CHAP. 25. (21.)—LIBURNIA AND ILLYRICUM.
The nation of the Liburni adjoins the river Arsia[1], and
extends as far as the river Titus. The Mentores, the Hymani[2],
the Encheleæ, the Buni, and the people whom Callimachus
calls the Peucetiæ, formerly formed part of it; but now the
whole in general are comprised under the one name of
Illyricum. But few of the names of these nations are worthy
of mention, or indeed very easy of pronunciation. To the
jurisdiction of Scardona[3] resort the Iapydes and fourteen
cities of the Liburni, of which it may not prove tedious if I
mention the Lacinienses, the Stlupini, the Burnistæ, and
the Olbonenses. Belonging to the same jurisdiction there
are, in the enjoyment of Italian rights, the Alutæ[4], the
Flanates[5], from whom the Gulf takes its name, the Lopsi,
and the Varvarini; the Assesiates, who are exempt from
tribute; and upon the islands, the Fertinates and the Curicttæ[6].
Besides these, there are on the coast, after leaving
Nesactium, Alvona[7], Flanona, Tarsatica, Senia,
Lopsica, Ortopula,
Vegium, Argyruntum, Corinium[8], Ænona, the city of
Pasinum, and the river Tedanius, at which Iapydia terminates. The
islands of this Gulf, with their towns, besides
those above mentioned, are Absyrtium[9], Arba[10], Crexa, Gissa,
and Portunata. Again, on the mainland there is the colony
of Iadera[11], distant from Pola 160 miles; then, at a
distance of thirty miles, the island of Colentum[12], and of
eighteen, the mouth of the river Titus.
1. From the river now called the Arsa to that called the Kerka.
2. Hardouin thinks that "Ismeni" is the proper reading here; but all
the MSS. seem to be against him.
3. Mentioned in the next Chapter.
4. Their town was Aluus or Aloiis.
5. Their town was Flanona, which gave name to the Sinus Flanaticus
or Golfo di Quarnero. The chief town of the Lopsi was Lopsica, and
of the Varvarini, Varvaria.
6. The island of Fertina is supposed to have been the modern Berwitch
or Parvich. Curicta is now called Karek or Veglia. The Illyrian snails
mentioned by our author, B. ix. c. 56, are very numerous here. Caius
Antonius, the brother of Marcus, acting under Julius Cæsar,
was besieged here by Libo. See the interesting account in
Lucan's Pharsalia, B. iv. 1. 402–464.
7. The places on their sites are now called Albona, Fianona, Tersact or
Tersat near Fiume, Segna, Lopsico, Ortopia, and Veza.
8. Now Carin. Ænona is now called Nona, and the Tedanius is the
modern Zermagna.
9. The whole of this group of islands were sometimes called the Absyrtides, from Absyrtus, the brother of Medea, who according to tradition
was slain there. See the last Chapter, p. 266.. Ovid, however, in his
"Tristia," states that this took place at Tomi, on the Pontus Euxinus or
Black Sea, the place of his banishment.
10. Said by D'Anville to be now called Arbe, and Crexa to be the modern
Cherso. Gissa is thought to have been the modern Pago.
11. It was the capital of Liburnia. The city of Zara or Zara Vecchia
stands on its site. There are but little remains of the ancient city.
12. Supposed to be the present Mortero.