Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/257

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B. III. C. IV. § 12, 13.
SPAIN.
243

man. These are mainly possessed by the Kerretani, a people of the Iberians. The hams they cure are excellent, fully equal to those of the Cantabrians,[1] and they realize no inconsiderable profit to the inhabitants.

12. Immediately after passing Idubeda, you enter on Keltiberia, a large and irregular country. It is for the most part rugged, and watered by rivers, being traversed by the Guadiana,[p 1] the Tagus, and many other of the rivers which flow into the western sea, but have their sources in Keltiberia. Of their number is the Douro, which flows by Numantia[2] and Serguntia. The Guadalquiver[p 2] rises in Orospeda, and after passing through Oretania, enters Bœtica. The Berones inhabit the districts north of the Keltiberians, and are neighbours of the Conish Cantabrians. They likewise had their origin in the Keltic expedition. Their city is Varia,[3] situated near to the passage of the Ebro. They are adjacent to the Bardyitæ, now called the Bardyli.[4] To the west [of the Keltiberians] are certain of the Astures, Gallicians, and Vaccæi, besides Vettones and Carpetani. On the south are the Oretani, and the other inhabitants of Orospeda, both Bastetani and Edetani,[5] and to the east is Idubeda.

13. Of the four divisions into which the Keltiberians are separated, the most powerful are the Aruaci, situated to the east and south, near to the Carpetani and the sources of the Tagus. Their most renowned city is Numantia. They showed their valour in the war of twenty years, waged by the Keltiberians against the Romans; for many armies of the Romans, together with their generals, were destroyed; and in the end the Numantians, besieged within their city, endured the famine with constancy, till, reduced to a very small number, they were compelled to surrender the place. The Lusones are also situated to the east, and likewise border on the sources of the Tagus. Segeda and Pallantia[p 3] are cities of the

  1. ↑ People of Biscay.
  2. ↑ The ruins of Numantia are seen a little to the north of Soria.
  3. ↑ Probably the small village of Varea, about half a league from Logroño; D’Anville supposes it to be Logroño itself.
  4. ↑ Aliter Bardyali.
  5. ↑ Kramer has altered the text into Ἐδητανῶν, all MSS. having διττανῶν. There is little doubt they are the same people mentioned in section 14 as Sidetani.
  1. ↑ The ancient Anas.
  2. ↑ Bætis.
  3. ↑ Palencia.
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