Chaps. 15-17.

Chap. 15. (8.)—Thessaly Proper.

In Thessaly is Orchomenus, formerly called the Minyan [So called from the people called Minyæ, who derived their name from Minyas, the father of Orchomenus. In the time of Strabo, this city, the capital of the Minyan empire, was in ruins. Its site is now called Seripu.], and the towns of Almon, by some called Salmon, Atrax [Leake places its site on the left bank of the Peneius, opposite the village of Gunitza.], and Pelinna; the Fountain of Hyperia; the towns also of Pheræ [The residence of Admetus, and in later times of the tyrants of Thessaly. The modern Valestina occupies its site.], at the back of which is Pieria [Spoken of in C. of the present book.], extending to Macedonia, Larisa [The ancient capital of the Pelasgi. It is now called Larissa, Larza, or Ienitchen.], Gomphi [Leake places Gomphi on the heights now called Episkopi, on the left bank of the Bliuri.], Thebes [Its ruins are said to be seen about eight miles from the modern city of Volo.] of Thessaly, the grove of Pteleon, the Gulf of Pagasa, the town of Pagasa [The city of Volo stands on its site. The Gulf is called the Bay of Volo.], which was afterwards called Demetrias [This is not strictly correct. Demetrias was founded by Demetrius Poliorcetes, about two or three miles to the west of Pagasa, the inhabitants of which were removed to that place. Its remains are to be seen, according to Leake, on the face of a maritime height called Goritza.], the Plains of Pharsalia, with a free city of similar name [Pharsalus, now Farsa or Fersala, in Thessaliotis. On its plain Pompey was defeated by Cæsar, B.C. 48.], Crannon [Or Cranon; said to have been anciently called Ephyre. Leake places its site at some ruins called Palea Larissa, distant two hours and twenty-seven minutes’ journey from Larissa. It was the residence of the powerful family of the Scopadæ.], and Iletia. The mountains of Phthiotis are Nymphæus, once so beautiful for its garden scenery, the work of nature; Busygæus, Donacesa, Bermius [This range in Macedonia is now called Verria. Herodotus states that it was impassably for cold, and that beyond were the gardens of Midas, where roses grew spontaneously.], Daphusa, Chimerion, Athamas, and Stephane. In Thessaly there are thirty-four, of which the most famous are Cercetii, Olympus [The name of the eastern part of the great mountain chain extending west and east from the Promontory of Acroceraunia on the Adriatic to the Thermaic Gulf. It is now called by the Greeks Elymbo, and by the Turks Semavat-Evi, the “Abode of the Celestials.” A portion of this range was called Pierus; and Ossa, now Kissavo, the “ivy-clad,” was divided from Olympus on the N.W. by the Vale of Tempe. Othrys extended from the south of Mount Pindus, to the eastern coast and the Promontory between the Gulf of Pagasa and the northern point of Eubœa.], Pierus, and Ossa, opposite to which last are Pindus and Othrys, the abodes of the Lapithæ. These mountains look towards the west, Pelion [Now called Plessedhi or Zagora; situate in the district of Magnesia in Thessaly, between lake Bœbeis and the Pagasæan Gulf.] towards the east, all of them forming a curve like an amphitheatre, in the interior of which, lying before them, are no less than seventy-five cities. The rivers of Thessaly are the Apidanus [Now the Gouropotamo.], the Phœnix [Flowing into the Asopus near Thermopylæ.], the Enipeus [In Pieria. Supposed to be the modern Litokhoro.], the Onochonus [The modern Rajani.], and the Pamisus. There is also the Fountain of Messeis, and the lake Bœbeis [This lake received the rivers Onchestus, Amyrus, and others. It is now called Karla, from an adjoining village which has ceased to exist. The town of Bœbe was in its vicinity.]. The river Peneus [Now the Salambria or Salamria.] too, superior to all others in celebrity, takes its rise near Gomphi, and flows down a well-wooded valley between Ossa and Olympus, a distance of five hundred stadia, being navigable half that distance. The vale, for a distance of five miles through which this river runs, is called by the name of Tempe; being a jugerum [The jugerum was properly 240 feet long and 120 broad, but Pliny uses it here solely as a measure of length; corresponding probably to the Greek πλέθρον, 100 Grecian or 104 Roman feet long. Tempe is the only channel through which the waters of the Thessalian plain flow into the sea.] and a half nearly in breadth, while on the right and left, the mountain chain slopes away with a gentle elevation, beyond the range of human vision, the foliage imparting its colour to the light within. Along this vale glides the Peneus, reflecting the green tints as it rolls along its pebbly bed, its banks covered with tufts of verdant herbage, and enlivened by the melodious warblings of the birds. The Peneus receives the river Orcus, or rather, I should say, does not receive it, but merely carries its waters, which swim on its surface like oil, as Homer says [Il. B. ii. c. 262. He alludes to the poetical legend that the Orcus or Titaresius was a river of the infernal regions. Its waters were impregnated with an oily substance, whence probably originated the story of the unwillingness of the Peneus to mingle with it. It is now called the Elasonitiko or Xeraghi.]; and then, after a short time, rejects them, refusing to allow the waters of a river devoted to penal sufferings and engendered for the Furies to mingle with his silvery streams.

