CHAP. 7.—OF THE NINTH[1] REGION OF ITALY.
To begin then with the river Varus; we have the town of
Nicæa[2], founded by the Massilians, the river Paulo[3], the Alps
and the Alpine tribes, distinguished by various names[4], but
more especially the Capillati[5], Cemenelio[6], a town of the state
of the Vediantii, the port of Hercules Monæcus[7], and the
Ligurian coast. The more celebrated of the Ligurian tribes
beyond the Alps are the Salluvii, the Deciates, and the
Oxubii[8]; on this side of the Alps, the Veneni[9], and the
Vagienni, who are derived from the Caturiges[10], the
Statielli[11],
the Bimbelli[12], the Magelli, the Euburiates, the Casmonates[13],
the Veleiates[14], and the peoples whose towns we shall describe
as lying near the adjoining coast. The river Rutuba[15], the
town of Albium Intemelium[16], the river Merula[17], the town
of Albium Ingaunum[18], the port of Vadum Sabatiorum[19], the
river Porcifera[20], the town of Genua, the river Feritor[21], the
Portus Delphini[22], Tigullia[23], Tegesta[24] of the
Tigullii, and
the river Macra[25], which is the boundary
of Liguria.
Extending behind all the before-mentioned places are the
Apennines, the most considerable of all the mountains of
Italy, the chain of which extends unbroken from the
Alps[26] to the Sicilian sea. On the other side of the Apennines,
towards the Padus[27], the richest river of Italy, the
whole country is adorned with noble towns; Libarna[28], the
colony of Dertona[29], Iria[30], Barderate[31], Industria[32], Pollentia[33],
Carrea surnamed Potentia[34], Foro Fulvî or Valentinum[35],
Augusta[36] of the Vagienni, Alba Pompeia[37], Asta[38], and
Aquæ Statiellorum[39]. This is the ninth region, according to
the arrangement of Augustus. The coast of Liguria extends
211 miles[40], between the rivers Varus and Macra.
1. Italy was divided by Augustus into eleven districts; the ninth of
which nearly corresponded to the former republic of Genoa.
2. The modern Nizza of the Italians, or Nice of the French.
3. Now the Paglione.
4. Livy mentions four of these tribes, the Celelates, the Cerdiciates,
the Apuani, and the Friniates.
5. Or "Long-haired." Lucan, B. i. 1. 442, 3, refers to this characteristic
of the Alpine Ligurians:
Et nunc tonse Ligur, quondam per colla decora
Crinibus effusis toti prælate Comatæ.
6. It is probably the ruins of this place that are to be seen at
the present day at Cimiez in the vicinity of Nice.
7. The modern Monaco.
8. These tribes have been already mentioned in c. 5, as belonging to the
province of Gallia Narbonensis.
9. It is supposed that they dwelt near the present Vinadio in
Piedmont.
10. It is supposed that they inhabited the vicinity of the present town of
Chorges, between Embrun and Gap.
11. They probably dwelt near the modern town of Montserrat.
12. They probably dwelt near the modern Biela, eight leagues from
Verceil in Piedmont.
13. Some writers place them near the modern city of Casale.
14. Their locality is supposed by some writers to be near the present
Cortemiglia, five leagues from the town of Alba.
15. Now the Roya, flowing between very high banks.—Lucan, B. ii.
1. 422, speaks of the Rutuba as "Cavus," "flowing in deep cavities."
16. Probably the present Vintimiglia.
17. The modern Arozia.
18. The present town of Albenga.—Livy, B. xxix. c. 5, calls the
inhabitants Albingauni.
19. Now called Vaï or Ve, and Savona.
20. The modern Bisagna, which waters Genua, the modern Genoa.
21. Now the Lavagna, which also washes Genoa.
22. "The Port of the Dolphin;" now Porto Fino.
23. Probably the ruins called those of Tregesa or Trigoso are those of
Tigullia.
24. Now Sestri di Levante.
25. The modern Magra.
26. Of which they were considered as a chain, and called the Apennine
Alps.
27. Now the Po.
28. According to D'Anville, now Castel Arqua.
29. Now Tortona. It was a city of importance, and there are
considerable ruins still in existence.
30. The modern Voghera, upon the river Staffora.
31. Probably the present Verrua.
32. Called by the Ligurians Bodincomagus, by the Romans Industria.
Its remains are to be found at Monteù di Po, a few miles below Chevasso,
on the right bank of the river.
33. The modern Pollenza, a small town on the river Tenaro near Alba.
34. Its site has been placed at Chieri near Turin, and at Carrù on the
Tanaro, a few miles south of Bene, which is perhaps the most probable.
35. The modern Valenza.
36. Placed by D'Anville at Vico near Mondovi, and by other writers at
Carmagnole and Saluzzo: but Durandi has shown that the ruins still to
be seen near Bene in Piedmont are those of Augusta Vagiennorum. Bene
is supposed to be a corruption of Bagienna, the name of the town in the
middle ages. The name of the Vagienni also probably survives in that
of Viozenna, an obscure place in that vicinity.
37. Still called Alba; a town near the northern foot of the Apennines.
It probably had its appellation from Cn. Pompeius Strabo, the father of
Pompey the Great, who conferred many privileges on the Cisalpine Gauls.
It was the birth-place of the Emperor Helvius Pertinax.
38. The modern Aste.
39. The modern Acqui, so called from its mineral springs. It is again
mentioned by Pliny in B. XXXI. Numerous remains of the ancient
town have been discovered.
40. Ansart observes that this measurement is nearly correct.