An encyclopedist of the dark ages: Isidore of SevilleBrehaut, Ernest
History
An encyclopedist of the dark ages: Isidore of Seville
Brehaut, Ernest
Isidore, of Seville, Saint, -636; Thesis (Ph. D.)
66. Caesaraugusta Tarraconensis,[356] a town of Spain, was both
founded and named by Caesar Augustus, excelling all the cities of
Spain in the beauty of its site and in its attractions (_deliciis_),
and more famous than all, and distinguished (_florens_) for the
graves of the sainted martyrs.
[356] Saragossa.
67. The Africans under Hannibal occupied the coast of Spain and built
Carthago Spartaria, which presently was captured and made a colony by
the Romans, and gave its name also to the province. But now it has
been destroyed and reduced to desolation by the Goths.
69. Caesar Augustus built Emerita after he had taken Lusitania and
certain islands of the Ocean, giving it a name from the fact that he
placed his veteran soldiers there. For veterans, freed from service,
are called _emeriti_.
70. Olyssipona (Lisbon) was founded and named by Ulysses, and at this
place, as historians say, the heavens are separated from the earth
and the seas from the lands.
71. Hispalis (Seville) Julius Caesar founded, and called it Julia
Romula from his own name and the name of the city of Rome. It is
called Hispalis from its situation, because it is placed on marshy
ground, the stakes (_palis_) being driven deep, that it might not
slip because of its slippery and unsteady foundations.
72. Gades is a town founded by the Carthaginians who also founded
Carthago Spartaria.
Chapter 4. On sacred buildings.
8. Fanes (_Fana_) are so called from Fauns to whom the heathen
blindness erected temples wherein those who sought for guidance might
hear the responses of demons.
9. _Delubra_, the name the ancients gave to temples having springs
in which they washed themselves (_diluebantur_) before entering....
These are at the present time sanctuaries with sacred springs in
which the regenerate faithful purify themselves, and they were well
called _delubra_ with a sort of prophetic meaning; for they are for
the washing away of sins.
Chapter 15. On land measurements.
1. Measure is whatever limit is set in respect to weight, capacity,
length, height and mind (_animus_). And so the ancients divided the
circle of lands into parts, the parts into provinces, the provinces
into regions, the regions into districts, the districts into
territories, the territories into fields, the fields into centuries,
the centuries into acres (_jugera_), the acres into _climata_ [about
sixty feet square], then the _climata_ into _actus_ [120 x 4 ft.],
perches, paces, grades (_gradus_), cubits, feet, palms, inches,
(_uncia_), and fingers. For so clever were they.
BOOK XVI
ON STONES AND METALS[357]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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