A small rocky island in the Saronic gulf, between Attica and Argolis. First colonized by Achæans it was afterwards occupied by Dorians (see GREECE: THE MIGRATIONS) and was unfriendly to Athens. During the sixth century B. C. it rose to great power and commercial importance, and became for a time the most brilliant center of Greek art. At the period of the Persian war, Ægina was "the first maritime power in Greece." But the Æginetans were at that time engaged in war with Athens, as the allies of Thebes, and rather than forego their enmity, they offered submission to the Persian king. The Athenians thereupon appealed to Sparta, as the head of Greece, to interfere, and the Æginetans were compelled to give hostages to Athens for their fidelity to the Hellenic cause. (See GREECE: B. C. 492-491.) They purged themselves to a great extent of their intended treason by the extraordinary valor with which they fought at Salamis. But the sudden pre-eminence to which Athens rose cast a blighting shadow upon Ægina, and in 429 B. C. it lost its independence, the Athenians taking possession of their discomfited rival. _C. Thirlwall, History of Greece, volume 1, chapter 14._ Also in _G. Grote, History of Greece, part 2, volume 4, chapter 36._ See, also, ATHENS: B. C. 489-480. ÆGINA: B. C. 458-456. Alliance with Corinth in war with Athens and Megara.--Defeat and subjugation. See GREECE: B. C. 458-456. ÆGINA: B. C. 431. Expulsion of the Æginetans from their island by the Athenians. Their settlement at Thyrea. See GREECE: B. C. 431-429. ÆGINA: B. C. 210. Desolation by the Romans. The first appearance of the Romans in Greece, when they entered the country as the allies of the Ætolians, was signalized by the barbarous destruction of Ægina. The city having been taken, B. C. 210, its entire population was reduced to slavery by the Romans and the land and buildings of the city were sold to Attalus, king of Pergamus. _E. A. Freeman, History of Federal Government, chapter 8, section 2._ ÆGINETAN TALENT. See TALENT. ÆGITIUM, Battle of (B. C. 426). A reverse experienced by the Athenian General, Demosthenes, in his invasion of Ætolia, during the Peloponnesian War. _Thucydides, History, book 3, section 97._ ÆGOSPOTAMI (Aigospotamoi), Battle of. See GREECE: B. C. 405. ÆLFRED. See ALFRED. ÆLIA CAPITOLINA. The new name given to Jerusalem by Hadrian. See JEWS: A. D. 130-134. ÆLIAN AND FUFIAN LAWS, The.