Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/349

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B. V. C. II. § 9.
ITALY. ETRURIA.
335

there are the towns of Gravisci,[1] Pyrgi,[2] Alsium,[3] and Fregena.[p 1] [From Cossæ] to Gravisci is a distance of 300 stadia, and between them is the place named Regis-Villa. This is said to have been the royal residence of Maleos the Pelasgian; they report that after he had reigned here for some time, he departed with his Pelasgians to Athens. These were of the same tribe as those who occupied Agylla. From Gravisci to Pyrgi is a little less than 180 stadia, and the sea-port town of the Cæretani is 30 stadia farther. [Pyrgi] contains a temple of Ilethyia[4] founded by the Pelasgi, and which was formerly rich, but it was plundered by Dionysius the tyrant of the Sicilians, at the time[5] of his voyage to Cyrnus.[p 2] From Pyrgi to Ostia is 260 stadia; between the two are Alsium and Fregena. Such is our account of the coast of Tyrrhenia.

9. In the interior of the country, besides the cities already mentioned, there are Arretium,[p 3] Perusia,[p 4] Volsinii,[p 5] Sutrium;[p 6] and in addition to these are numerous small cities, as Blera,[p 7] Ferentinum,[6] Falerium,[p 8] Faliscum,[7] Nepita,[p 9] Statonia,[p 10] and many others; some of which exist in their original state, others have been colonized by the Romans, or partially ruined by them in their wars, viz. those they frequently waged against the Veii[8] and the Fidenæ.[9] Some say that the inhabitants of Falerium are not Tyrrhenians, but Falisci, a distinct nation; others state further, that the Falisci speak a language peculiar to themselves; some again would make it Æquum-Faliscum on

  1. ↑ Situated in the marshy plain commanded by the heights of Corneto, between the Mignone and the Marta.
  2. ↑ This town stood on the site of the present S. Severa, at the mouth of the Rio-Castrica.
  3. ↑ The ancient Alsium occupied the site of the place now called Statua; below it are the vestiges of the Portus Alsiensis, at the embouchure of the Rio-Cupino, a little to the east of Palo.
  4. ↑ The Roman Lucina, in later times identical with Diana.
  5. ↑ About the year 384 before the Christian era.
  6. ↑ The French translation understands this to be the modern Ferenti, near Viterbo.
  7. ↑ Probably another name for Falerium.
  8. ↑ This ancient city was probably situated near the Isola Farnesia, about the place where Storta now stands.
  9. ↑ Fidenæ was situated on the left bank of the Tiber, near its confluence with the Anio, now the Teverone, 40 stadia from Rome. The ruins are near the villages Giubileo and Serpentina.
  1. ↑ Torre Macarese.
  2. ↑ Corsica.
  3. ↑ Arezzo.
  4. ↑ Perugia.
  5. ↑ Bolsena.
  6. ↑ Sutri.
  7. ↑ Bieda.
  8. ↑ Sta. Maria di Falari.
  9. ↑ Nepi.
  10. ↑ Castro, or Farnese, near Lake Mezzano.
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