IAPY′GIA (Ἰαπυγία), was the name given by the Greeks to the SE. portion of Italy, bordering on the Adriatic Sea, but the term was used with considerable vagueness, being sometimes restricted to the extreme SE. point or peninsula, called also Messapia, and by the Romans Calabria; at other times extended so as to include the whole of what the Romans termed Apulia. Thus Scylax describes the whole coast from Lucania to the promontory of Drion (Mt. Garganus) as comprised in Iapygia, and even includes under that appellation the cities of Metapontum and Heraclea on the gulf of Tarentum, which are usually assigned to Lucania. Hence he states that their coast-line extended for a space of six days and nights' voyage. (Scyl. § 14. p. 5.) Polybius at a later period used the name in an equally extended sense, so as to include the whole of Apulia (iii. 88), as well as the Messapian peninsula; but he elsewhere appears to use the name of Iapygians as equivalent to the Roman term Apulians, and distinguishes them from the Messapians (ii. 24). This is, however, certainly contrary to the usage of earlier Greek writers. Herodotus distinctly applies the term of Iapygia to the peninsula, and calls the Messapians an Iapygian tribe; though he evidently did not limit it to this portion of Italy, and must have extended it, at all events, to the land of the Peucetians, if not of the Daunians also. (Herod. iv. 99, vii. 170.) Aristotle also clearly identifies the Iapygians with the Messapians (Pol. v. 3), though the limits within which he applies the name of Iapygia (Ib. i. 10) cannot be defined. Indeed, the name of the Iapygian promontory (ἡ ἄκρα ἡ Ἰαπυγία), universally given to the headland which formed the extreme point of the peninsula, sufficiently proves that this was considered to belong to Iapygia. Strabo confines the term of Iapygia to the peninsula, and says that it was called by some Iapygia, by others Messapia or Calabria. (Strab. vi. pp. 281, 282.) Appian and Dionysius Periegetes, on the contrary, follow Polybius in applying the name of Iapygia to the Roman Apulia, and the latter expressly says that the Iapygian tribes extended as far as Hyrium on the N. side of Mt. Garganus. (Appian, Ann. 45; Dionys. Per. 379.) Ptolemy, as usual, follows the Roman writers, and adopts the names then in use for the divisions of this part of Italy: hence he ignores altogether the name of Iapygia, which is not found in any Roman writer as a geographical appellation; though the Latin poets, as usual, adopted it from the Greeks. (Virg. Aen. xi. 247; Ovid, Met. xv. 703.)
We have no clue to the origin or meaning of the name of Iapygians, which was undoubtedly given to the people (Iapyges, Ἰάπυγες) before it was applied to the country which they inhabited. Niebuhr (vol. i. p. 146) considers it as etymologically connected with the Latin Apulus, but this is very doubtful. The name appears to have been a general one, including several tribes or nations, among which were the Messapians, Sallentini, and Peucetians: hence Herodotus calls the Messapians, Iapygians (Ἰήπυγες Μεσσάπιοι, vii. 170); and the two names are frequently interchanged. The Greek mythographers, as usual, derived the name from a hero, Iapyx, whom they represented as a son of Lycaon, a descent probably intended to indicate the Pelasgic origin of the Iapygians. (Anton. Liberal. 31; Plin. iii. 11. s. 16.) For a further account of
JASONIUM.
the national affinities of the diflcrent tribes in this part of Italy, as well as for a description of its physical geographv, see the articles Apulia and Calabria. [ E. H. B. ]
IAPY'GIUM PROMONTO'RIUM (Ἄκρα Ἰαπυγία: Capo Sta. Maria di Leuca), a headland which forms the extreme SE. point of Italy, as well as the extremity of the long peninsula or promontory that divides the gulf of Tarentum from the Adriatic sea. It is this long projecting strip of land, commonly termed the heel of Italy, and designated by the Romans as Calabria, that was usually termed by the Greeks Iapygia, whence the name of the promontory in question. The latter is well described by Strabo as a rocky point extending far out to sea towards the SE., but inclining a little towards the Lacinian promontory, which rises opposite to it, and together with it encloses the gulf of Tarentum. He states the interval between these two headlands, and consequently the width of the Tarentine gulf, at its entrance, at about 700 stadia (70 G. miles), which slightly exceeds the truth. Pliny calls the same distance 100 M. P. or 800 stadia; but the real distance does not exceed 66 G. miles or 660 stadia. (Strab. vi. pp. 258, 281; Plin. iii. 11. s. 16; Ptol. iii. 1. § 13; Polyb. x. 1.)
The same point was also not infrequently termed the Salentine promontory (Promontorium Salentinum, Mel. ii. 4. § 8; Ptol. l. c.), from the people of that name who inhabited the country immediately adjoining. Saliust applies the same name to the whole of the Calabrian or Messapian peninsula. (Sall. ap. Serv. ad Aen. iii. 400.) Its modern name is derived from the ancient church of Sta. Maria di Leuca, situated close to the headland, and which has preserved the name of the ancient town and port of Leuca; the latter was situated immediately on the W. of the promontory, and afforded tolerable shelter for vessels. [Leuca.] Hence we find the Athenian fleet, in B. C. 415, on its way to Sicily, touching at the Iapygian promontory after crossing from Corcyra (Thuc. vi. 30, 44); and there can be no doubt that this was the customary course in proceeding from Greece to Sicily. [ E. H. B. ]
IA'RDANUS (Ἰάρδανος), a river on the N. coast of Crete, near the banks of which the Cydonians dwelt. (Hom. Od. iii. 292.) It is identified with the rapid stream of the Plataniá, which rises in the White Mountains, and, after flowing between the Rhizite villages of Thériso and Láki or Lákus, runs through a valley formed by low hills, and filled with lofty platanes; from which it obtains its name. The river of Plataniá falls into the sea, nearly opposite the islet of Hághios Theódhoros, where there is good anchorage. (Pashley, Trav. vol. ii. p. 22; Höck, Kreta, vol. i. pp. 23, 384.) [ E. B. J. ]
JASO'NIUM (Ἰασόνιον Ptol. vi. 10. § 3), a town in Margiana, at the junction of the Margus (Murghab) and some small streams which flow into it. (Cf. also Ammian. xxiii. 6.) [ V. ]
JASO'NIUM (τὸ Ἰασόνιον, Ptol. vi. 2. § 4; Strab. xi. p. 526), a mountain in Media, which extended in a NW. direction from the M. Parachoatras (M. Elwend), formmg the connecting link between the Taurus and the outlying spurs of the Antitaurus. It is placed by Ptolemy between the Orontes and the Coronus. [ V. ]
