Anthedon
Anthedon (Α᾿νθηδών, apparently a Greek name, signifying flowery), a city on the coast of Palestine, 20 stadia from Gaza (Sozomen, Hist. Eccl. 5,9), to the south-west (comp. Ptolemy, in Reland, Paloest. p. 460). It was taken and destroyed by Alexander Jannaeus (Josephus, Ant. 13, 13, 3; comp. 15, 4), but restored by Gabinius (ib. 14, 5, 3), and added by Augustus to the dominions of Herod the Great (ib. 15, 7, 3), who changed its name to Agrippias (Α᾿γριππιάς, ib. 13, 13, 3). In the Chronicon Paschale it appears as Cariantfedon, i.e. Keriath ("city") of Anthedon (Reland, Paloest. p. 567). In the time of Julian it was much addicted to Gentile superstition (Sozomen, ut sup.), particularly the worship of Astarte (Venus), as appears from a coin of Antoninus and Caracalla (Vaillant, Numism. Colon. p. 115). Its bishops are named in several of the early councils (Reland, ib. p. 568). The notices correspond very well to the position assigned by Van de Velde (Map) at Tell Ajjur, a small village on the shore near Gaza (Robinson, Researches, 2, 351).