Chap. 16. (9.)—Magnesia.

To Thessaly Magnesia joins, in which is the fountain of Libethra [Near Libethrum; said to be a favourite haunt of the Muses, whence their name “Libethrides.” It is near the modern Goritza.]. Its towns are Iolcos [Leake places its site on the height between the southernmost houses of Volo and Vlakho-Makhala. No remains of it are to be seen.], Hormenium, Pyrrha [Ansart says that on its site stands the modern Korakai Pyrgos.], Methone [Near Neokhori, and called Eleutherokhori.], and Olizon [Now Kortos, near Argalisti, according to Ansart.]. The Promontory of Sepias [Now Haghios Georgios, or the Promontory of St. George.] is here situate. We then come to the towns of Casthanea [At the foot of Mount Pelion. Leake places it at some ruins near a small port called Tamukhari. The chestnut tree derived its Greek and modern name from this place, in the vicinity of which it still abounds.] and Spalathra [Probably near the village of Hagia Eutimia, according to Ansart.], the Promontory of Æantium [Now Trikeri.], the towns of Melibœa [Melibœa was near the modern Mintzeles, and Rhizus near Pesi Dendra, according to Ansart.], Rhizus, and Erymnæ [Ansart says, in the vicinity of the modern Conomio.]; the mouth of the Peneus, the towns of Homolium [Situate at the foot of Mount Homole, between Tempe and the village of Karitza. Leake thinks that the Convent of St. Demetrius, on the lower part of Mount Kissavo, stands on its site.], Orthe, Thespiæ, Phalanna [Now Tournovo, according to Ansart.], Thaumacie [Now called Democo, according to Ansart.], Gyrton [Between the Titaresius and the Peneus. The modern village of Tatari stands on its site.], Crannon [Probably the place of the same name mentioned in the last Chapter.], Acharne [Probably the same as Acharræ on the river Pamisus, mentioned by Livy, B. xxxii. c. 13.], Dotion [On the Dotian Plain, mentioned by Hesiod, and probably the same place that Pindar calls Lacereia.], Melitæa, Phylace [The birth-place of Protesilaüs, the first victim of the Trojan war.], and Potniæ [Nothing is known of this place. The word “porro” appears instead of it in some editions.]. The length of Epirus, Achaia, Attica, and Thessaly is said altogether to amount to 490 miles, the breadth to 287.

Chap. 17. (10.)—Macedonia.

