Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/258

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224
PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY.
[Book III.

Neæthus[1] and the town of Thurii[2], situate between the two rivers Crathis and Sybaris, upon the latter of which there was once a city[3] of the same name. In a similar manner Heraclia[4], sometimes called Siris, lies between the river of that name and the Aciris. We next come to the rivers Acalandrus and Casuentum[5], and the town of Metapontum[6], with which the third region of Italy terminates. In the interior of Bruttium, the Aprustani[7] are the only people; but in Lucania we find the Atinates, the Bantini, the Eburini[8], the Grumentini, the Potentini, the Sontini[9], the Sirini, the Tergilani, the Ursentini, and the Volcentani[10], whom the Numestrani join. Besides these, we learn from Cato[11] that Thebes in Lucania has disappeared, and Theopompus informs us that there was formerly a city of the Lucani called Pandosia[12], at which Alexander, the king of Epirus, died.

  1. ↑ The modern Neto.
  2. ↑ Now called Turi, between the rivers Crati and Sibari or Eoscile.
  3. ↑ A Greek town, famous for the inordinate love of luxury displayed by its inhabitants, whence a voluptuary obtained the name of a "Sybarite." It was destroyed by the people of Crotona, who turned the waters of the Crathis upon the town. Its site is now occupied by a pestilential swamp.
  4. ↑ A famous Greek city founded on the territory of the former Ionian colony of Siris. The foundations of it may still be seen, it is supposed, near a spot called Policoro, three miles from the sea. The rivers are now called the Sinno and the Agri.
  5. ↑ The modern Salandra or Salandrella, and the Basiento.
  6. ↑ So called from its lying between the two seas. It was once a celebrated Greek city, but was in ruins in the time of Pausanias. The place called Torre di Mare now occupies its site.
  7. ↑ The site of Aprustum is supposed to be marked by the village of Argusto, near Chiaravalle, about five miles from the Gulf of Squillace. Atina was situate in the valley of the Tanager, now the Valle di Diano. The ruins of Atina, which are very extensive, are to be seen near the village of Atena. Livy and Acron speak of Bantia as in Apulia, and not in Lucania. An ancient abbey, Santa Maria di Yanze, still marks its site.
  8. ↑ The ruins of Eburi are supposed to be those between the modern Eboli and the right bank of the Silarus. The remains of Grumentmn, a place of some importance, are still to be seen on the river Agri, half a mile from the modern Saponara. Potenza occupies the site of ancient Potentia.
  9. ↑ The Sontini were probably situate on the river Sontia, now the Sanza, near Policastro. The Sirini probably had their name from the river Siris.
  10. ↑ Volcentum was situate near the Silarus, probably on the spot now called Bulcino or Bucino. The site of Numistro appears to be unknown.
  11. ↑ In his work "De Originibus."
  12. ↑ Livy, B. viii., and Justin mention how that Alexander I. (in the
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