CHAP. 3. (4.)—AFRICA.
Beyond the river Tusca begins the region of Zeugitana[1],
and that part which properly bears the name of Africa[2].
We here find three promontories; the White Promontory[3],
the Promontory of Apoll[4], facing Sardinia, and that of
Mercury[5], opposite to Sicily. Projecting into the sea these
headlands form two gulfs, the first of which bears the name
of "Hipponensis" from its proximity to the city called
Hippo Dirutus[6], a corruption of the Greek name Diarrhytus,
which it has received from the channels made for irrigation.
Adjacent to this place, but at a greater distance from
the sea-shore, is Theudalis[7], a town exempt from tribute.
We then come to the Promontory of Apollo, and upon
the second gulf, we find Utica[8], a place enjoying the rights
of Roman citizens, and famous for the death of Cato; the
river Bagrada[9], the place called Castra Cornelia[10], the co-
lony[11] of Carthage, founded upon the remains of Great Carthage[12],
the colony of Maxula[13], the towns of Carpi[14], Misua,
and Clypea[15], the last a free town, on the Promontory of
Mercury; also Curubis, a free town[16], and Neapolis[17].
Here commences the second division[18] of Africa properly
so called. Those who inhabit Byzacium have the name of
Libyphœnices[19]. Byzacium is the name of a district which
is 250 miles in circumference, and is remarkable for its extreme
fertility, as the ground returns the seed sown by the
husbandman with interest a hundred-fold[20]. Here are the
free towns of Leptis[21], Adrumetum[22], Ruspina[23], and Thapsus[24];
and then Thenæ[25], Macomades[26], Tacape[27], and Sabrata[28] which
touches on the Lesser Syrtis; to which spot, from the
Ampsaga, the length of Numidia and Africa is 580 miles,
and the breadth, so far as it has been ascertained, 200.
That portion which we have called Africa is divided into
two provinces, the Old and the New; these are separated
by a dyke which was made by order of the second Scipio
Africanus[29] and the kings[30], and extended to Thenæ, which
town is distant from Carthage 216 miles.
1. Extending from the river Tusca, or Zaina, to the northern frontiers
of Byzacium. It corresponds with the Turkish province or beylik of
Tunis.
2. He says this not only to distinguish it from Africa, considered as
one-third of the globe, but also in contradistinction to the proconsular
province of the Roman empire of the same name, which contained not
only the province of Zeugitana, but also those of Numidia, Byzacium,
and Tripolis.
3. Candidum: now Ras-el-Abiad.
4. The references to this headland identify it with Cape Farina, or Ras
Sidi Ali-al-Mekhi, and not, as some have thought, the more westerly Cape
Zibeeb or Ras Sidi Bou-Shoushe. Shaw however applies the name of
Zibeeb to the former.
5. Now Cape Bon, or Ras-Addar.
6. More properly called Hippo Diarrhytus or Zaritus, a Tyrian colony,
situate on a large lake which communicated with the sea, and received
the waters of another lake. Its situation exposed it to frequent inundations,
whence, as the Greeks used to state, the epithet dia/r)r(utos. It
seems more probable however that this is the remnant of some Phœnician
title, as the ancients were not agreed on the true form of the name,
and of this uncertainty we have a further proof in the Hippo Dirutus
of our author.
7. This is placed by Ptolemy to the south-east of Hippo, and near the
southern extremity of Lake Sisar.
8. This important city stood on the north part of the Carthaginian
Gulf, west of the mouth of the Bagrada, and twenty-seven Roman miles
N.W. of Carthage; but the site of its ruins at the modern Bou-Shater is
now inland, in consequence of the changes made by the Bagrada in the
coast-line. In the Third Punic war Utica took part with the Romans
against Carthage, and was rewarded with the greater part of the Carthaginian
territory.
9. Now called the Mejerdah, and though of very inconsiderable size, the
chief river of the Carthaginian territory. The main stream is formed
by the union of two branches, the southern of which, the ancient Bagrada,
is now called the Mellig, and in its upper course the Meskianah. The
other branch is called the Hamiz.
