Belon

BELON (Βέλων, Strab. 3. p. 140, Steph. B.: Eth. Βελώνιος, comp. s. v. Βῆλος), or BAELON (Βαίλων, Ptol. 2.4.5; Marc. Herac. p. 40; Geogr. Rav. 3.42; coins), a city on the S. coast of Hispania Baetica, at the mouth of a river of the same name (probably the Barbate), which Marcian places between 150 and 200 stadia S. E. of the Prom. Junonis (C. Trafalgar). The city was a considerable port, with establishments for salting fish; and it is 6 m. p. W. of Mellaria and 12 E. of BESIPPO(Itin. Ant. p. 407, where it has the surname Claudia), at the entrance of the Fretum Gaditanum (Straits of Gibraltar) from the Atlantic (Mela, 2.6; Plin. Nat. 3.3. s. 1), directly opposite to Tingis, in Mauretania, and was the usual place of embarkation for persons crossing over to that city (Strab. l. c.), the distance to which was reckoned 30 Roman miles (Plin. Nat. 5.1), or 220 stadia (Itin. Ant. p. 495). Its ruins are still seen at the place called Belonia, or Bolonia, 3 Spanish miles W. of Tarifa. There is a coin with the epigraph BAILO. (Philos. Trans. vol. 30. p. 922; Florez, Med. de Esp. vol. 2. p. 635, vol. 3. p. 152; Mionnet, vol. 1. p. 7, Suppl. vol. 1. p. 14; Sestini, p. 33; Eckhel, vol. 1. p. 16; Ukert, vol. ii. pt. 1, pp. 295, 343.)