Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Abdera ävdēˈrä [key], town, NE Greece, in Thrace, near the mouth of the Mesta River. It is a small agricultural settlement. Founded (c.650 b.c.) by colonists from Clazomenae, it was destroyed by t...

(Encyclopedia) cockfighting, sport of pitting gamecocks against one other. Though popular in ancient Greece, Persia, and Rome, cockfighting has been long opposed by clergy and humane groups. Massachusetts passed (18...

(Encyclopedia) Adrianople, Treaty of, also called Treaty of Edirne, 1829, peace treaty between Russia and the Ottoman Empire (see Russo-Turkish Wars). Turkey gave Russia access to the mouths of the Danube and additi...

(Encyclopedia) track and field athletics or athletics, sports of foot racing, hurdling, jumping, vaulting, and throwing varied weights and objects. They are usually separated into two categories: track, the running ...

(Encyclopedia) Brent, outer borough of Greater London, SE England. The area is a rail and industrial center. Its manufactures include automobile parts, clocks and watc...

(Encyclopedia) Dodecanese dōdĕkˌənēsˈ, –nēz, dōˌdĕk– [key], Gr. Dhodhekánisos, island...

(Encyclopedia) Blair, Bonnie Kathleen, 1964–, American speed skater, b. Cornwall, N.Y. An outstanding technical skater, she won more individual gold medals (five) in Olympic competition than any other American wom...

(Encyclopedia) Spitz, Mark Andrew, 1950–, American swimmer, b. Modesto, Calif. He held records for winning the most gold medals at one Olympic game (seven, in 1972 at Munich) and shared the record for most Olympic...

(Encyclopedia) Dura yo͝orōˈpəs [key], ancient city of Syria, E of Palmyra on a plateau above the Euphrates River. It is also called Dura-Europos or Dura-Europus. Founded (c.300 b.c.) by a general of Seleucus I, ...

(Encyclopedia) Čáslavská, Věra, 1942–2016, Czechoslovak gymnast, b. Prague. Čáslavská revolutionized a formerly dance-based sport with her athleticism and panache, winning 22 international titles (seven Oly...