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
the country of the Vescini,[1836] and by the village of Fregellæ,
(formerly a famous city,) and so into a sacred grove situated below the
city, and held in great veneration by the people of Minturnæ. There are
two islands, named Pandataria and Pontia,[1837] lying in the high sea,
and clearly discernible from the caverns. Although small, they are well
inhabited, are not at any great distance from each other, and at 250
stadia from the mainland. Cæcubum is situated on the gulf of Caiata, and
next to it Fundi, a city on the Via Appia. All these places produce
excellent wines; but those of Cæcubum, Fundi, and Setia[1838] are most
in repute, and so are the Falernian, Alban,[1839] and Statanian wines.
Sinuessa is situated in a gulf from which it takes its name, sinus
signifying [CAS. 234] [in Latin] a gulf. Near to it are some fine
hot-baths, good for the cure of various maladies. Such are the maritime
cities of Latium.
7. In the interior, the first city above Ostia is Rome; it is the only
city built on the Tiber. It has been remarked above, that its position
was fixed, not by choice, but necessity; to this must be added, that
those who afterwards enlarged it, were not at liberty to select a better
site, being prevented by what was already built. The first [kings]
fortified the Capitol, the Palatium, and the Collis Quirinalis, which
was so easy of access, that when Titus Tatius came to avenge the rape of
the [Sabine] virgins, he took it on the first assault. Ancus Marcius,
who added Mount Cælius and the Aventine Mount with the intermediate
plain, separated as these places were both from each other and from what
had been formerly fortified, was compelled to do this of necessity;
since he did not consider it proper to leave outside his walls, heights
so well protected by nature, to whomsoever might have a mind to fortify
themselves upon them, while at the same time he was not capable of
enclosing the whole as far as Mount Quirinus. Servius perceived this
defect, and added the Esquiline and Viminal hills. As these were both of
easy access from without, a deep trench was dug outside them and the
earth thrown up on the inside, thus forming a terrace of 6 stadia in
length along the inner side of the trench. This terrace he surmounted
with a wall flanked with towers, and extending from the Colline[1840] to
the Esquiline gate. Midway along the terrace is a third gate, named
after the Viminal hill. Such is the Roman rampart, which seems to stand
in need of other ramparts itself. But it seems to me that the first
[founders] were of opinion, both in regard to themselves and their
successors, that Romans had to depend not on fortifications, but on arms
and their individual valour, both for safety and for wealth, and that
walls were not a defence to men, but men were a defence to walls. At the
period of its commencement, when the large and fertile districts
surrounding the city belonged to others, and while it lay easily open to
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