GABRETA
GABRETA or
GABRITA SILVA (
Γαύβρητα,
Γάβριτα, or
Γάβρητα ὕλη), a range of mountains in Germany, mentioned by Strabo (
vii. p.292) and Ptolemy (
2.11. § § 5, 7, 24) in such a manner as to lead several of the earlier geographers to identify it with the
Thüiringerwald; but later investigations have shown that the
Böhmerwald, in the north of Bavaria, is meant.
The name is evidently of Celtic origin (compare the name
Veryobretus in
Caes. Gal. 1.16), and probably signifies “a woody mountain.”
[
L.S]