Hippo Regius

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An ancient city in North Africa near modern Annaba, Algeria

proper noun

: Hippo Regius

Saint Augustine served as bishop of Hippo Regius during the late Roman Empire.

Examples

Archaeological remains of Hippo Regius can still be visited in modern Annaba, Algeria.
During antiquity, Hippo Regius was a key center of Christian learning in North Africa.
The ruins of Hippo Regius are a popular tourist destination.
Did you know that Hippo Regius was once a significant city in ancient times?
Visitors can explore the ancient city of Hippo Regius while in Annaba, Algeria.
In Roman times, Hippo Regius was a prominent hub for early Christianity in North Africa.
The historical significance of Hippo Regius attracts many archaeologists and historians.

Surface Forms

Hippo Regius main

Morphology

Hippo + regius

Hippo Regius is a Latinized proper name for a specific ancient city; knowing 'regius' = 'royal' (a Latin epithet) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the referent is an ancient city in Numidia, and 'Hippo' is not transparently interpretable here. The overall place-name meaning cannot be derived from the given constituents, so the expression is opaque to learners.

Etymology

Hippo Regius mixes two old words: Hippo comes from Greek for 'horse' and Regius is Latin for 'royal'. One popular story says the place was known for horses or was a royal center, so the name meant a 'royal town', and today Hippo Regius is the name of that ancient city in North Africa.