10. Or the "Cornelian Camp." The spot where Cornelius Scipio Africa-
nus the Elder first encamped, on landing in Africa, B.C. 204. Cæsar describes
this spot, in his description of Curio's operations against Utica,
B. C. b. ii. c. 24, 25. This spot is now called Ghellah.
11. This colony was first established by Caius Gracchus, who sent 6000
settlers to found on the site of Carthage the new city of Junonia. The
Roman senate afterwards annulled this with the other acts of
Gracchus. Under Augustus however the new city of Carthage was
founded, which, when Strabo wrote, was as prosperous as any city in
Africa. It was made, in place of Utica, which had favoured the Pompeian
party, the seat of the proconsul of Old Africa. It stood on the
peninsula terminated by Ras-Sidi-Bou-Said, Cape Carthage or Carthagena.
As Gibbon has remarked, "The place might be unknown if
some broken arches of an aqueduct did not guide the footsteps of the
inquisitive traveller."
12. The original city of Carthage was called 'Carthago Magna' to distinguish
it from New Carthage and Old Carthage, colonies in Spain.
13. Now Rhades, according to Marcus.
14. Marcus identifies it with the modern Gurtos.
15. By the Greeks called 'Aspis.' It derived its Greek and Roman names
from its site on a hill of a shield-like shape. It was built by Agathocles,
the Sicilian, B.C. 310. In the first Punic war it was the landing-place
of Manlius and Regulus, whose first action was to take it, B.C. 256. Its
site is still known as Kalebiah, and its ruins are peculiarly interesting.
The site of Misua is occupied by Sidi-Doud, according to Shaw and
D'Anville.
16. Shaw informs us that an inscription found on the spot designates this
place as a colony, not a free city or town. Its present name is Kurbah.
17. The present Nabal, according to D'Anville.
18. Zeugitana extended from the river Tusca to Horrea-Cælia, and Byzacium
from this last place to Thenæ.
19. As sprung partly from the Phœnician immigrants, and partly from
the native Libyans or Africans.
20. Pliny says, B. xvii. c. 3, "A hundred and fifty fold." From Shaw
we learn that this fertility no longer exists, the fields producing not more
than eight- or at most twelve-fold.
21. The modern Lempta occupies its site.
22. Originally a Phœnician colony, older than Carthage. It was the capital of Byzacium, and stood within the southern extremity of the Sinus Neapolitanus or Gulf of Hammamet. Trajan made it a colony, under the high-sounding name, as we gather from inscriptions, of Colonia Concordia Ulpia Trajana Augusta Frugifera Hadrumetana, or, as set forth on coins, Colonia Concordia Julia Hadrumetana Pia. The epithet Frugifera refers to the fact that it was one of the chief sea-ports for the corn-producing country of Byzacium. It was destroyed by the Vandals, but restored by the Emperor Justinian under the name of Justiniana or Justinianopolis. The modern Sousa stands on its site; and but slight traces of the ancient city are to be found.
23. Situate in the vicinity of the modern Monastir.
24. Shaw discovered its ruins at the modern town of Demas.
25. Now Taineh, according to D'Anville. This place formed the boundary between the proconsular province of Africa and the territory of the Numidian king Masinissa and his descendants.
26. The present Mahometa, according to Marcus, El Mahres according to D'Anville.
27. Now Cabès, according to D'Anville, giving name to the Gulf of Cabès. Marcus calls it Gaps.
28. Now Tripoli Vecchio; also called Sabart according to D'Anville.
29. Scipio Æmilianus, the son-in-law of Æmilius Paulus.
30. Micipsa, the son of Masinissa, and his two legitimate brethren. Scipio having been left by Masinissa executor of his will, the sovereign power was divided by him between Micipsa and his two brethren Gulussa and Mastanabal. On this occasion also he separated Numidia from Zeugitana and Byzacium, by a long dyke drawn from Thenæ, due south, to the borders of the Great Desert, and thence in a north-westerly direction to the river Tusca.