Automala

AUTO´MALA (Αὐτόμαλα, Strab. 2. p. 123; Αὐτομάλαξ, Ptol. 4.4.3; Αὐτομάλακα, Steph. B., Eth. Αὐτομαλακίτης and Αὐτομαλακεύς; Αὐτομάλαι, Diod. Sic. 20.41), a border fortress of Cyrenaica, on the extreme W. frontier, at the very bottom of the Great Syrtis, E. of the Altars of the Philaeni; very probably the Anabucis of the Antonine Itinerary, 25 M. P. E. of Banadedari (the Arae Philaenorum, p. 65). Modern travellers have discovered no vestige of the place. It is mentioned by Diodorus, in connection with the difficult march of Ophellas, to support Agathocles in the Carthaginian territory; and in its neighbourhood was a cave, said to have been the abode of the child-murdering queen Lamia. (Diod. l. c.)