Avienus
RUFUS FESTUS (av-ēen'us), a Latin descriptive poet, who flourished about the end of the 4th century after Christ, and wrote "Descriptio Orbis Terræ," a general description of the earth; "Ora Maritima," an account of the Mediterranean coasts, etc.
AVIGNON (av-en-yôn') (ancient Avenio), a city of France, capital of the department of Vaucluse, on the left bank of the Rhone, 76 miles N. N. W. of Marseilles, on the railway to Paris. Avignon was for a long time time the residence of the Popes. It is situated in a fine plain, and is surrounded by high walls, flanked with numerous towers. The ancient palace of the Popes stands on the declivity of a rock. It is a Gothic building of different periods, and of vast extent, and now serves as a prison, military depot, and barracks. The Cathedral Church of Notre Dame des Dons is very ancient, as is also the spire of the Church of the Cordeliers. The latter church contained the tomb of Laura, immortalized by Petrarch. Avignon existed before the Roman invasion, and afterward became a Roman colony. In 1309, Clement V. transferred thither the abode of the Popes, who continued to reside here till 1377, when they returned to Rome; but two schismatical Popes, or Popes elected by the French cardinals, resided in Avignon till 1409. Avignon and its territory remained the property of the Holy See until 1797, when it was incorporated with France. Pop. about 50,000.
AVILA (ä'vē-lä), a town of Spain, capital of the province of Avila, a modern division of Old Castile. It is the see of the bishop suffragan of Santiago, with a fine cathedral, and was once one of the richest towns of Spain. Principal employment in the town, spinning; in the province, breeding sheep and cattle.
Pop. (province) about 200,000.