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AGINNA, one of the to^vns of Iberia, mentioned by 

 Pto'.on-.y. at tlic boundaiy of Colchis, and placed in long. 

 75^ anil hit. 4^' ^o'. 



AGINNATjii, a people of India, on the other fide of 

 the Ganges. 



AGINN'UM, a city of the Nitiobrigcs, in Galha Aqui- 

 taiiica, now /in'Ti,uhj'me, or /tgen. 



AGINvSK.V, a river of Siberia, which runs into the Uda. 

 N. lat. 52° 20'. E. long. 9«M4'. 



AGIO, ill Cimmsrce, an Italian word, fignifying md, is 

 a term iifcd chiefly in Holland, and at Venice, for tiic diffe- 

 rence between the value of bank money, and current money. 

 So that if a merchant who fells his merchandife, llipu- 

 lated to be paid either 100 livres bank money, or 105 cafh, 

 or current money, in fuch cafe the agio is faid to be 5 p:r 

 ten!. 



The bank agio varies in almoft every place, and is greater 

 or fmaller, according as the currency is fuppofed to be more 

 or Icfs degraded below the ftandard of the ftate. At Am- 

 ftcrdam it ufed to be generally about 5 per cent. ; and by a 

 refolution adopted not long before the late period of con- 

 fulion, the bank told bank-money for currency, at ^ per cent. 

 agio, and bought it again at 4 per cent. agio. In confe- 

 quence of this refolution, the agio could never either rife 

 above 5, or link below 4 per cent. ; and the proportion be- 

 tween the market price of bank, and that of current money, 

 was kept at all times very near to the proportion between 

 their intrinfic values. One part of the profit of the bank 

 accrued from felling bank-money at 5 per cent, agio, and 

 buying it in at four. At Venice, the agio was 20 per cent. 

 tixed : at Genoa, from 15 to 16 per cent. The agio of the 

 bank of Hamburgh, which is faid to be commonly about 

 14 per cent, is the fuppofed difference between the good 

 ftandard money of the flate, and the dipt, worn, and dimi- 

 nifhed currency poured into it from all the neighbouring 

 Hates. See Bank and Exchange. 



Agio isalfo ufed for the profit arifing from difcounting a 

 rote, bill, or the like. 



Agio is alfo ufed, though with fome impropriety, for the 

 rate of exchange of a fum negociated, whether to profit or 

 lofs. It is alfo fometimes called agai. 



Agio 0/ affurance is ufed, by fome, for what we more 

 vfually all policy of assurance. 



AGIOI Saramn, in Geography, a town of the ifland of 

 Cwiidv ; 1 6 miles fouth from Settia. 



AGIOSYMANDRUM, compounded of ay.o,-, holy, 

 and c-fuxivi', / fignify ; a wooden inllrument ufed by the 

 Greek and other chusfches, under the dominion of the Turks, 

 to call together affemblies of the people. 



The agiofyniandrum was introduced in the place of 

 bells, which the Turks prohibited their Chrillian fub- 

 jefts the ufe of, lell they fhould make them fubfervient to 

 ledition. 



AGIRIA, in Ancient Geography, a diftrift of Spain, 

 fouth-eaft of Bilbihs, belonging to the Celtiberians. 



AGIRIUM. See Agurium. 



AGIRU, in Geography, the wcflern part of the ifland of 

 Corfu, comprehending 20 villages, and about 8000 inhabi- 

 tants : the only remarkable place in it is Caitie St. Angelo, 

 which lies on the fouth cape called Palacrum ; and beneath 

 it Hands a ft.-^tely eaftle called Paleo Cailrizza. 



