PELIGNI, a people of Samaium, near Naples. PELOPONNESUS, the large peninsula to the south of Greece, so called after _Pelops_, viz. _Pelopis Nesus_. It is joined to the rest of Greece by the isthmus of Corinth, which lies between the Egean and Ionian seas. It is now called the _Morea_. PENNINÆ ALPES. See ALPS. PERGAMOS, an ancient and famous city of _Mysia_, situate on the Caicus, which runs through it. It was the residence of Attalus and his successors. This place was famous for a royal library, formed, with emulation, to vie with that of Alexandria in Egypt. The kings of the latter, stung with paltry jealousy, prohibited the exportation of paper. Hence the invention of parchment, called _Pergamana charta_. Plutarch assures us, that the library at Pergamos contained two hundred thousand volumes. The whole collection was given by Marc Antony as a present to Cleopatra, and thus the two libraries were consolidated into one. In about six or seven centuries afterwards, the volumes of science, by order of the calif Omar, served for a fire to warm the baths of Alexandria; and thus perished _all the physic of the soul_. The town subsists at this day, and retains the name of _Pergamos_. See Spon's Travels, vol. i. PERINTHUS, a town of Thrace, situate on the Propontis, now called _Heraclea_. PERUSIA, formerly a principal city of Etruria, on the north side of the Tiber, with the famous _Lacus Trasimenus_ to the east. It was besieged by Augustus, and reduced by famine. Lucan has, _Perusina fames_. It is now called _Perugia_, in the territory of the Pope. PHARSALIA, a town in Thessaly, rendered famous by the last battle between Pompey and Julius Cæsar. PHILADELPHIA: there were several ancient towns of this name. That which Tacitus mentions was in Lydia, built by Attalus Philadelphus; it is now called by the Turks, _Alah Scheyr_. PHILIPPI, a city of Macedonia, on the confines of Thrace; built by Philip of Macedon, and famous for the battle fought on its plains between Augustus and the republican party. It is now in ruins. PHILIPPOPOLIS, a city of Thrace, near the river _Hebrus_. It derived its name from Philip of Macedon, who enlarged it, and augmented the number of inhabitants. PICENTIA, the capital of the _Picentini_, on the Tuscan Sea. not far from Naples. PICENUM, a territory of Italy, to the east of Umbria, and in some parts extending from the Apennine to the Adriatic. It is now supposed to be the _March of Ancona_. PIRÆEUS, a celebrated port near Athens. It is much frequented at this day; its name, _Porto Lione_. PISÆ, a town of Etruria, which gave name to the bay of Pisa, _Sinus Pisanus_. PLACENTIA, a town in Italy, now called _Placenza_, in the duchy of Parma. PLANASIA, a small island near the coast of Etruria, in the Tuscan Sea; now _Pianosa_. POMPEII, a town of Campania, near Herculaneum. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the reign of Nero.