Note 353 — RADICALS.

Ai, and Aia, signifies a district or province; and, as most provinces in Egypt were insular, it is often taken for an island. In other parts it was of much the same purport as αια of the Greeks, and betokened any [353]region or country. It was from hence that so many places have been represented by the Greeks as plurals, and are found to terminate in ai; such as Athenai, Thebai, Pherai, Patrai, Amyclai, Therapnai, Clazomenai, Celænai. There are others in eia; as Chæroneia, Coroneia, Eleia. In others it was rendered short; as in Oropia, Ellopia, Ortygia, Olympia, Æthiopia, Scythia, Cænia, Icaria. It is likewise found expressed by a single letter, and still subjoined to the proper name: hence we meet with Ætna, Arbela, Larissa, Roma, Himera, Hemera, Nusa, Nyssa, Patara, Arena, [354]Cabasa, and the like. We may from hence prove, and from innumerable other instances, that among the people of the east, as well as among other nations, the word in regimine was often final. Thus the land of Ion was termed Ionia; that of Babylon, Babylonia; from Assur came Assyria; from Ind, India; from Lud, Ludia; in all which the region is specified by the termination. To say Lydia tellus, Assyria tellus, is in reality [355]redundant. In the name of Egypt this term preceded, that country being styled Ai-Gupt, Αιγυπτος, the land of the Gupti, called afterwards Cupti, and Copti.