View source for Ampsanctus

{{Short description|Lake in Italy}}
'''Ampsanctus''', or '''Amsanctus''' (modern: [[Sorgente Mefita]]) was  a small lake in the territory of the [[Hirpini]], {{circa|{{convert|15|km|0}}}} south of [[Aeclanum]], close to the [[Via Appia]] (southern Italy). There are now two small pools which exhale [[carbonic acid]] gas and [[hydrogen sulfide]]. Close by was a temple of the goddess [[Mefitis|Mephitis]], with a cave from which suffocating vapors rose, and for this reason the place was brought into connection with the legends of the infernal regions. [[Virgil]]'s description (''[[Aeneid]]'', vii. 563) is not, however, very accurate.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Ampsanctus|volume=1|page=893}}</ref>

==Notes==
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{{coord missing|Italy}}

{{EB1911 article with no significant updates}}

[[Category:Ancient Roman temples]]


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