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Μαιῆτις. The real size of the Sea of Azov is 235 miles by 110 (E. B.9 s. v. ‘Azof’): Scylax (Per. 69) makes it half the size of the Pontus, Strabo (125) rather more than a third. Rawlinson thinks the sea was once much larger than it is now (cf. Polyb. iv. 40, who says that it was gradually being silted up).

μήτηρ. H. is perhaps misled by supposed etymology from μαῖα; the native name of the sea was ‘Temarunda’ = mater maris (Plin. N. H. vi. 20); cf. 52. 1 for this name. The people on its shores are Μαΐται in the inscriptions (Dittenb. Sylloge, i. 130, 132, 2nd ed.).

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