a god worshipped by the Japanese, who has many temples erected to him in the island of Japan, of which the principal is at Jeddo. The Japanese have such a confidence in their idol Amida, that they hope to attain eternal felicity by the frequent invocation of his name. One of the figures of this idol is represented at Rome.

in Ancient Geography, a principal city of Mesopotamia, otherwise called Ammaea; situated on a high mountain, on the borders of Assyria, on the Tigris, where it receives the Nymphius. It was taken from the Romans, in the time of the emperor Constans, by Saporos king of Persia. The siege is said to have cost him 30,000 men; however, he reduc... ced it to such ruin, that the emperor afterwards wept over it. According to Ammianus Marcellinus, the city was razed; the chief officers were crucified; and the rest, with the soldiers and inhabitants, either put to the sword or carried into captivity, except our historian himself, and two or three more, who, in the dead of the night, escaped through a postern unperceived by the enemy. The inhabitants of Nisibis, however, being obliged to leave their own city by Jovian's treaty with the Persians, soon restored Amida to its former strength, but it was again taken by Cavades in 501, but was restored to the Romans in 503. On the declension of the Roman power, it fell again into the hands of the Persians; but was taken from them by the Saracens in 899. It is now in the possession of the Turks. Here are above 20,000 Christians, who are better treated by the Turks than in other places. A great trade is carried on in this city of red Turkey leather, and cotton cloth of the same colour. The Arabian name of Amida is Diar-bekir, and the Turkish one Kard-Amed. E. Long. 39. 6. N. Lat. 36. 58.

AMHIENS, a large handsome city of France, capital of the department of Somme. It is agreeably situated on the river Somme, and said to have received its Latin name Ambianum from being everywhere encompassed with water. It is a place of great antiquity; being mentioned by Caesar as a town that had made a vigorous resistance against the Romans, and where he convened a general assembly of the Gauls after having made himself master of it. The emperors Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius enlarged it; and Constantine, Constans, Julian, and several others, resided here a considerable time. The town is encompassed with a wall and other fortifications; and the ramparts are planted with trees, which form a delightful walk. The river Somme enters Amiens by three different channels, under as many bridges; and these channels, after washing the town in several places, where they are of use in its different manufactures, unite at the other end by the bridge of St Michael. Here is a quay for the boats that come from Abbeville with goods brought by sea. At the gate of Noyon there is a suburb remarkable for the abbey of St Achen. Next to this gate you come to that of Paris, where they have a long mall between two rows of trees. The houses are well built; the streets spacious, embellished with handsome squares and good buildings; and the number of inhabitants in 1817 was 39,000. The cathedral, dedicated to our Lady, is one of the largest and most magnificent churches in France; adorned with handsome paintings, fine pillars, chapels, and tombs; particularly the nave is greatly admired. The other places worth seeing are the palace of the bailiwick, the town-house, the square des Fleurs, and the great market place.

Amiens was taken by the Spaniards, in 1597, by the following stratagem: Soldiers, disguised like peasants, conducted a cart laden with nuts, and let a bag of them fall just as the gate was opened. While the guard was busy in gathering up the nuts, the Spaniards entered and became masters of the town. It was retaken by Henry IV, who built a citadel here. The definitive treaty of peace, entered into by the different European powers in 1802, was negociated here.

The town is the seat of a bishop, suffragan of Rheims, as also of a presidial, bailiwick, vidam, a chamber of accounts, and a generality. The bishop's revenue is Amicar 30,000 livres. They have some linen and woollen manufactures, and they also make a great quantity of black and green soap. It lies in E. Long. 2. 18. N. Lat. 49. 53.