habitants. Its little harbour is not fo bad, but it might induce more people to fettle here, as no place on the coast lies fo commodious for traffic with Greece. The Adriatic is here but fixty miles wide, Pliny fays 50.; iii. 11.; and in a clear day the fnowy tops of the Acroceraunian mountains in Epire may be distinctly seen.

Pyrrhus is faid to have thought of making a bridge between the two countries over this part of the fea, and after him Varro, the lieutenant of Pompey in the war against the pirates, Plin. iii. 11. f. 16.

Between Brundufium and Hydrus ftood LUPIA, V. -ia, a Roman colony; near which is the modern city LECCE, now the capital of this country, a town of confiderable extent, but thinly inhabited, containing not above 13,000, about twentyfour miles diftant from Brundifi.

About eight miles fouth of Hydruntum was CASTRUM vel ARX Minerva, now Caftro, where was a temple of Minerva, seen a great way out at fea, Virg. Æn. iii. 531. called alfo Minervium, Vell. i. 15. and fouth of this PROMONTORIUM JAPYGIUM vel Salentinum (axpa Ianuуia), Strab. vi. 281.; Plin. iii. 11. now the cape of Santa Maria de Leuca, from Leuca, a fmall town near the Cape, Lucan. v. 375.

On moft maps of Italy a branch of the Appenines is made to extend through Calabria to this cape, but improperly. Through the whole length of the peninfula there is not a mountain of confequence, whence Virgil fays HUMILEMque videmus ITALIAM, En. iii. 522. Without rivers, and almoft without rivulets, this country is furprifingly fertile, owing, as it is fuppofed, to the vapours which arife from fubterraneous lakes or refervoirs of water. The existence of these is proved by the fhallowness of the wells, and by the pools, which appear wherever the level is low. All the rain that falls is fwallowed up, before it can reach the fea, by large cracks in the rocks, called Voraggini or Abyffes, Savinburne.

Between the Japygian and Lacinian promontories flows up the Sinus Tarentinus, or gulf of Tarentum, the breadth of which, between the two capes, is 100 miles, Plin. iii. 11.

The first place of note on the weft fide of Calabria, thirtytwo miles from the Cape, is CALLIPOLIS, now Gallipoli, which ftands on a rocky ifland, joined to the continent by a bridge, containing about 6000 inhabitants, favourably fituated for commerce, but never properly encouraged by government. Its chief articles of trade are oil and cotton. The people of this

town

town are in eafy circumftances; but the inhabitants of the country are grievously oppreffed by feudal tyranny.

About nine miles north of Gallipoli was Neretum v. Neriten, now Nardo, containing about 8000 inhabitants. The breadth of the peninfula from Nardo to Otranto is about thirtyfive miles.

On the north-east corner of the gulf food TARENTUM, now Tarento, called alfo TARAS, -antis, from Taras its found. er, Paufan. x. 10. the fon of Neptune, Ib. its tutelar deity (culos), hence faid to be facred to him, Horat. ed. i. 28. 29. as Sorate to Apollo, Virg. Æn. xi. 785. Tarentum was afterwards feized upon, and in a manner founded anew, by PHALANTUS, the Lacedemonian, Horat. od. ii. 6. 11. and a colony of his countrymen, called Parthenii, from the peculiar circumftances of their birth, Justin iii. 4.; Strab. vi. 278.—hence called Lacedemonium Tarentum, Horat. od. iii. 5. fin.; Ovid. Mct. xv. 50. and OEBALIA, from Ocbalus, a king of Lacedæmon, the father of Tyndarus, and grandfather of Helen, Virg. G. iv. 125.

