and ranged among the Athenian colonies. E. Long. 26° 5'. N. Lat. 36° 30'. It is about 105 miles in circumference, and about 30 broad.

in Ancient Geography, a town of Crete, famous for its stones, called lapis Naxius. Another of Sicily, built by the Chalcidians; situated on the south side of Mount Taurus, destroyed by Dionysius the tyrant: from its ruins Tauromenium, built by Timoleon, either arose or was increased, (Plutarch).