Macedonia comes next, including 150 nations, and renowned for its two kings [Philip, the Conqueror of Greece, and Alexander, the Conqueror of Asia.] and its former empire over the world; it was formerly known by the name of Emathia [The original Emathia, as mentioned by Homer, is coupled with Pieria as lying between the Hellenic cities of Thessaly and Pæonia, and Thrace.]. Stretching away towards the nations of Epirus on the west it lies at the back of Magnesia and Thessaly, being itself exposed to the attacks of the Dardani [A tribe of the south-west of Mœsia, and extending over a part of Illyricum. According to Strabo, they were a wild race, of filthy habits, living in caves under dunghills, but fond of music.]. Pæonia and Pelagonia protect its northern parts from the Triballi [A people of Mœsia, mentioned in C. of the last Book.]. Its towns are Ægiæ [Supposed by some writers to be the same place as Edessa. Ansart says it is the spot now known as Moglena.], at which place its kings were usually buried, Beræa [Now Verria in Roumelia. St. Paul and Silas withdrew to this place from Thessalonica. The remains are very considerable.], and, in the country called Pieria from the grove of that name, Æginium [Described by Livy as of great strength. It occupied the site of the modern Stagus.]. Upon the coast are Heraclea [Surnamed Lyncestis; the chief town of Upper Macedonia. It must have stood not far from the modern town of Felurina.], the river Apilas [Now the Platamona.], the towns of Pydna [Now Kitron. The Romans usually called it Citron or Citrus.] and Aloros [In the inmost recess of the Thermaic Gulf. Leake supposes it to have occupied the site of the present Palea Khora, near Kapsokhori.], and the river Haliacmon [Now the Vistritza, by the Turks called Inje-Karra. Cæsar calls it the boundary between Macedonia and Thessaly.]. In the interior are the Aloritæ [The people apparently of Aloros just mentioned.], the Vallæi [Vallæ and Phylacæ appear to have been two towns of Pieria.], the Phylacæi, the Cyrrhestæ [The people of Cyrrhus; probably on the site of the present Vistritza. Leake however makes a place called Paleokastro to occupy its site. Tyrissæ was probably in its vicinity.], the Tyrissæi, the colony of Pella [Now Alaklisi, upon a lake formed by the Lydias. Philip made it the capital of Macedonia, and it was the birth-place of Alexander the Great. It was made a Roman colony under the name of Julia Augusta Pella.], and Stobi [Its ruins are still called Stoli.], a town with the rights of Roman citizens. Next comes Antigonea [There were two places of this name in Macedonia; one called Antigonia Psaphara in Chalcidice, and the other in Pæonia.], Europus [Between Idomene and the plains of Pella. As Pliny here says, it was a different place from Europus of Almopia, by which the Rhœdias flows. Of the following places nothing seems to be known.] upon the river Axius, and another place of the same name by which the Rhœdias flows, Scydra, Eordæa, Mieza, and Gordyniæ. Then, upon the coast, Ichnæ [Coupled by Herodotus with Pella. Eordæa seems to have been the name of the district on the river Eordaicus, identified with the modern Devol.], and the river Axius; along this frontier the Dardani, the Treres [They dwelt in the vicinity of Mount Scomium. The river Axius is the modern Vardhari.], and the Pieres, border on Macedonia. Leaving this river, there are the nations of Pæonia [Or Thrace.], the Paroræi [People of Paroræa in Thrace.], the Eordenses [The people probably of Eordæa, already mentioned.], the Almopii [Leake thinks that Almopia was the name of the district now called Moglena.], the Pelagones, and the Mygdones [The Mygdones were a Thracian people in the east of Macedonia, on the Thermaic Gulf.].

