ARETHUSA

ARETHUSA , town in Judea, probably located in the Shephelah. Arethusa is mentioned by Josephus (Ant., 14:75; Wars, 1:156) as one of the towns under Jewish rule that was returned to the Gentiles by Pompey. Its Greek inhabitants called it by the name of the Macedonian or Syrian town from which they came, which in turn was named after the famous source Arethusa in Sicily. It has been tentatively suggested to identify the place with the site of *Rosh ha-Ayin (Aphek, Antipatris) because of its rich water supply.

bibliography:

Avi-Yonah, Geog, 129; E. Ciaceri, Culti e miti nella storia dell'antica Sicilia (1927²); V. Tcherikover, Die hellenistischen Staedtegruendungen… (1927), 63.

[Michael Avi-Yonah]

Arethusa the nymph with whom Alpheus fell in love, and who was turned into a fountain in her attempt to escape him.