Tarentum flourished long as an opulent ftate before Rome became confpicuous. It owed its profperity to the cultivation of commerce, Polyb. x. 1. PHALANTHUS new modelled the government upon an ariftocratical plan, in imitation of Lacedemon. But most of the nobles having perifhed in a war with the Japyges, Diodor. xi. 52. democracy was re-established, Ariftotel. politic. v. 3. Under this form of government the inhabitants of Tarentum became very powerful; they are faid to have amounted to 300,000. Thirteen confiderable cities acknowledged their dominion. Their fleet was the greatest in thofe feas; and they kept in conftant pay an army of 30,000 foot, and 3000 horfe. Strabo adds 1000 commanders of horfe, (inaрxo,) vi. 280. The Tarentines embraced the philofophy of Pythagoras, particularly Architas, who long governed that city, and was as distinguished for his knowledge in aftronomy as in politics. He feems to have perished by shipwreck near the bottom of the Adriatic (Illyricis undis), Horat. od. i. 28. 22. on the Matinian fhore, Ib. 3. Increase of riches produced at Tarentum luxury and effeminacy of morals, hence called MOLLE, Horat. Sat. ii. 4. 34. and IMBELLE, Id. ep. i. 7. 45. There were more public festivals than days in the year, hence the bravery of the citizens degenerated, and it became neceffary to employ foreign generals and mercenary troops to fight their battles. Thus being attacked by the Romans, they implored the affifiance of Pyrrhus, king of Epire, Liv.

epit. xii. as they had formerly asked that of his progenitor Alexander, Liv. viii. 24.

In the fecond Punic war Hannibal tock Tarentum by ftratagem, Liv. xxv. 8. 11. aided by the treachery of fome of the citizens, Polyb. viii. 19. &c.; it was retaken by Fabius Maximus in a fimilar manner, Liv. xxvii. 17. & 18. The Tarentines were deprived of their liberty, and received a Roman colony, Strab. ib. 281.; Vell. i. 15. After the overthrow of the Roman empire, this city fhared the fame fate with the rest of Italy.

The city flood upon a peninfula, and the citadel projected into the fea, being joined to the city by a narrow neck of land. On the caft the fea flows up into a bay called mare Piccolo, or the Little Sea; on the west is the open fea called Mare Grande. When Hannibal got poffeffion of the town by ftratagem, the Romans fled into the citadel, and thus continued masters of the port, which communicated with the little fea, and of the Tarentine fleet. To remedy that inconvenience Hannibal caufed the gallies to be dragged by carriages through the city into the open fea, or Mare Grande, Liv. xxv. 11.; Polyb. viii. 29. The prefent town is confined to the place of the old citadel, which is now an ifland, the ifthmus having been cut through, and joined to the continent on the north fide by a long bridge of feven arches, through which the tide flows with great impetuofity. At each arch is fixed a frame for hanging nets to intercept fish as they run up to the little fea with the flow, or fall back with the ebb; and upon this bridge is carried the aqueduct that fupplics the town with water, brought from the dif- • tance of twelve miles. Scarce any veftiges of the ancient city remain. Of all the temples, gymnafia, theatres, and other monuments of its opulence, not a fingle column exifts. Even in the time of Strabo the fize of the city was much diminished, and confined in a great measure to the mouth of the port and the citadel, vi. 278. The number of inhabitants at prefent is computed at 18,coo, who live moftly by fishing; and, as far as their poverty will permit, copy the foft indolent manners of their forefathers. Of all the places in Italy Tarentum and Tibur are most celebrated by Horace for their pleasant fituation, Vet. Schol. in ep. i. 16. 11.

Near Tarentum flowed the river Galefus, famous for the fheep fed on its banks, covered with fkins (pellita) Horat. ib. to preferve their fleeces, Varr. R. R. ii. 2. 18.; Columell. vii. 4. 4. & 5. as was the custom in other places, Ib. and still is in Spain. Thefe fheep were of a delicate nature, and treated

