Massa

• a Roman surname.
• • • 1 L. Terentius Massa, Liv. 31, 50; 40, 35. —
    • 2 Baebius Massa, a notorious informer and sycophant, Plin. Ep. 3, 4; 7, 33; Juv. 1, 35.—
    • 3 The name of a slave, Petr. 69, 5.

or Be'bius, one of the most infamous informers of the latter end of the reign of Domitian, is first mentioned in A. D. 70, as one of the procurators in Africa, when he betrayed Piso, and is described by the great historian as "jam tune optimo cuique exitiosus." (Tac. Hist. 4.50.) He was afterwards governor of the province of Baetica, which he oppressed so unmercifully, that he was accused by the inhabitants on his return to Rome. The cause of the provincials was pleaded by Pliny the younger and Herennius Senecio, and Massa was condemned in the same year that Agricola died, A. D. 93; but he seems to have escaped punishment by the favour of Domitian; and from this time became one of the informers and great favourites of the tyrant. (Tac. Agric. 45; Plin. Ep. 7.33, comp. 3.4, 6.29 ; Juv. 1.34.)

MASSA (Μάσσα, Ptol. 4.6.6; Masatat, Polyb. ap. Plin. 5.1), a river of Libya, which joined the sea not far to the N. of the Daras (Senegal), and to the S. of Soloeis (Cape Blanco) in E. long. 10° 30‘, N. lat. 16° 30‘.

MASSA surnamed. MASSA VETERNENSIS, a town of Etruria, situated about 12 miles from the sea on a hill overlooking the wide plain of the Maremma: hence it is now called Massa Marittima. In the middle ages it was a considerable city and the see of a bishop; but it is not mentioned by any ancient author earlier than Ammianus Marcellinus (Ammian. 14.11.27), who tells us that it was the birthplace of the emperor Constantius Gallus. From the epithet Veternensis, it would seem probable that there was an Etruscan city of the name of Veternum in its neighbourhood; and, according to Mr. Dennis, there are signs of an Etruscan population on a hill ] called the Poggio di Vetreta, a little to the SE. of the modern town. (Dennis, Etruria, vol. 2. p. 218.) [E.H.B] 1

or Bebius. A Roman accused by Pliny the Younger and Herennius Senecio of plundering the province of Baetica, of which he had been governor, A.D. 93. He was condemned, but escaped punishment by the favour of Domitian; and from this time became one of the informers and favourites of the tyrant.

(Μάσσα). (1) A river on the western coast of Libya Interior.

(2) Massa Veternensis. A city of Etruria northeast of Populonium.