THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
Forojulicnsc of the sixth century (cf. the text in Hahn, 43-44) differs from that of Rufinus, and the three characteristic formulas of the latter mentioned above, are wanting. One of these formulas at least, the descendit ad inferna is also found in the parallel text transmitted by Venantius Fortunatus {Ex posit io symboli, xi. 1), which must be regarded as an excerpt from the text of Rufinus (Hahn, 45- 46). The Explanatio symboli of Bishop Nicetas (or Xiceta), which has often been regarded as a parallel text to the Aquileian confession, has nothing to do with it, since the bishop in question had his see not at Romatiana (or Portus Romatianus) near Aquileia, but at Remesiana in Dacia (see Nicetas of Remesiana). O. ZocklerI".
Bibliography: A. Hahn, Bibliothek der Symbole und Glaubensregeln der alien Kirche, Breslau, 1897; F. Kattenbusch, Das apostolische Symbol, i. 102-132, Leipsic, 1894; Schaff, Creeds, ii. 49-50 (gives sources and the text with notes).
AQUINAS. See Thomas Aquinas. ARABIA.
III. History.
IV. Religion.
I. Use of the Name.
II. Geography and Topogra-
phy.
I. Use of the Name : The root-meaning of the Semitic word is " dry " or " sterile "; as a noun it means " desert." (1) Old Testament Usage. The term occurs first as a place name, Jer. xxv. 24 (Isa. xiii. 20, where it is equivalent to " nomad," is exilic or later). In earlier passages it is simply " desert." Ezekiel (xxvii. 21) and the Chronicler (II Chron. xvii. 11; xxi. 16; xxii. 1; xxvi. 7; Neh. ii. 19; iv. 7; vi. 1) use it as a national appellative. In the early parts of the Bible the Arabs are called Amalekites, Ishmaelites, Midianites, the Me'onim ( = Minseans, see III. below), and the like. (2) New Testament Usage. In Acts ii. 11 the use corresponds to that of late passages in the Old Testament. The Arabia of Paul's retirement (Gal. i. 17), usually taken as the Syrian desert, is rather the Sinaitic peninsula (cf. Gal. iv. 25). (3) Assyrian Usage. The inscriptions later than the ninth century B.C. contain frequent allusions to Arabs, but generally mean only those of the Syrian desert. With these contact was frequent. Tiglath Pileser III. invaded the peninsula, as did Esarhaddon. In earlier times the country was known to Babylonians as Magan, and is often mentioned. (4) The Arabic Usage. According to Noldeke (Encyclopaedia Biblica. i. 274) the term " Arab " was in early (pre- Christian?) use by the Arabs themselves as a general term denoting the inhabitants of the peninsula. It was so employed during Mohammed's lifetime, though several passages in the Koran apply the term to nomads as distinct from inhabitants of towns. (5) Greek Usage employs the word inexactly of the nomads of the Syrian desert, but Herodotus (ii. 11; iii. 107-113; iv. 39) means by "Arabia" the peninsula. (6) In the following discussion "Arabia" will mean only the peninsula south of a line drawn from the head of the Persian Gulf to the southeast extremity of the Mediterranean, thus excluding the region commonly known as the Syrian desert.
II. Geography and Topography : Only the edges of the peninsula have been explored by Europeans.
(For a history of exploration, cf. the chapter by Hommel in Hilprecht, Explorations in Bible Lands, Philadelphia, 1903, 691-752; D. G. Hogarth, The Penetration of Arabia, London, 1904.) For information about the central regions dependence must be placed upon Arab geographers; " mostly unexplored " is Hommel's significant phrase (Hilprecht, 697). (1) Physical Features. The shape is that of a thick-legged boot, with the toe toward the east. The peninsula is about 1,400 miles in length by from 600 to 1,200 in width. It consists of a narrow belt of fertile sea-plain around the east, south, and west sides, terminated by a chain of mountains, practically continuous, rising abruptly to a height of 4,000 to 10,000 feet, through which passes give access to a central plateau, which in its highest parts is 8,000 feet above the sea. Arabia has no river system, only a system of wadies or valleys. In these, during the dry season, the waters sink below the surface to be found only by digging; and the waters of the interior, collected temporarily in the wadies, lose themselves in the sand. (2) Climate. Lying as Arabia does between 12° 40' and 32° n. lat., its prevailing temperature is high, notwithstanding its elevation. The interior is also very dry, owing to the fact that the mountains intercept the moisture from the sea. Different parts of the coast region have a rainy season which differs curiously in time; Yemen (the southwestern corner) has its rains between June and September. Oman (the southeastern projection), between February and April, and Hadramaut (the southern coast district), between April and September. (3) The fringing sea-plain possesses great fertility, though generally untilled. The most of the interior plateau is desert, either of sand or of gravel and stone. But there are areas of surprising fertility, some of considerable extent, as is involved in the existence of the kingdoms owning sway over settled populations (see III. below). A smaller area is under cultivation now than in early times owing to the decay of works of irrigation. (4) Fauna and Flora. The animal life as conditioned by the climate includes of course the camel; the lion, leopard, wolf, fox, hyena, and jackal are the beasts of prey and carrion; the antelope, gazelle, ibex, and hare are the game animals; the jerboa represents the rodents; and the marmot and ostrich are natives. The qualities of the Arab horse (not a native) will be at once recalled. The flora is characterized by the date-palm, fig-tree, aromatic herbs, and the coffee-berry. (5) Inhabitants. The statement has generally passed muster that the inhabitants of the peninsula are the purest typeof Semites. The isolation of the country makes this a priori reasonable. The mental characteristics of the race are depth and strength of emotion, consequent warmth of feeling and brilliancy of expression, philosophical shallowness and metaphysical ineptitude, imagination of great power, a tremendous fixedness of will leading to fanatical intensity, and temperance in all but sexual relations. (6) Commerce. The products of Arabia have been remarkable for concentration rather than for bulk. Incense, spices, aromatic herbs, essences, gold, emeralds, agate, and onyx have been the staples of its