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CHAP. 8.—LACONIA.

At Tænarum begins the territory of Laconia, inhabited by a free nation, and situate on a gulf 106 miles in circuit, and 38 across. The towns are, Tænarum1, Amyclæ2, Pheræ3, and Leuctra4; and, in the interior, Sparta5, Theramne6, and the spots where Cardamyle7, Pitane8, and Anthea formerly stood; the former site of Thyrea9, and Gerania10. Here is also Mount Taygetus11, the river Eurotas, the Gulf of Egilodes12, the town of Psamathus, the Gulf of Gytheum13, so called from the town of that name, from which place the passage is the safest across to the island of Crete. All these places are bounded by the Promontory of Malea14.

1 Or Tænarus, afterwards called Cænopolis. The present town of Kisternes, or Kimaros, occupies its site.

2 Its site is generally placed at Sklavokhori, six miles from Sparta; but Leake supposes it to have been situate on the hill called Aghia Kyriaki, between that place and Sparta.

3 Or Pharis. The present Chitries occupies its site.

4 Or Leuctrum, on the river Pamisus, now called Levtros. It must not be confounded with the town in Bœotia where the Thebans defeated the Spartans, B.C. 371.

5 Or Lacedæmon. Its site is occupied by the modern villages of Magula and Psykhiko. The principal modern town in the vicinity is Mistra.

6 Or Therapne, on the left bank of the Eurotas. Some ruins of it are still to be seen.

7 Considerable ruins of it are still to be seen to the N.E. of the modern town of Skarhamula.

8 Authors are not agreed as to the site of this town and that of Anthea or Anthene.

9 Memorable for the pitched battle between 300 Argives and 300 Spartans,—Othryades being the sole survivor of the Spartans, and Alcenor and Chromius of the Argives.

10 By Homer called Enope.

11 Pente Dactylon, or Pente Dactyli, the "Five Fingers," is the present name of the range of Taygetus. Its principal summits are now St. Elias and Paixamadhi. The river Eurotas is now called Iris and Niris in its upper and middle course, and Basili-potamo from the Spartan plain to the sea.

12 Ægila, according to Leake, occupied the site of the present Scutari; if so, this gulf was probably the Gulf of Scutari. Psamathus was near the point of Tænarum.

13 Or Gythium, near the mouth of the Eurotas. It was famous for its cheeses. The ruins are called Paleopoli, a little to the north of Marathonisi.

14 Now Capo Santo Angelo.

The Natural History. Pliny the Elder. John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S. H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A. London. Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1855.

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  • Commentary references to this page (1):
    • E. T. Merrill, Commentary on Catullus, 64
  • Cross-references to this page (19):
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), BOEBE
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), CRANON
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ELATEIA
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MI´NYA
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), OLYMPUS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ONCHESTUS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ORCHO´MENUS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), OTHRYS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PAGASAE
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PAMISUS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PELINNA
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PHERAE
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PHOENIX
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PINDUS
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), PTE´LEUM
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TEMPE
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), THESSA´LIA
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), TRICCA
    • Smith's Bio, La'pithes
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