Mediterranean Sea addition, the Gaza Strip and the British Overseas Territories of Gibraltar and Akrotiri and Dhekelia have coastlines on the sea. The Ancient Greeks called the Mediterranean simply 'the Sea' or sometimes 'the Great Sea', 'Our Sea', or 'the sea around us'. The Romans called it "Mare Magnum" 'Great Sea' or "Mare Internum" 'Internal Sea' and, starting with the Roman Empire, "Mare Nostrum" 'Our Sea'. The term "Mare Mediterrāneum" appears later: Solinus apparently used it in the 3rd century, but the earliest extant witness to it is in the 6th century, in Isidore of Seville. It means 'in the middle of
Air Nostrum was established on 23 May 1994 and started operations on 15 December. It was founded as Líneas Aéreas del Mediterraneo/Air Nostrum in Valencia. In May 1997, Air Nostrum signed an agreement with Iberia to become an Iberia franchise. It acquired Iberia subsidiary Binter Mediterraneo and absorbed its operations. Following Iberia's merger with Aviaco in 1999, additional domestic and international services were taken over by Air Nostrum. It acquired Dutch airline Denim Air in 1999, but disposed of its interest in the company in 2002. Air Nostrum is owned by Nefinsa (75%), Caja Duero (22%) and Air Nostrum management (3%) and