Next come the mountains of Rhodope, Scopius, and Orbelus; and, lying along the extent of country in front of these mountains, the Arethusii [The people of Arethusa, a town of Bisaltia in Macedonia, in the pass of Aulon. Euripides, the tragic poet, was buried here.], the Antiochienses [A town of Mygdonia.], the Idomenenses [The people of Idomene, a town about twelve miles from the pass of Stena, now Demirkapi, or the ‘Iron Gate,’ on the river Vardhari.], the Doberi [Their district of Doberus is supposed to have been near the modern Doghiran.], the Æstræenses, the Allantenses, the Audaristenses, the Morylli, the Garesci [It has been suggested that Garescus stood on the same site as the modern Nurocopo. Many of these peoples are now entirely unknown.], the Lyncestæ [The people of Lyncestis, in Macedonia, of Illyrian origin and on the frontiers of Illyria. Lyncus was the ancient capital, Heraclæa the more modern one.], the Othryonei [Probably the inhabitants of the slopes of Mount Othrys.], and the Amantini [Amantia was properly in Illyria, to the south of the river Aoüs. Leake places it at Nivitza.] and Orestæ [A people of the north of Epirus, on the borders of Macedonia. They were said to have derived their name from Orestes, who, after the murder of his mother, founded in their territory the town of Argos Oresticum.], both of them free peoples; the colonies of Bullis [A Greek city of Illyria. Dr. Holland discovered its remains at Graditza on the Aoüs or Viosa.] and Dium [The bulwark of the Macedonian maritime frontier to the south. Leake discovered its site near the modern Malathria.], the Xylopolitæ, the Scotussæi, a free people, Heraclea Sintica [On the right bank of the river Strymon in Thracian Macedonia. It stood on the site of the modern Zervokhori.], the Tymphæi [A people of Epirus on the borders of Thessaly.], and the Toronæi.

