Abdera

A maritime town of Thrace, supposedly founded by Heracles in honor of his friend Abderus. The inhabitants, called Abderites or Abderitans, were proverbial for dullness and stupidity, said to be caused by the air. Among them, however, were various people of merit, such as Democritus, the laughing philosopher; Protagoras, the sophist; Anaxarchos, the philosopher friend of Alexander; and Hecetaeus, the historian.

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