in Ancient Geography, a great Greek city on the northern coast of Sicily, at the mouth of a small stream about halfway between Panormus and Cephalæum. It was founded by a colony from Zancle, and its institutions were consequently at first Chalcidic; but there seems to have been also a considerable infusion of Syracusan blood. The date of its foundation, which is not accurately known, is generally assigned to the year 648 B.C. In its early history the only recorded event is its temporary subjugation by the tyrant Phalaris. It next fell under the power of a tyrant of its own, Terillus by name, who was expelled by Theron of Agrigentum. In his distress Terillus applied for aid to the Carthaginians. That people having probably in view the conquest of the whole of Sicily, sent him an immense army, who, in the same year, and it is said on the same day which witnessed the route of Marathon, were utterly annihilated by Theron with the assistance of the Syracusan Gelon. The successful tyrant now entrusted the government of the city to his son Thrasydeus, and augmented its diminished population by a colony of Dorian settlers. From this time Himera became Doric both in its constitution, dialect, and policy. After the death of Theron in 472, Thrasydeus was expelled from Himera, which continued to grow in power and wealth till its final destruction by the Carthaginians in B.C. 408. Near the site of the old town the conquerors founded a new one, to which, from the hot wells in the neighbourhood, they gave the name of Thermae or Thermae Himereenses, which from its favourable situation soon attained considerable importance as a commercial mart. Even so late as the days of Cicero it was a place of some importance, as is attested by the extensive Roman remains of that period still extant. The name of the town is preserved in that of the modern Termini which occupies its site. Himera was the birthplace of the poet Stesichorus, whose statue, preserved in Thermae, is mentioned by Cicero as being held in the highest veneration by the natives.

in Ancient Geography, the name of two important rivers of Sicily. The less important of the two was the Northern Himera, falling into the sea near the city of that name. It rose about the centre of the island not very far from the sources of the Southern Himera, and is by some identified with the modern Fiume di Termini. Others, however, are of opinion that the Northern Himera is now represented by the Fiume Grande, which falls into the sea about 8 miles E. of Termini. The Southern Himera rose in the Mons Nebrodes (Monte di Madonia), and flowing nearly due S., fell into the sea at Phintias (Alicata). It is now called the Fiume Salso, or Salt River. On its banks Agathocles was defeated by the Carthaginians, B.C. 311, and they by Marcellus, B.C. 212.