Again, adjoining the province of Narbonensis are the Ruteni[3062], the Cadurci[3063], the Nitiobriges[3064], and the Petrocori[3065], separated by the river Tarnis from the Tolosani. The seas around the coast are the Northern Ocean, flowing up to the mouth of the Rhine, the Britannic Ocean between the Rhine and the Sequana, and, between it and the Pyrenees, the Gallic Ocean. There are many islands belonging to the Veneti, which bear the name of “Veneticæ[3066],” as also in the Aquitanic Gulf, that of Uliarus[3067].
CHAP. 34. (20.)—NEARER SPAIN, ITS COAST ALONG THE GALLIC OCEAN.
At the Promontory of the Pyrenees Spain begins, more narrow, not only than Gaul, but even than itself[3068] in its other parts, as we have previously mentioned[3069], seeing to what an immense extent it is here hemmed in by the ocean on the one side, and by the Iberian Sea on the other. A chain of the Pyrenees, extending from due east to south-west[3070], divides Spain into two parts, the smaller one to the north, the larger to the south. The first coast that presents itself is that of the Nearer Spain, otherwise called Tarraconensis. On leaving the Pyrenees and proceeding along the coast, we meet with the forest ranges of the Vascones[3071], Olarso[3072], the towns of the Varduli[3073], the Morosgi[3074], Menosca[3075], Vesperies[3076], and the Port of Amanus[3077], where now stands the colony of Flaviobriga. We then come to the district of the nine states of the Cantabri[3078], the river Sauga[3079], and the Port of Victoria of the Juliobrigenses[3080], from which place the sources of the Iberus[3081] are distant forty miles. We next come to the Port of Blendium[3082], the Orgenomesci[3083], a people of the Cantabri, Vereasueca[3084] their port, the country of the Astures[3085], the town of Noega[3086], and on a peninsula[3087], the Pæsici. Next to these we have, belonging to the jurisdiction of Lucus[3088], after passing the river Navilubio[3089], the Cibarci[3090], the Egovarri, surnamed Namarini, the Iadoni, the Arrotrebæ[3091], the Celtic Promontory, the rivers Florius[3092] and Nelo, the Celtici[3093], surnamed Neri, and above them the Tamarici[3094], in whose peninsula[3095] are the three altars called Sestianæ, and dedicated[3096] to Augustus; the Capori[3097], the town of Noela[3098], the Celtici surnamed Præsamarci, and the Cileni[3099]: of the islands, those worthy of mention are Corticata[3100] and Aunios. After passing the Cileni, belonging to the jurisdiction of the Bracari[3101], we have the Heleni[3102], the Gravii[3103], and the fortress of Tyde, all of them deriving their origin from the Greeks. Also, the islands called Cicæ[3104], the famous city of Abobrica[3105], the river Minius[3106], four miles wide at its mouth, the Leuni, the Seurbi[3107], and Augusta[3108], a town of the Bracari, above whom lies Gallæcia. We then come to the river Limia[3109], and the river Durius[3110], one of the largest in Spain, and which rises in the district of the Pelendones[3111], passes near Numantia, and through the Arevaci and the Vaccæi, dividing the Vettones from Asturia, the Gallæci from Lusitania, and separating the Turduli from the Bracari. The whole of the region here mentioned from the Pyrenees is full of mines of gold, silver, iron, and lead, both black and white[3112].
CHAP. 35. (21.)—LUSITANIA.
After passing the Durius, Lusitania[3113] begins. We here have the ancient Turduli[3114], the Pæsuri, the river Vaga[3115], the town of Talabrica, the town and river[3116] of Æminium, the towns of Conimbrica[3117], Collippo[3118], and Eburobritium[3119]. A promontory[3120] then advances into the sea in shape of a large horn; by some it has been called Artabrum[3121], by others the Great Promontory, while many call it the Promontory of Olisipo, from the city[3122] near it. This spot forms a dividing line in the land, the sea, and the heavens. Here ends one side[3123] of Spain; and, when we have doubled the promontory, the front of Spain begins. (22.) On one side of it lie the North and the Gallic Ocean, on the other the West and the Atlantic. The length of this promontory has been estimated by some persons at sixty miles, by others at ninety. A considerable number of writers estimate the distance from this spot to the Pyrenees at 1250 miles; and, committing a manifest error, place here the nation of the Artabri, a nation that never[3124] was here. For, making a slight change in the name, they have placed at this spot the Arrotrebæ, whom we have previously spoken of as dwelling in front of the Celtic Promontory.