with particular attention, Col. ibid. 2. & 3. They were often bathed in the river Galefus, Martial. ii. 43. iv. 28. which is fupposed to have had the virtue of softening their wool, Id. v. 38. 2. as the Clitumnus, to render it white, Virg. G. ii. 146.; Plin. xxxi. 2. There is a difference of opinion among the moderns about what was the ancient Galefus. Some suppose it a brook called Cervaro, which runs into the bay called Mare Piccolo or Little Sea, at the north-east corner, about five miles from Tarentum, the waters of which are strongly tinged with the chalky or marly particles of the foil it runs over, hence thought to be called albus, white, by Martial, xii. 64. 3. and niger black, by Virgil, G. iv. 126. from the thick pine groves that then fhaded its banks, as Propertius, fpeaking of Virgil, fays, Tu canis umbrofi fubter pineta Galefi Thyrfin et attritis Daphnin arundinibus, Thou fingeft on thy worn or smooth reeds, &c. ii. 34. 68. The ground along this rivulet is now a wild heath, unless where it is covered with tufts of aromatic fhrubs or clumps of Carob trees. The Tarentines give the name of Galefus to a ftream which rifes in a delicious vale, called Citrezze, only about 300 yards from the fea, and runs into the fame bay with the Cervero, a mile nearer Tarento. This stream is beautifully fhaded and deep, which answers to Virgil's epithet of black; and that of Martial may be supposed to allude to the whiteness of the fheep which fed on its banks, for Strabo fays that the Appulian wool was fofter than the Tarentine, but lefs bright in the colour, αμрα й,› vi. 284. The only difficulty arifes from the fhortness of its course, how fo trifling a rill could be deemed a river, and called Eurotas from the river of Lacedæmon, Polyb. viii. 28. or how numerous flocks could wander on its banks, and be washed in its waters. D' Anville and others give the name of Galefus to a river that discharges itself into the gulf or Mare Grande, four miles weft of Tarento.

The delicate race of fheep fo famous for their wool, and which the ancients reared with fo much care, is now almost extinct. Various attempts were made at different times to preferve and restore them; but the introduction of filk worms from the eaft by King Roger in 1130, proved a fatal check to the demand for fine wool, and the heavy load of taxes impo fed upon this commodity by fucceeding princes, completed the deftruction of the finer breed.

The purple dye of Tarentum was very much celebrated. It was procured from two forts of fhell-fifh, the Murex and the Purpura, Plin. ix. 25. f. 41. & 36. f. 60. From the former a

dark

dark colour was obtained, the latter gave a brighter tint, approaching to scarlet. The murex generally remains faftened to rocks and stones; the purpura being a fifh of prey, is by nature a rover, and one of the moft voracious inhabitants of the deep. As the colour of the murex could not stand alone, a certain proportion of purpura juice was mixed with it. We read of fleeces being dyed upon the backs of the fheep, but remain in the dark as to the method and advantages of that procefs. See Swinburne, fection xxxi.

The country round Tarentum was famous for producing oil and honey, Horat. od. ii. 6. 15. as it still is, and AULON for producing wine, Horat. ib. 18. and wool, Martial. xiii. 125.; but the wine of Tarento is not now held in much estimation. Some make Aulon a mountain, as the old Scholiaft on Horace, others a vale. The ancient geographers do not mention it.

South-east from Tarentum ftood RUDIÆ, the birth-place of ENNIUS, Sil. xii. 397. the first eminent poet at Rome, the friend of the great Scipio Africanus, Ovid. Art. Am. iii. 409. hence Horace calls the poems of Ennius in praise of Scipio, CALABRA PIERIDES, od. iv. 8. 20. and Cicero calls Ennius RUDIUS HOMO, Arch. 10.

On the road between Tarentum and Brundufium, near midway, ftood URIA, Strab. vi. 282. founded by a colony of Cretans, Herodot. vii. 170. called Uria Meffapia, to diftinguish it from a town of the fame name in Apulia, Plin. now Oria, roman tically fituated upon three hills in the middle of a large plain, fertile in corn, oil, and cotton. The lands here are cultivated at the joint expence of the proprietor and tenant, who halve the profits between them.

South of Uria ftood Manduria, taken by Fabius Maximus, Liv. xxvii. 15. where now ftands Cafalnuova, the inhabitants of which are noted for eating dogs flefh. Near this is a remarkable well, in which the water always remains at the fame height, and is not altered, whether it be filled with rubbish or empty, Plin. ii. 103.; Swinburne i. fect. 28.

North of Uria is a fine modern town called Francavilla or Freetown, from the first inhabitants being exempted from taxes for ten years, by Philip of Anjou, prince of Tarento, a. 1310. Here, as at Bari, horse flesh is faid to be publicly fold in the market. Near this terminates the fouth-eaft extremity of the Appenines.

IX. LUCANIA, extending from the gulf of Tarentum to the Tuscan fea, and forming the entrance of the foot of the

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