Chapter 260

3247Or the “Julian Colony on the Plains.” Marcus suggests that the wordBabbamay possibly have been derived from the Hebrew or Phœnician wordbeaborbeaba, “situate in a thick forest.” Poinsinet takes Babba to be the Beni-Tuedi of modern times. D’Anville thinks that it is Naranja.

3248There is considerable difficulty about the site of Banasa. Moletius thinks that it is the modern Fanfara, or Pefenfia as Marmol calls it. D’Anville suggests that it may be Old Mahmora, on the coast; but, on the other hand, Ptolemy places it among theinlandcities, assigning to it a longitude at some distance from the sea. Pliny also appears to make it inland, and makes its distance from Lixos seventy-five miles, while he makes the mouth of the Subur to be fifty miles from the same place.

3249From both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. According to Poinsinet, Volubilis was the synonym of the African nameFez, signifying a ‘band,’ or ‘swathe.’ Mannert conjectures that it is the same as the modern Walili, or Qualili. D’Anville calls it Guulili, and says that there are some remains of antiquity there.

3250The modern Subu, or Sebou. D’Anville is of opinion that this river has changed a part of its course since the time of Pliny.

3251Most probably the modern Sallee stands on its site.

3252Not in reference to the fact of its existence, but the wonderful stories which were told respecting it.

3253Like others of the ancient writers, Pliny falls into the error of considering Atlas, not as an extensive chain of mountains, but as an isolated mountain, surrounded by sands. With reference to its height, the whole range declines considerably from west to east; the highest summits in Morocco reaching near 13,000 feet, in Tunis not 5000.

3254Or “Goat-Pans;” probably another name for the Fauni, or Fauns. More usually, there is but one Ægipan mentioned,—the son, according to Hyginus, of Zeus or Jupiter, and a goat,—or of Zeus and Æga, the wife of Pan. As a foundation for one part of the stories here mentioned, Brotier suggests the fact, that as the Kabyles, or mountain tribes, are in the habit of retiring to their dwellings and reposing during the heat of the day, it would not, consequently, be improbable that they would devote the night to their amusements, lighting up fires, and dancing to the music of drums and cymbals.

3255Under his name we still possess a “Periplus,” or account of a voyage round a part of Libya. The work was originally written in Punic, but what has come down to us is a Greek translation. We fail, however, to discover any means by which to identify him with any one of the many Carthaginians of the same name. Some writers call him king, and othersdux, orimperatorof the Carthaginians; from which we may infer, that he held the office ofsuffetes. This expedition has by some been placed as far back as the time of the Trojan war, or of Hesiod, while others again place it as late as the reign of Agathocles. Falconer, Bougainville, and Gail, place the time of Hanno at aboutB.C.570, while other critics identify him with Hanno, the father or son of Hamilcar, who was killed at Himera,B.C.480. Pliny often makes mention of him; more particularly see B. viii. c. 21.

3256M. Gosselin thinks that the spot here indicated was at the south-western extremity of the Atlas range, and upon the northern frontier of the Desert of Zahara.

3257Supposed by some geographers to be the same as that now called the Ommirabih, or the Om-Rabya. This is also thought by some to have been the same river as is called by Pliny, in p. 381, by the name of Asana; but the distances do not agree.

3258Supposed by Gosselin to be the present bay of Al-cazar, on the African coast, in the Straits of Cadiz; though Hardouin takes it to be theκόλπος ἐμπορικὸς, or “Gulf of Commerce,” of Strabo and Ptolemy. By first quoting from one, and then at a tangent from another, Pliny involves this subject in almost inextricable confusion.

3259Probably the place called Thymiaterion in the Periplus of Hanno.

3260The present Subu, and the river probably of Sallce, previously mentioned.

3261The modern Mazagan, according to Gosselin.

3262Cape Cantin, according to Gosselin; Cape Blanco, according to Marcus.

3263Probably the Safi, Asafi, or Saffee of the present day.

3264The river Tensift, which runs close to the city of Morocco, in the interior.

3265The river Mogador of the present day.

3266The modern river Sus, or Sous.

3267The learned Gosselin has aptly remarked, that this cannot be other than an error, and that “ninety-six” is the correct reading, the Gulf of Sainte-Croix being evidently the one here referred to.

3268Mount Barce seems to be here a name for the Atlas, or Daran chain.

3269Supposed by Gosselin to be the present Cape Ger.

3270The river Assa, according to Gosselin. There is also a river Suse placed here in the maps.

3271These two tribes probably dwelt between the modern Capes Ger and Non.

3272Marcus believes these to have been the ancestors of the present race of the Touaricks, while the Melanogætuli were the progenitors of the Tibbos, of a darker complexion, and more nearly resembling the negroes in bodily conformation.

