PI-BESETH (1-11:1 4p ; Sept. Bobliaaros), a city of Egypt, named with several others in Ezek. xxx. 17. According to the Sept., which is followed by the Vulgate, it is the same with Bubastus, which was the principal town of the Nomos Bubastites (Plin., Hist. Nat., v. 9 ; Ptol. iv. 5). Bubastus itself is evidently a corruption of Pi-bast, Pi being the Egyptian article ; and Pi-beseth seems also to be manifestly no other than a corrupt reading of the same Egyptian name (Wilkinson's Modern Egypt., i. 427). That name was derived from the goddess Bubastis (Copt. Fascist), whom the Greeks identified with their Artemis. A great festive pil grimage was yearly made to her temple in this place by great numbers of people (Herod., ii. 5-9).
Bubastus is described with unusual minuteness by Herodotus (ii. 137, 138) ; and Wilkinson assures us that the outlines of his account may still be veri fied. The city was taken by the Persians, who destroyed the walls (Diod. Sic., xvi. 5i) ; but it was still a place of some consideration under the Romans. It was near Bubastus that the canal
leading to Arsine (Suez) opened to the Nile (Herod. ii. 138) ; and although the mouth was afterwards often changed and taken more south ward, it has now returned to its first locality, as the present canal of Tel-el-Wades commences in the vicinity of Tel Basta. This Tel Basta, which undoubtedly represents Bubastus, is in N. lat. 30* 36' ; E. long. 31* 33. The site is occupied by mounds of great extent, which consist of the crude brick houses of the town, with the usual heaps ot broken pottery. The temple, of which Herodotus states that, although others in Egypt were larger and more magnificent, none were more beautiful, is entirely destroyed • but the remaining stones, being of the finest red granite, confirm the histo rian's testimony (Wilkinson, Modern Egypt., i. 300, Ritter, Erdkunde, i. 825).—J. K.