To Thessaly Magnesia joins, in which is the fountain of Libethra[2406]. Its towns are Iolcos[2407], Hormenium, Pyrrha[2408], Methone[2409], and Olizon[2410]. The Promontory of Sepias[2411] is here situate. We then come to the towns of Casthanea[2412] and Spalathra[2413], the Promontory of Æantium[2414], the towns of Melibœa[2415], Rhizus, and Erymnæ[2416]; the mouth of the Peneus, the towns of Homolium[2417], Orthe, Thespiæ, Phalanna[2418], Thaumacie[2419], Gyrton[2420], Crannon[2421], Acharne[2422], Dotion[2423], Melitæa, Phylace[2424], and Potniæ[2425]. The length of Epirus, Achaia, Attica, and Thessaly is said altogether to amount to 490 miles, the breadth to 287.
CHAP. 17. (10.)—MACEDONIA.
Macedonia comes next, including 150 nations, and renowned for its two kings[2426] and its former empire over the world; it was formerly known by the name of Emathia[2427]. Stretching away towards the nations of Epirus on the west it lies at the back of Magnesia and Thessaly, being itself exposed to the attacks of the Dardani[2428]. Pæonia and Pelagonia protect its northern parts from the Triballi[2429]. Its towns are Ægiæ[2430], at which place its kings were usually buried, Beræa[2431], and, in the country called Pieria from the grove of that name, Æginium[2432]. Upon the coast are Heraclea[2433], the river Apilas[2434], the towns of Pydna[2435] and Aloros[2436], and the river Haliacmon[2437]. In the interior are the Aloritæ[2438], the Vallæi[2439], the Phylacæi, the Cyrrhestæ[2440], the Tyrissæi, the colony of Pella[2441], and Stobi[2442], a town with the rights of Roman citizens. Next comes Antigonea[2443], Europus[2444] upon the river Axius, and another place of the same name by which the Rhœdias flows, Scydra, Eordæa, Mieza, and Gordyniæ. Then, upon the coast, Ichnæ[2445], and the river Axius; along this frontier the Dardani, the Treres[2446], and the Pieres, border on Macedonia. Leaving this river, there are the nations of Pæonia[2447], the Paroræi[2448], the Eordenses[2449], the Almopii[2450], the Pelagones, and the Mygdones[2451].
Next come the mountains of Rhodope, Scopius, and Orbelus; and, lying along the extent of country in front of these mountains, the Arethusii[2452], the Antiochienses[2453], the Idomenenses[2454], the Doberi[2455], the Æstræenses, the Allantenses, the Audaristenses, the Morylli, the Garesci[2456], the Lyncestæ[2457], the Othryonei[2458], and the Amantini[2459] and Orestæ[2460], both of them free peoples; the colonies of Bullis[2461] and Dium[2462], the Xylopolitæ, the Scotussæi, a free people, Heraclea Sintica[2463], the Tymphæi[2464], and the Toronæi.
Upon the coast of the Macedonian Gulf there are the town of Chalastra[2465], and, more inland, Piloros; also Lete, and at the extreme bend of the Gulf, Thessalonica[2466], a free city; (from this place to Dyrrhachium it is 245 miles[2467],) and then Thermæ[2468]. Upon the Gulf[2469] of Thermæ are the towns of Dicæa, Pydna[2470], Derra, Scione[2471], the Promontory of Canastræum[2472], and the towns of Pallene[2473] and Phlegra. In this region also are the mountains Hypsizorus, Epitus, Halcyone, and Leoomne; the towns of Nyssos[2474], Phryxelon, Mendæ, and what was formerly Potidæa[2475] on the isthmus of Pallene, but now the Colony of Cassandria; Anthemus[2476], Olophyxus[2477], and the Gulf of Mecyberna[2478]; the towns of Miscella, Ampelos[2479], Torone[2480], Singos[2481], and the canal, a mile and a half in length, by means of which Xerxes, king of the Persians, cut off Mount Athos[2482] from the main land. This mountain projects from the level plain of the adjacent country into the sea, a distance of seventy-five[2483] miles; its circumference at its base being 150 miles in extent. There was formerly upon its summit the town of Acroathon[2484]: the present towns are Uranopolis[2485], Palæorium, Thyssus, Cleonæ[2486], and Apollonia, the inhabitants of which have the surname of Macrobii[2487]. The town also of Cassera, and then the other side of the Isthmus, after which come Acanthus[2488], Stagira[2489], Sithone[2490], Heraclea[2491], and the country of Mygdonia that lies below, in which are situate, at some distance from the sea, Apollonia[2492] and Arethusa. Again, upon the coast we have Posidium[2493], and the bay with the town of Cermorus, Amphipolis[2494], a free town, and the nation of the [Bisaltæ]. We then come to the river Strymon[2495] which takes its rise in Mount Hæmus[2496] and forms the boundary of Macedonia: it is worthy of remark that it first discharges itself into seven lakes before it proceeds onward in its course.