Mistakes have also been made as to the more celebrated rivers. From the Minius, which we have previously mentioned, according to Varro, the river Æminius[3125] is distant 200 miles, which others[3126] suppose to be situate elsewhere, and called Limæa. By the ancients it was called the “River of Oblivion,” and it has been made the subject of many fabulous stories. At a distance of 200 miles from the Durius is the Tagus, the Munda[3127] lying between them. The Tagus is famous for its golden sands[3128]. At a distance of 160 miles from it is the Sacred Promontory[3129], projecting from nearly the very middle of the front[3130] of Spain. From this spot to the middle of the Pyrenees, Varro says, is a distance of 1400 miles; while to the Anas, by which we have mentioned[3131] Lusitania as being separated from Bætica, is 126 miles, it being 102 more to Gades.
The peoples are the Celtici, the Turduli, and, about the Tagus, the Vettones[3132]. From the river Anas to the Sacred Promontory[3133] are the Lusitani. The cities worthy of mention on the coast, beginning from the Tagus, are that of Olisipo[3134], famous for its mares, which conceive[3135] from the west wind; Salacia[3136], which is surnamed the Imperial City; Merobrica[3137]; and then the Sacred Promontory, with the other known by the name of Cuneus[3138], and the towns of Ossonoba[3139], Balsa[3140], and Myrtili[3141].
The whole of this province is divided into three jurisdictions, those of Emerita, Pax, and Scalabis. It contains in all forty-six peoples, among whom there are five colonies, one municipal town of Roman citizens, three with the ancient Latin rights, and thirty-six that are tributaries. The colonies are those of Augusta Emerita[3142], situate on the river Anas, Metallinum[3143], Pax[3144], and Norba[3145], surnamed Cæsariana. To this last place of jurisdiction the people of Castra Servilia[3146] and Castra Cæcilia[3147] resort. The fifth jurisdiction is that of Scalabis[3148], which also has the name of Præsidium Julium[3149]. Olisipo, surnamed Felicitas Julia[3150], is a municipal city, whose inhabitants enjoy the rights of Roman citizens. The towns in the enjoyment of the ancient Latin rights are Ebora[3151], which also has the name of Liberalitas Julia[3152], and Myrtili and Salacia, which we have previously mentioned. Those among the tributaries whom it may not be amiss to mention, in addition to those already[3153] alluded to among the names of those in Bætica, are the Augustobrigenses[3154], the Ammienses[3155], the Aranditani, the Arabricenses, the Balsenses, the Cæsarobricenses, the Caperenses[3156], the Caurenses[3157], the Colarni, the Cibilitani, the Concordienses[3158], the Elbocorii, the Interannienses, the Lancienses[3159], the Mirobrigenses, surnamed[3160] Celtici, the Medubrigenses[3161], surnamed Plumbarii, the Ocelenses[3162] or Lancienses, the Turduli, also called Barduli, and the Tapori. Agrippa states, that Lusitania, with Asturia and Gallæcia, is 540 miles in length, and 536 in breadth. The provinces of Spain, measured from the two extreme[3163] promontories of the Pyrenees, along the sea-line of the entire coast, are thought to be 3922 miles in circumference; while some writers make them to be but 2600.
CHAP. 36.—THE ISLANDS IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
Opposite to Celtiberia are a number of islands, by the Greeks called Cassiterides[3164], in consequence of their abounding in tin: and, facing the Promontory[3165] of the Arrotrebæ, are the six Islands of the Gods, which some persons have called the Fortunate Islands[3166]. At the very commencement of Bætica, and twenty-five miles from the mouth of the Straits of Gades, is the island of Gadis, twelve miles long and three broad, as Polybius states in his writings. At its nearest part, it is less than 700 feet[3167] distant from the mainland, while in the remaining portion it is distant more than seven miles. Its circuit is fifteen miles, and it has on it a city which enjoys the rights of Roman citizens[3168], and whose people are called the Augustani of the city of Julia Gaditana. On the side which looks towards Spain, at about 100 paces distance, is another long island, three miles wide, on which the original city of Gades stood. By Ephorus and Philistides it is called Erythia, by Timæus and Silenus Aphrodisias[3169], and by the natives the Isle of Juno. Timæus says, that the larger island used to be called Cotinusa[3170], from its olives; the Romans call it Tartessos[3171]; the Carthaginians Gadir[3172], that word in the Punic language signifying a hedge. It was called Erythia because the Tyrians, the original ancestors of the Carthaginians, were said to have come from the Erythræan, or Red Sea. In this island Geryon is by some thought to have dwelt, whose herds were carried off by Hercules. Other persons again think, that his island is another one, opposite to Lusitania, and that it was there formerly called by that name[3173].