3273Supposed by Gosselin to be the present river Nun, or Non. According to Bochart, this river received its name from the Hebrew or Phœnician wordbehemothorbamoth, the name by which Job (xl. 15) calls the crocodile [or rather the hippopotamus]. Bochart, however, with Mannert, Bougainville, De Rennet, and De Heeren, is of opinion, that by this name the modern river Senegal is meant. Marcus is of opinion that it is either the Non or the modern Sobi.

3274Marcus here observes, that from Cape Alfach, below Cape Non, there are no mountains, but continual wastes of sand, bordering on the sea-shore. Indeed there is no headland, of any considerable height, between Cape Sobi and Cape Bajador.

3275“The Chariot of the Gods.” Marcus is of opinion that it is the modern Cape Verde; while, on the other hand, Gosselin takes it to be Cape Non. Brotier calls it Cape Ledo.

3276In B. vi. c. 36, Pliny speaks of this promontory as the “Hesperian Horn,” and says that it is but four days’ sail from the Theon Ochema. Brotier identifies this promontory with the modern Cape Roxo. Marcus is of opinion that it was the same as Cape Non; but there is considerable difficulty in determining its identity.

3277Alluding to Polybius; though, according to the reading which Sillig has adopted a few lines previously, Agrippa is the last author mentioned. Pliny has here mistaken the meaning of Polybius, who has placed Atlas midway between Carthage, from which he had set out, and the Promontory of Theon Ochema, which he reached.

3278Ptolemy the son of Juba II. and Cleopatra, was summoned to Rome in the yearA.D.40, by Caligula, and shortly after put to death by him, his riches having excited the emperor’s cupidity. Previously to this, he had been on terms of strict alliance with the Roman people, who had decreed him atoga pictaand a sceptre, as a mark of their friendship.

3279Ivory and citron-wood, or cedar, were used for the making and inlaying of the tables used by the Roman nobility. See B. xiii. c. 23.

3280Supposed by some geographers to be the modern Wadi-Tensift. It has been also confounded with the Anatis (see note3171, p. 369); while others again identify it with the Anidus. It is more commonly spelt ‘Asama.’

3281Or Phuth. It does not appear to have been identified.

3282The range is still called by the name of Daran.

3283The same general who afterwards conquered the Britons under Boadicea or Bonduca. While Proprætor in Mauritania under the Emperor Claudius, in the yearA.D.42, he defeated the Mauri who had risen in revolt, and advanced, as Pliny here states, as far as Mount Atlas. It is not known from what point Paulinus made his advance towards the Atlas range. Mannert and Marcus are of opinion that he set out from Sala, the modern Sallee, while Latreille, Malte Brun, and Walkenaer think that his point of departure was the mouth of the river Lixos. Sala was the most southerly town on the western coast of Africa that in the time of Pliny had submitted to the Roman arms.

3284Some of the editions read ‘Niger’ here. Marcus suggests that that river may have been called ‘Niger’ by the Phœnician or Punic colonists of the western Mauritania, and ‘Ger’ or ‘Gar’ in another quarter. The same writer also suggests that the Sigilmessa was the river to which Paulinus penetrated on his march beyond Atlas.

3285The Sigilmessa, according to Marmol, flows between several mountains which appear to be of a blackish hue.

3286Bocchus however, the kinsman of Massinissa, had previously for some time reigned over both the Mauritanias, consisting of Mauritania Tingitana and Mauritania Cæsariana.

3287See B. xxv. c. 7. 12, and B. xxvi. c. 8.

3288Extending from the sea to the river Moluga, now called the Molucha and Molochath, or Malva and Malvana.

3289From whom the Moors of the present day take their name. Marcus observes here, that though Pliny distinguishes the Mauri from the Gætuli, they essentially belonged to the same race and spoke the same language, the so-called Berber, and its dialects, the Schellou and the Schoviah.

3290‘Maurusii’ was the Greek name, ‘Mauri’ the Latin, for this people. Marcus suggests that Mauri was a synonym only for the Greek wordnomades, ‘wanderers.’

3291As Marcus observes, Pliny is here greatly in error. On the inroads of Paulinus, the Mauri had retreated into the interior and taken refuge in the deserts of Zahara, whence they had again emerged in the time of the geographer Ptolemy.

3292From the time of the second Punic War this people had remained in undisputed possession of the country situate between the rivers Molochath or Moluga and Ampsaga, which formed the Cæsarian Mauritania. Ptolemy speaks of finding some remains of them at Siga, a town situate on a river of the same name, and at which King Syphax had formerly resided.

