11. Corinth was a small district of the Peloponnesus, occupying the narrow neck, which connected the peninsula with the main land. The capital Corinth, famous in antiquity for its wealth and luxury, had two ports, Lechæum on the Corinthian, and Cenchræ on the Saronic Gulf. Its citadel, called Acrocorinth, was built upon a high and steep rock.

12. Sicyon, a still smaller district, lying to the west of Corinth, on the Corinthian Gulf, contained the towns of Sicyon and Phlius.

13. Achaia, more anciently Ionia, formed the northern shore of the Peloponnesus. This province contained twelve cities, each having its independent jurisdiction, which were generally united together by a federal league.

The chief of these little republics were Dyme, Patræ (Patras), and Pellene.

14. Elis, on the western coast, comprised the little mountainous region of Triphylia. The principal river was the Alpheus, which had its sources in Arcadia, and discharged its waters into the Ionian Sea. On the coast were the islands of Zacynthus (Zante), and the Strophades.

Elis, the principal town; Olympia, where were celebrated the Olympic games in honor of Jupiter; Pisa, on the Alpheus; Lepreum, and Cyllene were among the chief places of interest.

15. Arcadia. This province, situated in the centre of the Peloponnesus was entirely inland; its surface was mountainous, and its inhabitants were distinguished for their pastoral habits, the simplicity of their manners, and their love of music.

Arcadia was traversed by the Alpheus and its tributary, the Erymanthus, and among the mountains were Cyllene, Menalus, and Lycæus. Here also was the Stymphalian Lake, noted in mythology as the resort of fabulous birds, called Stymphalides.

Among the principal towns were Mantinea, where Epaminondas defeated the Spartans; Megalopolis, the capital of the province; Tegea; Phigalia; and Orchomenus.

16. Argolis comprised several small states, occupying the eastern part of the Peloponnesus.

On the coast were the islands of Ægina, the inhabitants of which were distinguished for their naval skill and their genius fór sculpture; Hydrea (Hydra); and Calauria (Poro).

Argos, the principal town, was one of the most ancient cities of Greece. Mycenae was also a place of great antiquity. To the south of Argos, was the Lake Lerna, where Hercules is fabled to have killed the Lernean Hydra. Ruins of an uncertain but remote age, called Cyclopean walls, are still discovered in Argolis.

Nauplia (Napoli di Romania) was the port of Argos. Epidaurus, Træzene, Tyrins, and Nemea, near which Hercules is said to have killed the Nemean lion, are places of historical interest.

17. Laconia was a mountainous region traversed by the ridges of the Taygetus, which formed the promontories of Malea and Tænarium (Cape Matapan). The principal river was the Eurotas (Vasili Potamo). On the coast was the island of Cythera (Cerigo), sacred to Venus. The only considerable town of Laconia was Sparta or Lacedæmon, situated on the Eurotas, and celebrated for the warlike character, and rude and simple manners of its inhabitants. Sparta stood near the site of the modern Misitra.

Sellasia and Amycle were small towns.

18. Messenia, to the west of Laconia, was a level and fertile country. The principal place was Messene; Ithome, Corone (Coron), Methone (Modon), and Pylus were the other most important places.

19. Cyclades. This group comprised the small islands lying off the southeastern coast of Greece, between Euboea and Crete. The principal were Andros; Ceos (Zia), the birth-place of Simonides and Bachilides; Tenos (Tino); Delos (Sidili), sacred to Apollo, who was fabled to have been born there; Myconos; Seriphos (Serpho); Naxos (Naxia), the largest of the Cyclades, and sacred to Bacchus; Paros, famed for its beautiful marble, and the birth-place of Archilochus; Melos (Milo); and Amorgos.

20. The Sporades was a general name applied by the Greeks to the various islands scattered over the Ægean Sea and along the coasts of Greece. The most important have already been mentioned.

21. Crete (Candia). This island was early colonized by the Phonicians and Greeks. It was fabled to have been the birth-place of Jupiter, and was said to contain one hundred cities.

It was traversed by Mount Ida; its principal cities were Cortyna, near which was a famous labyrinth; Cnossus, the chief town, and Cydonia.

GRECIAN COLONIES.

The Greeks being a maritime people established a great number of colonies on the coasts of the Mediterranean and Euxine Seas, in Asia Minor, Italy, Sicily, &c.

The Eolian colonies on the western coast of Asia Minor, occupied the coasts of Mysia and Caria, and the islands of Lesbos and Tenedos. The Ionians established themselves on the coasts of Lydia and Caria, and on the islands of Samos and Chios; Phocæa, Ephesus, and Miletus were the principal Ionian cities.

