ABDERA

Ancient Greek town on south coast of Thrace. Founded in 7th century B.C. but soon destroyed by Thracians, it was rebuilt c.500 B.C. Falling to Macedon in 352 B.C., it became a free city under Roman rule in 198 B.C. It was the home of the philosophers Protagoras and Democritus, but its inhabitants nevertheless had a reputation for stupidity, and the name Abderite was popularly used to denote a fool.