3293While Pomponius Mela does not make any difference between the Mauri and the Gætuli, Pliny here speaks of them as being essentially different.

3294Derived, according to Marcus, from the Arabic compoundbani-our, ‘child of nakedness,’ as equivalent to the Greek wordgymnetes, by which name Pliny and other ancient writers designate the wandering naked races of Western Africa.

3295The Autololes or, as Ptolemy calls them, the Autololæ, dwelt, it is supposed, on the western coast of Africa, between Cape Cantin and Cape Ger. Their city of Autolala or Autolalæ is one of Ptolemy’s points of astronomical observation, having the longest day thirteen hours and a half, being distant three hours and a half west of Alexandria, and having the sun vertical once a year, at the time of the winter solstice. Reichard takes it for the modern Agulon or Aquilon.

3296The Æthiopian Daratitæ, Marcus says.

3297The present Ceuta.

3298They were so called from the circumstance, Marcus says, of their peaks being so numerous, and so strongly resembling each other. They are now called, according to D’Anville, ‘Gebel Mousa,’ which means “the Mountain of Apes,” an animal by which they are now much frequented, instead of by elephants as in Pliny’s time.

3299Or Mediterranean.

3300The modern Bedia, according to Olivarius, the Tasanel, according to Dupinet, and the Alamos or Kerkal, according to Ansart. Marcus says that it is called the Setuan, and is the largest stream on the northern shores of Western Africa.

3301The modern Gomera according to Hardouin, the Nocor according to Mannert.

3302The modern Melilla most probably.

3303The modern Maluia. Antoninus calls it Malva, and Ptolemy Maloua.

3304Its site is occupied by the modern Aresgol, according to Mariana, Guardia or Sereni according to Dupinet, Ned-Roma according to Mannert and D’Anville, and Tachumbrit according to Shaw. Marcus is inclined to be of the same opinion as the last-mentioned geographer.

3305Now the city of Malaga.

3306Mauritania Cæsariensis, or Cæsarian Mauritania, now forming the French province of Algiers.

3307“Bogudiana;” from Bogud or Bogoas. The last king Bogud was deprived of his kingdom by Bocchus, king of Mauritania Cæsariensis, a warm partisan of Cæsar.

3308Or the “Great Harbour,” now Arzeu according to D’Anville, and Mars-el-Kebir according to Marcus.

3309The same river probably as the Malva or Malvana previously mentioned, the wordmuluchaormalachacoming from the Greekμολόχη, “a marsh mallow,” whichmalva, as a Latin word, also signifies. See p. 383.

3310From the Greek wordξένος, “a stranger.” Pomponius Mela and Antoninus call this place Guiza, and Ptolemy Quisa. D’Anville places it on the right side of the river Malvana or Mulucha, and Shaw says that it was situate in the vicinity of the modern town of Oran.

3311Now Marz-Agolet, or situate in its vicinity, according to Hardouin and Ansart, and the present Arzen, according to Marcus, where numerous remains of antiquity are found.

3312Now Tenez, according to D’Anville, and Mesgraïm, according to Mannert; with which last opinion Marcus agrees.

3313Ptolemy and Antoninus place this colony to the east of the Promontory of Apollo, and not the west as Pliny does.

3314The present Cape Mestagan.

3315According to Dupinet and Mannert, the modern Tenez occupies its site, Zershell according to Hardouin and Shaw, Vacur according to D’Anville and Ansart, and Algiers according to others. It is suggested by Marcus that the name Iol is derived from the Arabic verbgalla, “to be noble” or “famous.” There is no doubt that the magnificent ruins at Zershell are those of Iol, and that its name is an abbreviation of Cæsarea Iol.

3316Or New Town.

3317Scylax calls it Thapsus; Ammianus Marcellinus, Tiposa. According to Mannert it was situate in the vicinity of the modern Damas.

3318Or Icosium. It has been identified by inscriptions discovered by the French as standing on the same site as the modern Algiers. D’Anville, Mannert and others identify it with Scherchell or Zershell, thus placing it too far west. Mannert was evidently misled by an error in the Antonine Itinerary, whereby all the places along this coast are, for a considerable distance, thrown too far to the west; the researches however which followed the French conquest of the country have revealed inscriptions which completely set the question at rest.

3319According to Mannert, this was situate on the modern Cape Arbatel. Marcus thinks that the Hebrewros, or Arabras, “a rock,” enters into the composition of the word.

3320Now Hur according to D’Anville, Colcah according to Mannert.

3321The modern Acor, according to Marcus.

3322The modern Pedeles or Delys, according to Ortellius and Mannert, Tedles according to D’Anville.

3323The modern Jigeli or Gigeri. It was probably in ancient times the emporium of the surrounding country.

