The fifth region is that of Picenum, once remarkable for the denseness of its population; 360,000 Picentines took the oaths of fidelity to the Roman people. They are descended from the Sabines, who had made a vow to celebrate a holy spring[1769]. Their territory commenced at the river Aternus[1770], where the present district and colony of Adria[1771] is, at a distance of six miles from the sea. Here we find the river Vomanus, the territories of Prætutia and Palma[1772], Castrum Novum[1773], the river Batinus; Truentum[1774], with its river of the same name, which place is the only remnant of the Liburni[1775] in Italy; the river Albula[1776]; Tervium, at which the Prætutian district ends, and that of Picenum begins; the town of Cupra[1777], Castellum Firmanorum[1778], and above it the colony of Asculum[1779], the most illustrious in Picenum; in the interior there is the town of Novana[1780]. Upon the coast we have Cluana[1781], Potentia, Numana, founded by the Siculi, and Ancona[1782], a colony founded by the same people on the Promontory of Cumerus, forming an elbow of the coast, where it begins to bend inwards, and distant from Garganus 183 miles. In the interior are the Auximates[1783], the Beregrani[1784], the Cingulani, the Cuprenses surnamed Montani[1785], the Falarienses[1786], the Pausulani, the Planinenses, the Ricinenses, the Septempedani[1787], the Tollentinates, the Treienses, and the Pollentini of Urbs Salvia[1788].
CHAP. 19. (14.)—THE SIXTH REGION OF ITALY.
Adjoining to this is the sixth region, which includes Umbria and the Gallic territory in the vicinity of Ariminum. At Ancona begins the coast of that part of Gaul known as Gallia Togata[1789]. The Siculi and the Liburni possessed the greater part of this district, and more particularly the territories of Palma, of Prætutia, and of Adria. These were expelled by the Umbri, these again by the Etrurians, and these in their turn by the Gauls. The Umbri are thought to have been the most ancient race in Italy, it being supposed that they were called “Ombrii” by the Greeks, from the fact of their having survived the rains[1790] which had inundated the earth. We read that 300 of their towns were conquered by the Tusci; at the present day we find on their coast the river Æsis[1791], Senogallia[1792], the river Metaurus, the colonies of Fanum Fortunæ[1793] and Pisaurum[1794], with a river of the same name; and, in the interior, those of Hispellum[1795] and Tuder.
Besides the above, there are the Amerini[1796], the Attidiates[1797], the Asisinates[1798], the Arnates[1799], the Æsinates[1800], the Camertes[1801], the Casuentillani, the Carsulani[1802], the Dolates surnamed Salentini, the Fulginiates[1803], the Foroflaminienses[1804], the Forojulienses surnamed Concupienses, the Forobrentani, the Forosempronienses[1805], the Iguvini[1806], the Interamnates surnamed Nartes, the Mevanates[1807], the Mevanionenses, the Matilicates[1808], the Narnienses[1809], whose town used formerly to be called Nequinum; the Nucerini[1810], both those surnamed Favonienses and those called Camellani; the Ocriculani[1811], the Ostrani[1812], the Pitulani, both those surnamed Pisuertes and the others called Mergentini; the Plestini[1813], the Sentinates[1814], the Sarsinates[1815], the Spoletini[1816], the Suasini[1817], the Sestinates[1818], the Suillates[1819], the Tadinates[1820], the Trebiates[1821], the Tuficani[1822], the Tifernates[1823] surnamed Tiberini, and the others called Metaurenses, the Vesinicates, the Urbinates, both those surnamed Metaurenses[1824] and the others called Hortenses, the Vettonenses[1825], the Vindinates, and the Viventani. In this district there exist no longer the Feliginates who possessed Clusiolum above Interamna, and the Sarranates, with their towns of Acerræ[1826], surnamed Vafriæ, and Turocelum, also called Vettiolum; as also the Solinates, the Curiates, the Fallienates, and the Apiennates. The Arienates also have disappeared with the town of Crinovolum, as well as the Usidicani, the Plangenses, the Pæsinates, and the Cælestini. Cato writes that Ameria above-mentioned was founded 964 years before the war with Perseus.
CHAP. 20. (15.)—THE EIGHTH REGION OF ITALY; THE PADUS.
