Acarnanians occupy the western side of the river as far as the Ambracian Gulf,[596] opposite to the Amphilochians, and the temple of Apollo Actius. Ætolians occupy the part towards the east as far as the Locri Ozolæ, Parnassus, and the Œtæans. Amphilochians are situated above the Acarnanians in the interior towards the north; above the Amphilochians are situated Dolopes, and Mount Pindus; above the Ætolians are Perrhæbi, Athamanes, and a body of the Ænianes who occupy Œta. The southern side, as well the Acarnanian as the Ætolian, is washed by the sea, forming the Corinthian Gulf, into which the Achelous empties itself. This river (at its mouth) is the boundary of the Ætolian and the Acarnanian coast. The Achelous was formerly called Thoas. There is a river of this name near Dyme,[597] as we have said, and another near Lamia.[598] We have also said,[599] that the mouth of this river is considered by some writers as the commencement of the Corinthian Gulf. 2. The cities of the Acarnanians are, Anactorium, situated upon a peninsula[600] near Actium, and a mart of Nicopolis, which has been built in our time; Stratus,[601] to which vessels sail up the Achelous, a distance of more than 200 stadia; and Œniadæ[602] is also on the banks of the river. The ancient city is not inhabited, and lies at an equal distance from the sea and from Stratus. The present city is at the distance of 70 stadia above the mouth of the river. There are also other cities, Palærus,[603] Alyzia,[604] Leucas,[605] the Amphilochian Argos,[606] and Ambracia:[607] most of these, if not all, are dependent upon Nicopolis. Stratus lies half-way between Alyzia and Anactorium.[608] 3. To the Ætolians belong both Calydon[609] and Pleuron, which at present are in a reduced condition, but, anciently, these settlements were an ornament to Greece. Ætolia was divided into two portions, one called the Old, the other the Epictetus (the Acquired). The Old comprised the sea-coast from the Achelous as far as Calydon, extending far into the inland parts, which are fertile, and consist of plains. Here are situated Stratus and Trichonium, which has an excellent soil. The Epictetus, that reaches close to the Locri in the direction of Naupactus[610] and Eupalium,[611] [CAS. 451] is a rugged and sterile tract, extending as far as Œtæa, to the territory of the Athamanes, and the mountains and nations following next in order, and which lie around towards the north. 4. There is in Ætolia a very large mountain, the Corax,[612] which is contiguous to Œta. Among the other mountains, more in the middle of the country, is the Aracynthus,[613] near which the founders built the modern Pleuron, having abandoned the ancient city situated near Calydon, which was in a fertile plain country, when Demetrius, surnamed Ætolicus, laid waste the district.