AGIS IV. in indent H'.ihr\', king of Sparta, was the 

 fon of Eudamidas, and the 1 6th defcendant from Agefilaus, 

 who made an expedition into Periia. This prince was emi- 

 nently diftinguiihed by his virtue in a corrupt period of the 

 Spartan ftate, and by his laudable efforts for the reforma- 

 tion of his country. Sparta was funk by the influx of 

 wealth into luxury and indolence ; and the difcipline efta- 



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bliflied by the wifdom of Lycurgus, was neglefted and con-, 

 leinned. Agis, tl.ough brought up in affluenae and induf- 

 geiice by his niotl tv Agefillrate, and his grandmother 

 Archidamia, who, as Plutarch informs us, pofleflcd more 

 gold and filver than all the other Lacedemonians, lamented 

 the degei'.eracy of his countiT ; and at the age of 20 years, 

 exhibited a fignal example of felf-denial and abftinence in 

 his own conduct, and nobly attempted to reftore the an- 

 cient difcipline of Sparta. With this view he afpired to 

 the royal power, and explicitly declared, " that he fliould 

 not value being king, it it were not for the hopes of re- 

 viving the ancient laws and difcipline of Sparta." A ne\r 

 law had been introduced, at the inftigation of Epitades, one 

 of the Ephori, in order to avenge himfelf on one of his 

 fons, who had dlfpleafcd him, lor the alienation, of heredi- 

 tai-y ellates. The confequence of this law was, that all 

 patrimonial poffcilions were foon engroHedby a few perfons; 

 general poverty, and indolence prevailed ; the inferior clafTes 

 of the people envied their fuperiors ; and thofe who were 

 delfitute of revenues, and excluded from a participation of 

 honour and wealth, were indifferent and relucfant in their 

 efforts againft a common enemy, and conllantly waiting for 

 an opportunity to ameliorate their abjeft and depreffed con- 

 dition. In thcfe circumftances of aggrandizement, on the 

 one hand, and opprefTion and diflatisfaftion on the other, 

 Agis determined upon reformation. By the influence of 

 Agefilaus, his maternal uncle, who with fmiiler views em- 

 barked in the defign, he engaged the co-operation of his 

 mother and grandmother. The yoimg men generally con- 

 curred ; but thofe in more advanced life, and alfo the wo- 

 men of rank and wealth, trembled at the name of Lycurgus 

 and reformation ; and induced Leonidas, the other king, 

 to oppofe the projefts of Agis. Agis, however, fucceeded 

 in obtaining a decree for cancelling all debts, and for the 

 equal divifion of all the lands. For this purpofe, he made 

 an offer to the community of his own large eilate, with 600 

 talents in money ; and he procured, by the interpofition and 

 afllftance of Lyfander, the depofition and banifhment of 

 Leonidas, and the concurrence of Cleombrotus. his fuccef- 

 for. The firft meafure that was adopted was the cancelling 

 of debts ; and in the execution of this, Agefilaus, who 

 being much in debt, was likely to be greatly benefited by it, 

 was veiy aftive. Accordingly, all bonds were brought to 

 the market-place, and burned in one pile, which Agefilaus 

 called " a glorious flame." But he contrived to defer the 

 accomphfhment of the other part of the equalizing plan ; 

 and, as Agis was under a necefTity of marching to the fuc- 

 cour of the Achaeans, Agefilaus, by his tyrannical conduft, 

 induced a confpiracy for refloring Leonidas, which proved 

 fuccefsful, and Cleombrotus was fent into exile. Agis, 

 upon his return, was obhged to recur for fanctiiary to a 

 temple ; and being betrayed by fome falfe friends, who 

 were bribed for this purpofe, he was arrefted in the name of 

 the Ephori, and humed to prifon. Leonidas with a band of 

 mercenaries, fuiTounded the prifon, and the Ephori, and. 

 members of the fenate who were in his intereft, went in to 

 interrogate Agis concerning the motives of his proceed- 

 ings. The king averred, that it was his purpofe to reftore 

 the inftitutions of Lycurgus ; and that he would adhere to 

 this purpofe, even in the profpeft of an immatuie death. 

 His enemies then proceeded to pafs fentence of death upon 

 him, and the officers were ordered to remove him into a 

 room where malefadors were ftrangled. But they, and 

 even the mercenary foldicrs, were reftrained by their refpecl 

 for his charafter from doing him any injur)-. When it was 

 known that he was in cuftody, his mother and grandmo- 

 ther, and a multitude of people, aflcmbled round the prifon, 

 and rcqueited that he might have a fair trial. This applica- 

 tion 



