Halibut Island

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

an island in the North Pacific Ocean, near the S. W. extremity of the peninsula of Alaska; lat . 54° 48′ N., lon. 164° 15′ W. Circumference 22 miles. This island was discovered by Captain Cook , the celebrated navigator, who named it from the immense numbers of halibut taken off its shores. HALICARNASSUS (-nas'sus) (originally called Zephyria), a Greek city of Caria, Asia Minor, on the Ceramic Gulf. It was founded by Dorian colonists from Trezen, and defended by several cita dels, one of which, Salmacis, was deemed impregnable. Early in its history it be cities so-called Dorian Hexapolis, from which confederacy, however, it was eventually excluded. When the Persian power spread W. Halicarnassus readily submitted to the dominion of the conquerors. During this period, however, about 500 b. c., a domestic tyrant Lygdamis, rose to supreme power as a vassal of Persia; and his descendants, without forfeiting the Greek character or ceasing to cultivate the Greek literature and arts, gradually extended their sway over all Caria. Among them was Mausolus , whose wife and and sister Artemisia, to commemorate him after his death ( 353), erected the magnificent MAUSOLEUM (q. v.), which was accounted one of the seven wonders of the world. It was under this king that the city attained its highest degree of splendor and prosperity . About 20 years later Alexander the Great destroyed the city by fire ; but the inhabitants took refuge in the citadel, which successfully resisted his arms. The city was afterward rebuilt, but it never recovered its ancient importance or prosperity. In the days of the Roman empire it had sunk into comparative insignificance. Halicarnassus was the birthplace of the Greek historians Herodotus and Dionysius. The site of the city is occupied by the modern Budrun.