BA´NASA
BA´NASA (Βανασσα, Ptol. 4.1.13), a colony of Mauretania Tingitana, founded by Augustus, and bearing the epithet of Valentia. (Plin. Nat. 5.1.) Its site is difficult to fix. That it stood on the river Subur (Sebou) is clear (Plin. l.c.), but whether at its mouth, or higher up, is uncertain. Ptolemy places it among the inland cities; a term, it is true, not used by him in the context with great strictness, but the longitude he assigns to Banasa places it some distance from the sea. Pliny seems to make it inland; and, moreover, states its distance from Lixus at 75 M. P., while he places the mouth of the Subur 50 M. P. from the same place. The Itinerary (p. 7) gives a distance of only 40 M. P. from Banasa to Lixus (namely, Frigidis 24, Lix colonia 16); and the difficulty cannot be removed by a correction of these numbers, for the total, from Sala to Lixus, of which they form a part, is correct. The site, if on the coast, corresponds to Mehediah; if inland to Mamora, about 30 miles higher up the river, where are considerable ruins.[P.S]