PONTUS, T. See EUXINUS. 2. A mountainous country of north-eastern Asia Minor, bounded on E. by Colchis, W. by the Halys, N. by the Euxine, S. by Armenia, and named from being on the coast of (1), was divided into PORiUS Giillit'icus in the West, of which Amasia was the capital ; Panties ens (from its capital, Ptirdinonium, formerly Side, at the mouth of the Sidenus), in the middle ; and Pontus Cappadd'cius in the east, of which Trapezus was the capital. Its monarchy was refounded by Ariobarzanes I., a little before 400 B.c., and rose to considerable power under Mithridates VI., the Great, who was conquered by the Romans, 66 ; but the country enjoyed nominal independence till made a Roman province by Nero, A.D. 6z. Pontus was noted for its beavers, and the iron mines of the Chalybes. 3. The same as the marine god Oceanus (q.v.).
Po ELI co LA, /50-tic'-g-lei (see P u tar co L A).
POPIMEA SABINA, sd-bit-na, the beautiful and licentious daughter of T. 011ius, took the name of her maternal grandfather, Poppieus Sabinus (who was consul A.D. 9, and afterwards governed Mcesia till his death, 35), and married Rufus Crispinus, to whom she bore a son. She left him and married Otho, then the boon companion of Nero, and after-. wards emperor. Nero, being enamoured or Poppwa Sabina, sent Otho to be governor of Lusitania, and she, to clear her way to the throne, instigated Nero to murder his mother, Agrippina, and his wife, Octavio. ; but, soon after her subsequent marriage with Nero, she died, when in pregnancy, of the effects of a kick by the tyrant.
POPULONIA,P0-iidd-Sa-a or POPULONIUM, a city of Etruria, near Plow, destroyed by Sulla.