The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)Pliny, the Elder
History
The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)
Pliny, the Elder
Natural history -- Pre-Linnean works
On this occasion also it seems that we ought to speak of Galatia[4312],
which lies above Phrygia, and includes the greater part of the
territory taken from that province, as also its former capital,
Gordium[4313]. The Gauls[4314] who have settled in these parts, are
called the Tolistobogi, the Voturi, and the Ambitouti; those who
dwell in Mæonia and Paphlagonia are called the Trocmi. Cappadocia
stretches along to the north-east of Galatia, its most fertile parts
being possessed by the Tectosages and the Teutobodiaci. These are
the nations by which those parts are occupied; and they are divided
into peoples and tetrarchies, 195 in number. Its towns are, among the
Tectosages, Ancyra[4315]; among the Trocmi, Tavium[4316]; and, among
the Tolistobogi, Pessinus[4317]. Besides the above, the best known
among the peoples of this region are the Actalenses, the Arasenses, the
Comenses[4318], the Didienses, the Hierorenses, the Lystreni[4319],
the Neapolitani, the Œandenses, the Seleucenses[4320], the
Sebasteni[4321], the Timoniacenses[4322], and the Thebaseni[4323].
Galatia also touches upon Carbalia in Pamphylia, and the Milyæ[4324],
about Baris; also upon Cyllanticum and Oroandicum[4325], a district
of Pisidia, and Obizene, a part of Lycaonia. Besides those already
mentioned[4326], its rivers are the Sangarius[4327] and the
Gallus[4328], from which last the priests[4329] of the Mother of the
gods have taken their name.
CHAP. 43.—BITHYNIA.
And now as to the remaining places on this coast. On the road from Cios
into the interior is Prusa[4330], in Bithynia, founded by Hannibal at
the foot of Olympus, at a distance of twenty-five miles from Nicæa,
Lake Ascanius[4331] lying between them. We then come to Nicæa[4332],
formerly called Olbia, and situate at the bottom of the Ascanian Gulf;
as also a second place called Prusa[4333], at the foot of Mount Hypius.
Pythopolis, Parthenopolis, and Coryphanta are no longer in existence.
Along the coast we find the rivers Æsius, Bryazon, Plataneus, Areus,
Æsyros, Geodos, also called Chrysorroas[4334], and the promontory[4335]
upon which once stood the town of Megarice. The gulf that here runs
inland received the name of Craspedites from the circumstance of that
town lying, as it were, upon its skirt[4336]. Astacum[4337], also,
formerly stood here, from which the same gulf has received the name
of the ‘Astacenian’: the town of Libyssa[4338] formerly stood at
the spot where we now see nothing but the tomb of Hannibal. At the
bottom of the gulf lies Nicomedia[4339], a famous city of Bithynia;
then comes the Promontory of Leucatas[4340], by which the Astacenian
Gulf is bounded, and thirty-seven miles distant from Nicomedia; and
then, the land again approaching the other side, the straits[4341]
which extend as far as the Thracian Bosporus. Upon these are situate
Chalcedon[4342], a free town, sixty-two miles from Nicomedia, formerly
called Procerastis[4343], then Colpusa, and after that the “City of
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