The Dorians settled on the coast of Caria, and in the islands of Cos and Rhodes; Halicarnassus and Cnidus were the colonies on the continent.

Numerous colonies were established on the Propontis, the Euxine, and the Palus Mœotis, chiefly by the Milesians. On the Propontis were Lampsacus and Cyzicus, Perinthus or Heraclea, Byzantium, and Chalcedon; on the Euxine were Heraclea in Bithynia, Sinope in Paphlagonia, Amisus and Trapezus in Pontus, and Phasis and Dioscurias on the eastern shore; on the Palus Mootis was Tanais, and at the mouth of the Borysthenes, Olbia, both important commercial towns; and in the Tauric Chersonese, Pantacapæa.

In the Thracian Chersonese Sestos, Cardia, and Egos-potamos were the principal places; and on the southern shore of Thrace were Abdera and Maronea.

Along the Macedonian coast Amphipolis, Chalcis, Olynthus, and Potidea were the most important colonies.

The Greek colonies of Lower Italy were so numerous and important, that that region received the name of Great Greece. Among these Tarentum, Heraclea, and Brundusium were of Dorian; Sybaris, Crotona, Metapontum, Posidonia or Pæstum, Calaunia, &c., of Ach wan; and Rhegium, Elea, Cumæ, and Naples of Ionian origin,

In Sicily Messana, Syracuse, Hybla, Segeste, Gela, Agrigentum, and other flourishing cities were Dorian colonies. Naxus, Catana, Tauromenium, and Hymera were among the most important Ionian colonies in Sicily.

There were also Greek colonies in Corsica and Sardinia; in Gaul (Marseilles); in Spain (Saguntum); and in Africa (Cyrene).

MACEDONIA.

Macedonia extended from Thrace to the Ionian Sea, and from Greece to Masia and Illyricum. It comprised a number of provinces, among which were Pelagonia, Pæonia, Mygdonia, Lyncestis, Emathia, Pieria, Chalcidice, &c.

On the north lay Mount Homus (Balkan), on the east Pangæus, and in the southeast Mount Athos (Monte Santo).

The principal rivers were the Haliacmon (Indge-Carasou), the Axius (Vardar), the Strymon (Carasou or Strymon), and the Drinus (Drino). On the coast to the north of Chalcidice was the Strymonic Gulf (Gulf of Cortessa).

The principal towns of Macedonia were Edessa (Vodena), on the Erigon; Pella, the capital; Berea (Karaveria), and Thessalonica (Salonica), to the inhabitants of which Paul addressed the epistles to the Thessalonians.

Olynthus and Stagyra, the birth-place of Aristotle, both in Chalcidice; and Amphipolis and Philippi, the latter famous for the battle between the troops of Brutus and Cassius on one side, and Antony and Octavianus on the other, were also places of note.

On the western coast Epidamnus or Dyrrachium (Durazzo) and Apollonia were the chief towns.

THRACE.

The name of Thrace was sometimes applied to an indefinite region to the east and northeast of Macedonia. In a narrower sense, Thrace was bounded by Mount Homus, the Euxine, the Ægean, and Mount Pangaus. Until the time of its reduction to a Roman province it was divided into a number of separate states.

It was traversed by the river Hebrus (Maritza), and by the ridges of Mount Rhodope (Despoto-Dag).

In the southeast was the peninsula called the Thracian Chersonese, between which and Asia was only the narrow channel called the Hellespont. In the Chersonese were Sestos, opposite to Abydos in Asia; Egospotamos, on a small river, where was fought a naval battle between the Athenians and Lacedæmonians; and Callipolis (Gallipoli).

At the entrance of the Thracian Bosphorus stood Byzantium, a Greek colony, which Constantine afterwards made the capital of the Roman Empire, under the name of Constantinople.

On the Euxine were Apollonia (Sizeboli) and Salmydessus.

On the Hebrus were Philippolis, Adrianopolis, and Trajanopolis, and on the Nestus was Nicopolis, all which have retained their ancient names. Abdera, near the mouth of the Nestus, was the birth-place of Democritus.

The islands of Thasus, Samothrace, and Imbrus, lay in the Ægean Sea, off the southern coast of Thrace.

MOESIA.

Moesia extended from Mount Hæmus to the Ister (Danube), which separated it from Dacia, and from the Euxine to Pannonia and Illyricum. It was divided into Upper Moesia in the west, and Lower Masia in the east.

The principal river was the Margus (Morava) flowing into the Ister. Among the most important towns were Viminatium, Nicopolis, Sardica, Odessus (Varna), Istropolis, and Singidunum (Belgrade).

