The Geography of Strabo, Volume 1 (of 3): Literally Translated, with NotesStrabo
History
The Geography of Strabo, Volume 1 (of 3): Literally Translated, with Notes
Strabo
Geography -- Early works to 1800
3. The Monœci Portus is merely a roadstead, not capable of containing
either many or large vessels. Here is a temple dedicated to Hercules
Monœcus.[1512] The name seems to show it probable that the Massilian
voyages along the coast extended as far as here. Monœci Portus is
distant from Antipolis rather more than 200 stadia. The Salyes occupy
the region from thence to Marseilles, or a little farther; they
[CAS.203] inhabit the Alps which lie above that city, and a portion of
the sea-coast, where they intermingle with the Greeks. The ancient
Greeks gave to the Salyes the name of Ligyes,[1513] and to the country
which was in the possession of the Marseillese, that of Ligystica.[1514]
The later Greeks named them Kelto-Ligyes,[1515] and assigned to them the
whole of the plains extending as far as Luerion[1516] and the Rhone.
They are divided into ten cantons, and are capable of raising troops not
only of infantry, but of cavalry also. These people were the first of
the Transalpine Kelts whom the Romans subdued after maintaining a
lengthened war against them and the Ligurians. They closed [against the
Romans] all the roads into Iberia along the sea-coast, and carried on a
system of pillage both by sea and land. Their strength so increased that
large armies were scarcely able to force a passage. And after a war of
eighty years, the Romans were hardly able to obtain a breadth of twelve
stadia for the purpose of making a public road. After this, however, the
Romans subdued the whole of them, and established among them a regular
form of government, and imposed a tribute.[1517]
4. After the Salyes, the Albienses, the Albiœci,[1518] and the Vocontii
inhabit the northern portion of the mountains. The Vocontii extend as
far as the Allobriges, and occupy vast valleys in the depths of the
mountains, not inferior to those inhabited by the Allobriges. Both the
Allobriges and Ligurians are subject to the pretors sent into the
Narbonnaise, but the Vocontii are governed by their own laws, as we have
said of the Volcæ of Nemausus.[1519] Of the Ligurians between the Var
and Genoa, those along the sea are considered Italians; while the
mountaineers are governed by a prefect of the equestrian order, as is
the case in regard to other nations wholly barbarous.
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