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MESOZOIC 200 many longed for Mesopotamia, which would place her in a position to strike at India and Egypt. In 1897 a German company obtained a concession from the Sultan for a railroad from Konieh to Bagdad and Basra, on the Persian Gulf. Great Britain I'emonstrated, and diplo- matic exchanges continued until the World War broke out. A British force invaded Mesopotamia in 1915, and after defeating the Turks, General Townshend occupied Kut-el-Amara, 100 miles from Bagdad. General Sir John Nixon, com- manding the expedition, ordered General Townshend to advance on Bagdad, but when within 18 miles of that city the Anglo-Indian force met with a heavy defeat, and fell back on Kut, where they were besieged for 143 days and surrendered on April 28, 1916. The Turks subsequently defeated three Rus- sian and British invasions. A British army under General Maude was more successful in 1917. Kut was recaptured on Feb. 23, and Bagdad fell March 7-10, but it was not until October of 1918 v/iat the Turk was completely vanquished in Mesopotamia. In 1919 Great Britain was given practically a protectorate over the country. MESOZOIC, a term introduced by Phillips to designate the group of geolog- ical systems, the fossil remains of which differ equally from those of the Palaeozoic ("ancient-life") and Cainozoic ("newer-life") eras. It is synonymous with the term Secondary, and includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous systems. MESQUIT, or MESQUITE (mes-kef), the shrub or tree Prosopis juliflora, of the United States and Mexico. Its wood is of a brown or red color, is heavy and hard and susceptible of a fine polish. It yields a gum resembling gum arable. Its fruit pod, called the "mesquit bean." is used as a fodder for cattle. MESSALINA (-li'na), the name of two Roman empresses. Messalina Va- leria, who had for her fifth husband the Emperor Nero, who had murdered her fourth husband, Atticus Vistimus. After the death of the emperor, in the year 68, she devoted herself to literary pursuits. Messalina Valeria, daughter of Valerius Messalinus Barbatus, who became the wife of Claudius, and shared with him the imperial throne Her licentious conduct is unparalleled in his- tory, for she not only made her husband's palace the scene of her debaucheries, but often quitted it at night, and acted as a common prostitute. When summoned by the enraged emperor, after some fresh MESSINA extravagance, in the year 48, she at- tempted to kill herself, but lacked cour- age, and her enemy Narcissus, who dreaded the result of the interview, caused her to be dispatched by a soldier. MESSENIA (se'ni-a), in ancient Greece, the W. of the three peninsulas that project S. from the Peloponnesus; bounded on the E. by Laconia, and on the N. by Arcadia and Elis. It was com- posed chiefly of fertile plains, separated by mountain chains and watered by the Pamisus and other streams, and yielded abundant corn and wine. The original Pelasgic inhabitants were conquered by the Dorians, but soon absorbed their con- querors and rose to great prosperity. This excited the envy of the Spartans, who waged two long wars (743-724 and 685-668) against the Messenians. Most of those who survived the second war emigrated to Sicily, where they took pos- session of Zancle, and changed its name to Messana, the present Messina (q. v.). Those who submitted to Sparta were made helots; but they revolted and waged a third war of 10 years' duration (from 464). The survivors settled in Naupaktos. After the battle of Leuctra (370) Epaminondas invited the descend- ants of the Messenians back to Greece, and they joyfully responded to his invita- tion. 'Their independence continued till the Roman conquest in 146 B. C. Mes- senia is the name of a nomarchy of the modem kingdom of Greece. MESSIAH, or MESSIAS (-si'as), in Jewish history and faith, the Anointed One; a certain Personage or Being re- garding whom Daniel prophesied. In Christian history and faith, the An- ointed One is in Greek Christos, from chrio=to anoint. So thoroughly are the words identified, that the Hebrew mashi- achh, which occurs 39 times in the Old Testament, is in every case rendered in the Septuagint christos. When Jesus of Nazareth consented to accept the appel- lation "the Christ," or simply "Christ," as His official designation, He claimed to be the Messiah of Daniel's prophecy (Matt, i: 16, xvi: 20, xxvi: 63; Mark viii : 29, xiv : 61 ; Luke iii : 15, ix : 20, xxii : 67; John i: 41, vi: 69, etc.). All Chris- tendom has acknowledged the claim. MESSINA (mes-se'na) ancient Mes- sana, or Messene), a city of Italy, in the N. E. of Sicily, on the Strait of Messina, 56 Va miles N. E. of Catania, and 120 N. E. of Palermo; manufactures damasks and satins; ti'ade very considerable; the exports consist principally of silk, oil, wine, coral, fruits, etc.; the imports are eotton and woplen fabrics, hardwares, and other articles of colonial produce.