View source for Aornos

{{Lewis
|lshtext=<b>Ăornos</b>: i, = [[Ἄορνος]] ([[without]] birds) or ἡ Ἄορνος [[λίμνη]] (v. Strab. 1, 26; 5, 244 sqq.).<br /><b>I</b> Masc., the Lake of [[Avernus]] in [[Campania]], [[now]] Averno, Verg. A. 6, 242.—<br /><b>II</b> Fem.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>A</b> A [[very]] [[high]], [[steep]] [[rock]] in [[India]], Curt. 8, 11.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> A [[place]] in [[Epirus]], Plin. prooem. 4.
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{{Gaffiot
|gf=<b>Ăornŏs</b>, ī,<br /><b>1</b> m., marais de Campanie : Virg. En. 6, 242<br /><b>2</b> f., ville d’Épire : Plin. 4, 2.
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{{Georges
|georg=Aornos, ī, m. u. f. ([[ἄορνος]], [[ohne]] Vögel, [[weil]] den Vögeln [[verderblich]] [[wegen]] mephitischer Ausdünstung, avibus pestifera [[exhalatio]], Plin. 4. prooem. § 2), I) m. der Avernersee (s. 1. [[Avernus]] das Nähere), Verg. Aen. 6, 242. – II) f. eine [[Stadt]] in [[Epirus]], Plin. 4. prooem. § 2. – / Bei Curt. 8, 11 (39) 2 [[haben]] die besten Handschriften Aornin, s. [[Aornis]].
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{{wkpen
|wketx=[[Aornos]] (Ancient Greek: [[Ἄορνος]]) was site of Alexander the Great's last [[siege]], which took place on April 326 BC, at a mountain site located in modern Pakistan. Aornos offered the last threat to Alexander's supply line, which stretched, dangerously vulnerable, over the Hindu Kush back to Balkh, though Arrian (although disbelieving himself of this story) credits Alexander's desire to outdo his kinsman Heracles, who allegedly had proved unable to take a fort that the Macedonians called Ἄορνος Aornos (according to Arrian and Diodorus; Aornis according to Curtius; elsewhere Aornus): meaning "birdless" in Greek. According to one theory, the name is a corruption of an Indo-Iranian word, such as *awarana "fortified place". According to Arrian, the rock had a flat summit well-supplied with natural springs and wide enough to grow crops: it could not be starved into submission. Neighboring tribesmen who surrendered to Alexander offered to lead him to the best point of access.
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