VOL. LIV.] PHFLOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. .^ 173 



observe, that this minute kind of mark, though generally termed a point, was 

 originally of a triangular form, as may be inferred both from our Citiean inscrip- 

 tion, in which some of the minute black triangles plainly appear, and one at 

 least of those preserved by the tables of Gubbio, of which so accurate a tran- 

 script has been communicated by Sig. Gk)ri to the learned world. That these 

 points are a certain indication of a pretty remote antiquity, is by the most com- 

 petent judges of such matters readily allowed. How far therefore thisinterpunc- 

 tion and ancient history may conspire, in order to settle the age of the monu- 

 ment under consideration here, I am next to inquire. 



" Abdemon, the Citiean, one of the Persian monarch's friends, having been 

 expelled Salamine by Euagoras, that prince meditated the reduction of the whole 

 island of Cyprus; in which, within the course of a few years, he made a very 

 considerable progress. This alarming the Amathusians, Citieans, and Solians, 

 governed then, as it should seem, by their own princes, they made the proper 

 dispositions for opposing his ambitious designs. But not believing themselves 

 able alone to cope with him, they applied to the Persian court for assistance. 

 Artaxerxes Mnemon, who then sat on the Persian throne, was also himself be- 

 come jealous of the growing power of Euagoras, and therefore readily entered 

 into an alliance with the three confederated cities against him. To this he was 

 further excited by the murder of Agyrus, king of Amathus, and one of his most 

 faithful allies, of which Euagoras was accused; and by the engagement the three 

 Cyprian states had entered into, to put the whole island, if possible, into his 

 hands. In order therefore to crush Euagoras at once, Artaxerxes sent an army 

 of 300,000 men, under the command of Orontes, one of his sons-in-law, to in- 

 vade Cyprus, in the 3d year of the QSth Olympiad, or the year before Christ 386. 

 This formidable army was attended by a fleet of above 300 sail, of which Gaus, 

 the son of Tamus, or, as the Phoenicians wrote and pronounced the word. Tarn, 

 probably the tam of our inscription, was admiral. This Tamus is said to have 

 been born at Memphis, and consequently by birth to have been an Egyptian, 

 though he was probably of Phoenician extraction. Being a person of great valour, 

 and uncommon skill in maritime affairs, he first served Tissaphernes as a naval 

 officer; but was afterwards employed by Cyrus, who rebelled against his brother 

 Artaxerxes, and was killed in the battle of Cunaxa, as chief commander of his 

 fleet. He had also been appointed governor of Ionia by that prince. Tamus 

 was treacherously cut off, with all his family, except his son Gaus, now the Per- 

 sian admiral, who staid behind in Asia, by Psammitichus, king of Egypt, about 

 14 years before. Euagoras's fleet of 200 sail was defeated near Citium by Gaus, 

 the son of Tamus, or Tam, with the loss of most of his ships; though Eua- 

 goras had, before this naval engagement, gained a considerable advantage over a 

 part of the combined army of Persians, Amathusians, Citieans, and Solians, al- 