Upon the coast of the Macedonian Gulf there are the town of Chalastra [In Mygdonia, at the mouth of the Axius—King Perseus put all its male inhabitants to death. Its site was at or near the modern Kulakia.], and, more inland, Piloros; also Lete, and at the extreme bend of the Gulf, Thessalonica [Now Saloniki. Its original name was Thermæ, but it was first made an important city by Cassander, B.C. 315, who gave it its new name in honour of his wife, the sister of Alexander the Great: St. Paul visited it about A.D. 53, and two years after addressed from Corinth two Epistles to his converts in the city.], a free city; (from this place to Dyrrhachium it is 245 miles [Polybius says, in Strabo, B. vii., 267 miles.],) and then Thermæ [As already mentioned, Thermæ became merged in Thessalonica, when refounded by Cassander under that name.]. Upon the Gulf [Now the Gulf of Saloniki.] of Thermæ are the towns of Dicæa, Pydna [This is probably an error. Pydna, already mentioned, lay far inland in the district of Pieria.], Derra, Scione [On the peninsula of Pallene. Its male inhabitants were put to death by the Athenians in the Peloponnesian war.], the Promontory of Canastræum [Now Capo Paliuri, the extreme point of the Isthmus of Pallene.], and the towns of Pallene [The most westerly of the three peninsulas of Chalcidice. Phlegra is generally understood to have been its former name.] and Phlegra. In this region also are the mountains Hypsizorus, Epitus, Halcyone, and Leoomne; the towns of Nyssos [Perhaps the same as Nyssa, between the rivers Nestus or Mestus, and Strymon.], Phryxelon, Mendæ, and what was formerly Potidæa [Its ruins are now called Pinaka. It was a colony of the Corinthians but refounded by Cassander, King Philip having previously destroyed the city.] on the isthmus of Pallene, but now the Colony of Cassandria; Anthemus [South-east of Thessalonica, and north of Chalcidice. It was given by King Philip to the Olynthians.], Olophyxus [Near Mount Athos.], and the Gulf of Mecyberna [Now Molivo, at the head of the Toronaic Gulf, part of which thence took its name.]; the towns of Miscella, Ampelos [The name of a promontory at the extremity of the peninsula of Sithonia, in Chalcidice. It seems to correspond with the modern Capo Kartali.], Torone [In the district of Chalcidice, on the S.W. of the peninsula of Sithonia.], Singos [On the east of the peninsula of Sithonia. It gave its name to the Sinus Singiticus or Singitic Gulf.], and the canal, a mile and a half in length, by means of which Xerxes, king of the Persians, cut off Mount Athos [Now Monte Santo, at the end of the long peninsula running out from Chalcidice.] from the main land. This mountain projects from the level plain of the adjacent country into the sea, a distance of seventy-five [This is a mistake. It is only forty miles in length. From Lieut. Smith (Journal of Royal Geogr. Soc. vol. vii. p. 65) we learn that its average breadth is about four miles; consequently Pliny’s statement as to its circumference must be greatly exaggerated. Juvenal, Sat. x. l. 174, mentions the story of the canal as a specimen of Greek falsehood; but distinct traces have survived, to be seen by modern travellers, all the way from the Gulf of Monte Santo to the Bay of Erso in the Gulf of Contessa, except about 200 yards in the middle, which has been probably filled up.] miles; its circumference at its base being 150 miles in extent. There was formerly upon its summit the town of Acroathon [Or Acrothoüm. Pliny, with Strabo and Mela, errs in thinking that it stood on the mountain. It stood on the peninsula only, probably on the site of the modern Lavra.]: the present towns are Uranopolis [Or the ‘Heaven City,’ from its elevated position. It was founded by Alexarchus, brother of Cassander, king of Macedon.], Palæorium, Thyssus, Cleonæ [Probably on the west side of the peninsula, south of Thyssus.], and Apollonia, the inhabitants of which have the surname of Macrobii [Or “long-lived.”]. The town also of Cassera, and then the other side of the Isthmus, after which come Acanthus [Now Erisso; on the east side of the Isthmus, about a mile and a half from the canal of Xerxes. There are ruins here of a large mole.], Stagira [A little to the north of the Isthmus now called Stavro. It was the birth-place of Aristotle the philosopher, commonly called the Stagirite, and was, in consequence, restored by Philip, by whom it had been destroyed; or, as Pliny says in B. vii. c. 30, by Alexander the Great.], Sithone [The name of the central one of the three peninsulas projecting from Chalcidice. The poets use the word Sithonius frequently as signifying ‘Thracian.’], Heraclea [Possibly not the same as the Heraclea Sintica previously mentioned.], and the country of Mygdonia that lies below, in which are situate, at some distance from the sea, Apollonia [Now called Pollina, south of Lake Bolbe, on the road from Thessalonica to Amphipolis.] and Arethusa. Again, upon the coast we have Posidium [Sacred to Poseidon or Neptune. Now Capo Stavros in Thessaly, the west front of the Gulf of Pagasa, if indeed this is the place here meant.], and the bay with the town of Cermorus, Amphipolis [On the left or eastern bank of the river Strymon, which flowed round it, whence its name Amphi-polis, “round the city.” Its site is now occupied by a village called Neokhorio, in Turkish Jeni-Keni or “Newtown.” A few remains are still to be seen. The bay at the mouth of the Strymon, now Struma or Kara-Sou, is called the Gulf of Orphano.], a free town, and the nation of the Bisaltæ. We then come to the river Strymon [A Thracian people, extending from the river Strymon on the east to Crestonica on the west.] which takes its rise in Mount Hæmus [In Mount Scomius namely, one of the Hæmus or Balkan range.] and forms the boundary of Macedonia: it is worthy of remark that it first discharges itself into seven lakes before it proceeds onward in its course.

Such is Macedonia, which was once the mistress of the world, which once extended [Under Alexander the Great. On his death his empire was torn in pieces by the contentions of his generals.] her career over Asia, Armenia, Iberia, Albania, Cappadocia, Syria, Egypt, Taurus, and Caucasus, which reduced the whole of the East under her power, and triumphed over the Bactri, the Medes, and the Persians. She too it was who proved the conqueror of India, thus treading in the footsteps of Father Liber [In allusion to the legendary accounts of the Indian expeditions of Bacchus and Hercules.] and of Hercules; and this is that same Macedonia, of which our own general Paulus Æmilius sold to pillage seventy-two [On the conquest of Perseus. Plutarch says that these seventy cities were pillaged in one and the same hour. They were thus punished for their support of Perseus.] cities in one day. So great the difference in her lot resulting from the actions of two [Alexander the Great and Paulus Æmilius.] individuals!