Sardinia
（
ἡ Σαρδώ or
Σαρδών;
later
Σαρδανία or
Σαρδηνία). Sardinia, a large island in the Mediterranean, is in the shape of a
parallelogram, upwards of 140 miles in length from north to south, with an average breadth of
60. It was regarded by the ancients as the largest of the Mediterranean islands, and this
opinion, though usually considered an error, is now found to be correct; since it appears by
actual measurement that Sardinia is a little larger than Sicily. Sardinia lies in almost a
central position between Spain, Gaul, Italy, and Africa. A chain of mountains runs along the
whole of the eastern side of the island from north to south, occupying about one third of its
surface. These mountains were called by the ancients Insani Montes, a name which they probably
derived from their wild and savage appearance, and from their being the haunt of numerous
robbers. Sardinia was very fertile, but was not extensively cultivated, in consequence of the
uncivilized character of its inhabitants. Still the plains in the western and southern parts
of the island produced a great quantity of corn, of which much was exported to Rome every
year. Among the products of the island one of the most celebrated was the
Sardonica
herba, a poisonous plant, which was said to produce fatal convulsions in the person
who ate of it. These convulsions agitated and distorted the mouth so that the person appeared
to laugh, though in excruciating pain; hence the wellknown
risus Sardonicus
(
Σαρδώνιος γέλως, see Suidas, s. h. v.). Sardinia
contained a large quantity of the precious metals, especially silver, the mines of which were
worked in antiquity to a great extent. There were likewise numerous mineral
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Valley of the Hermus with Acropolis of Sardis.
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springs; and large quantities of salt were manufactured on the western and southern
coasts. The Greeks called the island
Ichnūsa (
Ἰχνοῦσα), from its shape, which
suggested a footprint, and Sandaliōtis as resembling a
sandal (Pausan. x. 17, 2; Sil. Ital. xii. 358; Pliny ,
Pliny
H. N. iii. 85).
The population of Sardinia was of a very mixed kind. To what race the original inhabitants
belonged we are not informed; but it appears that Phœnicians, Tyrrhenians, and
Carthaginians settled in the island at different periods. The Greeks are also said to have
planted colonies in the island, but this account is very suspicious. Sardinia was known to the
Greeks as early as B.C. 500, since we find that Histiaeus of Miletus promised Darius that he
would render the island of Sardo tributary to his power. It was conquered by the Carthaginians
at an early period, and continued in their possession until the end of the First Punic War.
Shortly after this event the Romans availed themselves of the dangerous war which the
Carthaginians were carrying on against their mercenaries in Africa to take possession of
Sardinia, B.C. 238. It was now formed into a Roman province under the government of a praetor;
but a large portion of it was only nominally subject to the Romans; and it was not till after
many years and numerous revolts that the inhabitants submitted to the Roman dominion. Sardinia
continued to belong to the Roman Empire till the fifth century, when it was taken possession
of by the Vandals. See La Marmora,
Voyage en Sardaigne, 5 vols.
(2d ed.
Paris, 1837-57); Edwardes,
Sardinia and the Sardes (London,
1889); and the history by Manno, 4 vols.
(Turin, 1825, and Florence,
1858).