DACIA.

This country extended from the Tyras (Dniester to Pannonia,) from which it was separated by the Ister. It was inhabited by the Daci and Getæ, and the Jazyges Metanastæ, and was for a short time, a Roman Province. The Roman colonies were afterward abandoned, and the country was overrun by the Goths.

The principal rivers were the Pyretus (Pruth) and the Tibiscus (Theiss). On the north were the Bastarnian Alps (Carpathian Mountains).

Ulpia Trajana, capital of a Roman colony established by Trajau, Tibiscus (Temeswar), and Ulpianum were among the most important places.

SARMÁTIA.

European Sarmatia comprised an indefinite extent of country lying to the north of Dacia, and between Scythia on the east and Germany on the west. The ancients were imperfectly acquainted, particularly with the northern parts of this region.

It was inhabited by various tribes of nomades, who often changed their residence as the necessities of war or pasture impelled.

The principal rivers of Sarmatia were the Tanais (Don), Borysthenes (Dnieper), and Hypanis (Bog), flowing into the Euxine.

Among the Sarmatian tribes we find mention of the Roxolani, Alauni, Agathyrsi, Estii, Venedi, Fenni, Borussi, &c. of whom some were of German, some of Sclavonic, and some of Thracian origin.

In the south was the peninsula called the Tauric Chersonese (Crimea), in which were founded several Greek colonies. It was separated from Asia by the Cimmerian Bosphorus (Strait of Caffa). Theodosia (Caffa) was the principal town.

SCANDINAVIA.

Scandinavia or Scandia, comprising the peninsula lying on the north and west of the Codanic Gulf (Baltic Sea), was imperfectly known to the ancients, who conceived it to be an island. They mention the Lappiones (Laplanders), and Finningia (Finland).

BRITISH ISLES.

The British Isles comprised Britannia or Albion (Great Britain), and Hibernia (Ireland), with the neighboring groups.

On the northern coast were Thule, the most northern point known to the ancients, probably one of the Shetland isles; the Orcades (Orkneys); and the Ebudes (Hebrides or Western Isles).

Between Hibernia and Britannia were Monæda (Isle of Man) and Mona (Anglesey); and off the southwest point of Britannia were the Cassiterides or Tin Islands (Scilly Isles).

On the east of Britannia the sea was called the German Sea; on the south were the Straits of Gaul (Straits of Dover) and the British Sea (English Channel); on the west were the Hibernian Sea (St. Georges Channel), and the Western Ocean (Irish Sea).

Hibernia was little known to the ancients; it was inhabited by Celtic tribes from Britannia, and was divided among a number of petty princes. We find it also mentioned under the names of Jerne (Erin) and Juverna.

The Brigantes in the southeast were the most powerful nation. The Hiberni in the southwest, the Gangari, Blanii, Menapii, &c., are likewise enumerated among the Hibernian nations.

The principal rivers were the Senus (Shannon), Libnius (Liffey), and Birgus (Barrow).

Eblana (Dublin) and Menapia (Wexford) were the principal towns. Britannia was inhabited by Celtic tribes, probably from Gaul; the Britons resembling the Gauls in their manners, laws, and religion. The northern part, which was not reduced by the Romans, was called Caledonia (Scotland), and the inhabitants, the Caledonians or Picts, retained their barbarous manners. The rest of the island, became a Roman province, and was called Roman Britain.

1. Caledonia or the land of the Picts embraced the northern part of Scotland. The Picts were naked barbarians, who stained their bodies with paint; they were subsequently mingled with the Scoti, who came from Ireland, and gave their name to the country.

The wall of Severus, extending from the estuary of Boderia (Firth of Forth) to that of Glotta (Firth of Clyde), was erected to protect the Roman province from the incursions of the Picts.

2. Roman Britain comprised the southern part of Scotland, England, and Wales.

On the coast were the estuaries of Metaris (The Wash), of Ituna (Solway Firth), and of Sabrina (Bristol Channel).

The principal rivers were the Alaunus (Tweed), Tinna (Tyne), Abus (Humber), and Tamesis (Thames), on the eastern side; Sabrina (Severn), and Deva (Dee).

Adrian's Wall extended from Ituna estuary (Solway Firth) to the Tyne, and was erected to check the encroachments of the northern barbarians.

The Brigantes occupied the country to the north of the Abus and the Deva (Cumberland, Durham, Westmoreland, Lancaster, and Yorkshire). Among their towns were Luguvallium (Carlisle), Eboracum (York), Manucium (Manchester), and Danum (Doncaster).

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