Such is Macedonia, which was once the mistress of the world, which once extended[2497] her career over Asia, Armenia, Iberia, Albania, Cappadocia, Syria, Egypt, Taurus, and Caucasus, which reduced the whole of the East under her power, and triumphed over the Bactri, the Medes, and the Persians. She too it was who proved the conqueror of India, thus treading in the footsteps of Father Liber[2498] and of Hercules; and this is that same Macedonia, of which our own general Paulus Æmilius sold to pillage seventy-two[2499] cities in one day. So great the difference in her lot resulting from the actions of two[2500] individuals!
CHAP. 18. (11.)—THRACE; THE ÆGEAN SEA.
Thrace now follows, divided into fifty strategies[2501], and to be reckoned among the most powerful nations of Europe. Among its peoples whom we ought not to omit to name are the Denseletæ and the Medi, dwelling upon the right bank of the Strymon, and joining up to the Bisaltæ above[2502] mentioned; on the left there are the Digerri and a number of tribes of the Bessi[2503], with various names, as far as the river Mestus[2504], which winds around the foot of Mount Pangæum[2505], passing among the Elethi, the Diobessi[2506], the Carbilesi; and then the Brysæ, the Sapæi, and the Odomanti. The territory of the Odrysæ[2507] gives birth to the Hebrus[2508], its banks being inhabited by the Cabyleti, the Pyrogeri, the Drugeri, the Cænici, the Hypsalti, the Beni, the Corpili, the Bottiæi, and the Edoni[2509]. In the same district are also the Selletæ, the Priantæ, the Doloncæ, the Thyni, and the Greater Cœletæ, below Mount Hæmus, the Lesser at the foot of Rhodope. Between these tribes runs the river Hebrus. We then come to a town at the foot of Rhodope, first called Poneropolis[2510], afterwards Philippopolis[2511] from the name of its founder, and now, from the peculiarity of its situation, Trimontium[2512]. To reach the summit of Hæmus you have to travel six[2513] miles. The sides of it that look in the opposite direction and slope towards the Ister are inhabited by the Mœsi[2514], the Getæ, the Aorsi, the Gaudæ, and the Clariæ; below them, are the Arræi Sarmatæ[2515], also called Arreatæ, the Scythians, and, about the shores of the Euxine, the Moriseni and the Sithonii, the forefathers of the poet Orpheus[2516], dwell.
Thus is Thrace bounded by the Ister on the north, by the Euxine, and the Propontis[2517] on the east, and by the Ægean Sea on the south; on the coast of which, after leaving the Strymon, we come in turn to Apollonia[2518], Œsyma[2519], Neapolis[2520] and Datos. In the interior is the colony of Philippi[2521], distant from Dyrrhachium 325 miles; also Scotussa[2522], the city of Topiris, the mouth of the river Mestus[2523], Mount Pangæus, Heraclea[2524], Olynthos[2525], Abdera[2526], a free city, the people of the Bistones[2527] and their Lake. Here was formerly the city of Tirida, which struck such terror with its stables of the horses[2528] of Diomedes. At the present day we find here Dicæa[2529], Ismaron[2530], the place where Parthenion stood, Phalesina, and Maronea[2531], formerly called Orthagorea. We then come to Mount Serrium[2532] and Zone[2533], and then the place called Doriscus[2534], capable of containing ten thousand men, for it was in bodies of ten thousand that Xerxes here numbered his army. We then come to the mouth of the Hebrus[2535], the Port of Stentor, and the free town of Ænos[2536], with the tomb there of Polydorus[2537], the region formerly of the Cicones.
From Doriscus there is a winding coast as far as Macron Tichos[2538], or the “Long Wall,” a distance of 122 miles; round Doriscus flows the river Melas, from which the Gulf of Melas[2539] receives its name. The towns are, Cypsela[2540], Bisanthe[2541], and Macron Tichos, already mentioned, so called because a wall extends from that spot between the two seas,—that is to say, from the Propontis to the Gulf of Melas, thus excluding the Chersonesus[2542], which projects beyond it.