Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/510

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496
STRABO.
CASAUB. 323.

From the Gulf of Ambracia the places next in order, inclining to the east, and extending opposite to Peloponnesus, belong to Greece; they terminate at the Ægean Sea, leaving the whole of Peloponnesus on the right hand.

The country, from the commencement of the Macedonian and Pæonian mountains, as far as the river Strymon,[p 1] is inhabited by Macedonians, and Pæones, and some of the Thracian mountain tribes. But all the country on the other side the Strymon, as far as the mouth of the Euxine Sea, and Mount Hæmus,[1] belong to the Thracians, except the coast, which is occupied by Greeks, some of whom are settled on the Propontis,[p 2] others on the Hellespont and on the Gulf Melas,[p 3] and others on the Ægean Sea.

The Ægean Sea waters two sides of Greece; first, the eastern side, extending from the promontory Sunium[p 4] to the north as far as the Thermæan Gulf, and Thessalonica, a Macedonian city, which has, at present, the largest population in these parts. Then the southern side, which is a part of Macedonia, extending from Thessalonica to the Strymon. Some writers assign the coast from the Strymon as far as Nestus[p 5] to Macedonia. For Philip showed the greatest solicitude to obtain, and at length appropriated it to himself. He raised a very large revenue from the mines, and from other sources which the richness of the country afforded.

From Sunium to the Peloponnesus are the Myrtoan, the Cretan, and the Libyan Seas, together with the Gulfs, as far as the Sicilian Sea, which consist of the Gulfs of Ambracia, of Corinth, and of Crissa.

5. Theopompus says, that there are fourteen Epirotic nations. Of these, the most celebrated are the Chaones and Molotti, because the whole of Epirus was at one time subject, first to Chaones, afterwards to Molotti. Their power was greatly strengthened by the family of their kings being descended from the Æacidæ, and because the ancient and famous oracle of Dodona[p 6] was in their country. Chaones, Thesproti, and next after these Cassopæi, (who are

  1. ↑ Balkan applies to the whole mountainous range of Hæmus; Emineh to the part bordering on the Black Sea.
  1. ↑ Iemboli.
  2. ↑ Sea of Marmora.
  3. ↑ Gulf of Saros.
  4. ↑ Cape Colonna.
  5. ↑ Karasu, or Mesta.
  6. ↑ The site of Dodona is unknown.
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