The eighth region is bounded by Ariminum, the Padus, and the Apennines. Upon the coast we have the river Crustumium[1827], and the colony of Ariminum[1828], with the rivers Ariminus and Aprusa. Next comes the river Rubico[1829], once the boundary of Italy, and after it the Sapis[1830], the Vitis, and the Anemo, and then, Ravenna, a town of the Sabines[1831], with the river Bedesis, 105 miles from Ancona; and, not far from the sea, Butrium[1832], a town of the Umbri. In the interior there are the colonies of Bononia[1833], formerly called Felsina, when it was the chief place of Etruria[1834], Brixillum[1835], Mutina[1836], Parma[1837], and Placentia[1838]. There are also the towns of Cæsena[1839], Claterna, Forum Clodî[1840], Forum Livî, Forum Popilî, Forum Truentinorum[1841], Forum Cornelî, Forum Licinî, the Faventini[1842], the Fidentini[1843], the Otesini, the Padinates[1844], the Regienses[1845], who take their name from Lepidus, the Solonates[1846], the Saltus Galliani[1847], surnamed Aquinates, the Tannetani[1848], the Veliates[1849], who were anciently surnamed Regiates, and the Urbanates[1850]. In this district the Boii[1851] have disappeared, of whom there were 112 tribes according to Cato; as also the Senones, who captured Rome.
(16.) The Padus[1852] descends from the bosom of Mount Vesulus, one of the most elevated points of the chain of the Alps, in the territories of the Ligurian Vagienni[1853], and rises at its source in a manner that well merits an inspection by the curious; after which it hides itself in a subterranean channel until it rises again in the country of the Forovibienses. It is inferior in fame to none whatever among the rivers, being known to the Greeks as the Eridanus and famous as the scene of the punishment of Phaëton[1854]. At the rising of the Dog-star it is swollen by the melted snows; but, though it proves more furious in its course to the adjoining fields than to the vessels that are upon it, still it takes care to carry away no portion of its banks, and when it recedes, renders them additionally fertile. Its length from its source is 300 miles, to which we must add eighty-eight for its sinuosities; and it receives from the Apennines and Alps not only several navigable rivers, but immense lakes as well, which discharge themselves into its waters, thus conveying altogether as many as thirty streams into the Adriatic Sea.
Of these the best known are the following—flowing from the range of the Apennines, the Jactus, the Tanarus[1855], the Trebia which passes Placentia, the Tarus, the Incia, the Gabellus, the Scultenna, and the Rhenus: from the chain of the Alps, the Stura[1856], the Orgus, the two Duriæ, the Sessites, the Ticinus, the Lambrus, the Addua, the Ollius, and the Mincius. There is no river known to receive a larger increase than this in so short a space; so much so indeed that it is impelled onwards by this vast body of water, and, invading the land[1857], forms deep channels in its course: hence it is that, although a portion of its stream is drawn off by rivers and canals between Ravenna and Altinum, for a space of 120 miles, still, at the spot where it discharges the vast body of its waters, it is said to form seven seas.
By the Augustan Canal the Padus is carried to Ravenna, at which place it is called the Padusa[1858], having formerly borne the name of Messanicus. The nearest mouth to this spot forms the extensive port known as that of Vatrenus, where Claudius Cæsar[1859], on his triumph over the Britons, entered the Adriatic in a vessel that deserved rather the name of a vast palace than a ship. This mouth, which was formerly called by some the Eridanian, has been by others styled the Spinetic mouth, from the city of Spina, a very powerful place which formerly stood in the vicinity, if we may form a conclusion from the amount of its treasure deposited at Delphi; it was founded by Diomedes. At this spot the river Vatrenus[1860], which flows from the territory of Forum Cornelî, swells the waters of the Padus.
The next mouth to this is that of Caprasia[1861], then that of Sagis, and then Volane, formerly called Olane; all of which are situate upon the Flavian Canal[1862], which the Tuscans formerly made from Sagis, thus drawing the impetuous stream of the river across into the marshes of the Atriani, which they call the Seven Seas; and upon which is the noble port of Atria[1863], a city of the Tuscans, from which place the sea was formerly called the Atriatic, though now the Adriatic.