SOLFERINO, 5 m. W. of the river Mincio, was the scene of a battle between the Franco-Sardinians, commanded by Napoleon III., and the Austrians under Francis Joseph. Defeated at Ma genta, June 4, 1859, the Austrians under Gyulai retreated across the Mincio and reorganized their forces around Verona. Francis Joseph then assumed personal command, aided by Gen. Hess. His forces comprised two armies: I., Wimpffen; II., Schlick; 16o,000 strong. Early on June 24, when neither army expected to encounter the other, the armies suddenly met at the Mincio, both having assumed the offensive. The Franco-Sardinians, 150,000 men, moved on a 25 m. front from Lake Garda to Castel Goffredo. Outpost firing began at 5.3o A.M., developing later into more serious fighting. At 7 A.M. Napoleon, who watched the encounter from the church tower at Castiglione, ordered his forces to advance on Solferino, situated on an elevation, seemingly strongly occupied. After desperate fighting it was captured by the French Guards, entailing the sacrifice of thousands of lives. This brought about a distinct tactical advantage to the French, the Austrians continuing to make further attempts to recapture this important point. Further south of Solferino, MacMahon captured Cassiano, but the Sardinians, under King Victor Em manuel, vainly assaulted the Austrian lines south of Lake Garda, being thrown back on Revoltella by Benedek. At 2 P.M. Francis Joseph gave a fresh order to Wimpffen to advance resolutely and to thrust back the enemy south of Solferino, but all his attempts were abortive. About 4 P.M. the oppressive heat was succeeded by a severe thunderstorm, of which the Austrians took advantage to retreat, except Benedek's troops. They ac complished this unmolested, the French being too exhausted to pursue them. The Sardinians then again fell on Benedek, who, seeing the Austrian centre retreat, himself retired, keeping the enemy at a distance. The Austrians re-crossed the Mincio that evening, having lost 22,000 men, the Allies 17,000 troops. A
meeting of the two emperors took place shortly afterwards at Villafranca, after which hostilities ceased.
SOLI (mod. Mezetlii), an ancient town of Asia Minor, on the coast of Cilicia. Colonists from Argos in Greece and Lindus in Rhodes are described as the founders of the town, which is first mentioned at the time of the expedition of the younger Cyrus. In the 4th century B.C. it was so wealthy that Alexander could exact a fine of 200 talents. In the Mithradatic War, Soli was destroyed by Tigranes, but it was subsequently rebuilt by Pompey, who settled there many of the pirates whom he had captured, and called the town Pompeiopolis. Soli was the birthplace of Chrysippus the Stoic and of the poets Philemon and Aratus. The bad Greek spoken there gave rise to the term croXocKcol.46s, sole cism, which has found its way into all the modern languages of Europe. Little remains of the ruins.
SOLI (mod. Soliais), a Greek city on the north coast of Cyprus, in the metalliferous country round Karavostasi. Its territory was bounded by those of Marion, Paphos, Tamassus and Lapathus. It was believed to have been founded after the Trojan War (c. I18o) by the Attic hero Acamas ; and no remains have been found earlier than this. Soli is probably the town "Sillu," whose king Irisu was an ally of Assur-bani-pal of Assyria in 668 B.C. In Hellenic times Soli had little political importance, though it stood a siege from the Persians soon after soo B.C. ; its copper mines, however, were famous, and a neighbouring monastery is dedicated to "Our Lady of the Slag-heaps" (Panagia Skourgiotissa). In recent years the old mines have been reopened, and the tailings exploited.
See W. H. Engel, Kypros (Berlin, 1841; classical authorities) ; J. L. Myres and M. Ohnefalsch-Richter, Cyprus Museum Catalogue (Ox ford, 1899; antiquities) ; G. F. Hill, Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins of Cyprus (London, 1904; coins).