ELEUTHEROPOLIS (Gr. [Greek: Eleuthera polis], "free city"), an ancient city of Palestine, 25 m. from Jerusalem on the road to Gaza, identified by E. Robinson with the modern Beit Jibrin. This identification is confirmed by Roman milestones in the neighbourhood. It represents the Biblical Mareshah, the ruins of which exist at Tell Sandahannah close by. As Betogabra it is mentioned by Ptolemy; the name Eleutheropolis dates from the Syrian visit of Septimius Severus (A.D. 202). Eusebius in his _Onomasticon_ uses it as a central point from which the distances of other towns are measured. It was destroyed in 796, rebuilt by the crusaders in 1134 (their fortress and chapel remain, much ruined). It was finally captured by Bibars, 1244. Beit Jibrin is in the centre of a district of great archaeological interest. Besides the crusader and other remains in the village itself, the surrounding country possesses many _tells_ (mounds) covering the sites of ancient cities. The famous caves of Beit Jibrin honeycomb the hills all round. These are immense artificial excavations of unknown date. Roman milestones and aqueducts also are found, and close by the now famous tomb of Apollophanes, with wall-paintings of animals and other ornamentation, was discovered in 1902; a description of it will be found in Thiersch and Peters, _The Marissa Tombs_, published by the Palestine Exploration Fund. (R. A. S. M.) ELEVATORS, LIFTS or HOISTS, machines for raising or lowering loads, whether of people or material, from one level to another. They are operated by steam, hydraulic or electric power, or, when small and light, by hand. Their construction varies with the magnitude of the work to be performed and the character of the motive power. In private houses, where only small weights, as coal, food, &c., have to be transferred from one floor to another, they usually consist simply of a small counter-balanced platform suspended from the roof or an upper floor by a tackle, the running part of which hangs from top to bottom and can be reached and operated at any level. In buildings where great weights and numbers of people have to be lifted, or a high speed of elevation is demanded, some form of motor is necessary. This is usually, directly or indirectly, a steam-engine or occasionally a gas-engine; sometimes a water-pressure engine is adopted, and it is becoming more and more common to employ an electric motor deriving its energy from the general distribution of the city. Large establishments, hotels or business houses, commonly have their own source of energy, an electric or other power "plant," on the premises. [Illustration: FIG. 1.--The Plunger, or Direct Lift Hydraulic Engine.] [Illustration: FIG. 2.--The Otis Standard Hydraulic Passenger Lift, with Pilot Valve and Lever-operating Device.] Construction of elevators.