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
4. The Bruttii occupy the remainder of the coast as far as the Strait of
Sicily, extending about 1350 stadia. Antiochus, in his treatise on
Italy, says that this district, which he intended to describe, was
called Italy, but that previously it had been called Œnotria. The
boundary which he assigns to it on the Tyrrhenian Sea, is the river
Lao,[2093] and on the Sea of Sicily Metapontium, the former of which we
have given as the boundary of the Bruttii. He describes Tarentum, which
is next to Metapontium,[2094] as beyond Italy, calling it Iapygian. He
also relates that, at a more ancient period, those who dwelt on this
side the isthmus, which lies next the Strait of Sicily, were the only
people who were called Œnotrians and Italians. The isthmus is 160 stadia
across between the two gulfs, namely, that of Hipponium,[2095] which
Antiochus called Napitinus, and [CAS. 255] that of Scylletium.[2096] The
circumnavigation of the peninsula, which is comprised between this
isthmus and the strait, is 2000 stadia. He says that afterwards the
names of Italy and of the Œnotrians were extended as far as Metapontium
and the Siritis; the Chones, a people of Œnotrian descent, and highly
civilized, inhabited these districts, and called their country Chone.
However, this author has written in a very loose and old-fashioned
manner, without giving any definite boundaries to the Leucani and
Bruttii. Now Leucania is situated on the Tyrrhenian and Sicilian Seas,
extending on one coast from the Silaro[2097] to the river Lao, and on
the other from Metapontium[2098] to Thurii. Along the continent it
stretches from the country of the Samnites, as far as the isthmus
between Thurii and Cerilli,[2099] near the Lao. This isthmus is 300
stadia[2100] across. Beyond are the Bruttii, who dwell on the peninsula;
in this is included another peninsula, which is bounded by the isthmus
between Scylletium[2101] and the Hipponiate gulf.[2102] The nation
received its appellation from the Leucani, for they call runaways
Bruttii, and they say that formerly they ran away from them when
employed as shepherds, and that afterwards their independence was
established through the weakness [of the Leucani], when Dion [of
Syracuse] was prosecuting a war against [the younger] Dionysius, and
fomented hostilities amongst all.[2103] This is all we shall remark as
to the Leucani and Bruttii.
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