PELIPSIITM (Lat., from Gk. 11,12.okreou, mud city; Egypt. Am ; probably, though not certainly, identical with the ancient .1raris, and the Sin of the Old Testament; also called, in Coptic and Arabic, Peremoun, El-Period, Farania). An an cient Egyptian city, situated a few miles from the Mediterranean, at the extreme northeast cor ner of the Delta, important as the key of Egypt on the Asiatic side, The eastern mouth of the Nile derived from it the name Pelusiae. Pelu sium was the last stronghold of the Hyksos, and was finally taken by Amasis I. It was the scene of Sennacherib's defeat (H. Kings xviii., xix.). Ou this occasion, according to Herodo tus, the camp of the Assyrians was invaded at night by a host of field-mice, who gnawed their bow-strings and shield-straps. so that in the morning, when the Egyptians fell upon them, they were defenseless. In B.C. 525 the Persians, under Cambyses, defeated the forces of Psam metichus III., near Pelusium, and overthrew the
native Egyptian dynasty. The city was taken by Iphicrates and Pharnabazus in B.C. 374, and was besieged and conquered by the Persians in 31)9. In me. 170 it was the scene of the de feat of Ptolemy Philonwtor by Antiochits Epi phanes, and in B.C. 55 it was captured by :Marcus Antonius. After the battle of Actium in B.C. 31, it fell into the hands of the Romans. It was, ac cording to one account, the birthplace of Ptolemy the astronomer. At present the place is in ruins and nearly level with the surrounding country. Consult: Petrie. Tanis (London, 1883-88) ; Dii michen and Meyer. Geschiehte des alien ArgyP tens ; Meyer. Geschiebtc des Alterthoms (Stutt gart, 1884-93) ; E. Anulineau. Geographic de rEgyptc a repoque coptr (Paris. 1893).