3324Destroyed, according to Hardouin, and probably by the incursions of the sea. At the mouth of the Ampsaga (now called the Wad-El-Kebir or Sufjimar, and higher up the Wadi Roumel) there is situate a small sea-port called Marsa Zeitoun.

3325Near the present Mazuaa, according to Mannert.

3326The modern Burgh, according to D’Anville and Mannert, but more probably considerably to the east of that place.

3327The modern El-Herba, according to Mannert.

3328Marcus suggests that this is the Chinalaph of Ptolemy, and probably the modern Schellif.

3329The same that is called Savis by Ptolemy, who places Icosium on its banks.

3330By Mela called the Vabar. Marcus supposes it to be the same as the modern Giffer.

3331By Ptolemy called the Sisar; the Ajebbi of modern geographers, which falls into the Mediterranean, near the city of Budja.

3332Brotier says that this reading is incorrect, and that 222 is the proper one, that being the true distance between the river Ampsaga or Wad-el-Kebir and the city of Cæsarea, the modern Zershell.

3333It was not only Numidia that bore this name, but all the northern coast of Africa from the frontiers of the kingdom of Carthage near Hippo Regius to the Columns of Hercules. It was thus called from the Greekmetagonos, a “descendant” or “successor;” as the Carthaginians established a number of small towns and villages on the coast, which were thus posterior in their origin to the large cities already founded there.

3334Hardouin says that the Moors in the interior still follow the same usage, carrying their houses from pasture to pasture on waggons.

3335Now Chollum or Collo.

3336The modern Sgigada or Stora, according to Mannert, D’Anville, and Shaw.

3337The modern Constantina occupies its site. Numerous remains of the ancient town are still discovered. Sitius was an officer who served under Cæsar, and obtained a grant of this place after the defeat of Juba.

3338Called Urbs, or Kaff, according to D’Anville and Shaw; the latter of whom found an inscription there with the wordsOrdo Siccensium.

3339Or ‘Royal Bulla’; which epithet shows that it was either a residence or a foundation of the kings of Numidia, and distinguishes it from a small place called Bulla Mensa, south of Carthage. Bulla Regia was four days’ journey south-west of Carthage, on a tributary of the river Bagrada, the valley of which is still called Wad-el-Boul. This place was one of the points of Ptolemy’s recorded astronomical observations, having its longest day fourteen hours and one-eighth, and being distant from Alexandria two hours to the west.

3340The modern Tamseh, according to Shaw and Mannert, and Tagodet, according to D’Anville.

3341Its ruins are south of the modern Bona. It received the name ofRegiusor ‘Royal’ from being the residence of the Numidian kings. It was also famed as being the see of St. Augustine. It was a colony of Tyre, and stood on the bay now forming the Gulf of Bona. It was one of the most flourishing cities of Africa till it was destroyed by the VandalsA.D.430.

3342Now the Mafragg, according to Mannert.

3343Still called Tabarca, according to Hardouin.

3344Now the Zaina, according to Marcus.

3345For the character of the Numidian marble, see Pliny, B. xxxvi. c. 7.

3346Extending from the river Tusca, or Zaina, to the northern frontiers of Byzacium. It corresponds with the Turkish province or beylik of Tunis.

3347He 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.

3348Candidum: now Ras-el-Abiad.

3349The 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.

3350Now Cape Bon, or Ras-Addar.

3351More 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 epithetδιάῤῥυτος. 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 theHippo Dirutusof our author.

3352This is placed by Ptolemy to the south-east of Hippo, and near the southern extremity of Lake Sisar.

3353This 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.

3354Now 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.

3355Or the “Cornelian Camp.” The spot where Cornelius Scipio Africanus 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.

3356This 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.”

3357The original city of Carthage was called ‘Carthago Magna’ to distinguish it from New Carthage and Old Carthage, colonies in Spain.

3358Now Rhades, according to Marcus.

3359Marcus identifies it with the modern Gurtos.

3360By 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.

3361Shaw 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.

3362The present Nabal, according to D’Anville.

3363Zeugitana extended from the river Tusca to Horrea-Cælia, and Byzacium from this last place to Thenæ.

3364As sprung partly from the Phœnician immigrants, and partly from the native Libyans or Africans.

3365Pliny 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.

3366The modern Lempta occupies its site.

3367Originally 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, ofColonia Concordia Ulpia Trajana Augusta Frugifera Hadrumetana, or, as set forth on coins,Colonia Concordia Julia Hadrumetana Pia. The epithetFrugiferarefers 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.

3368Situate in the vicinity of the modern Monastir.

3369Shaw discovered its ruins at the modern town of Demas.

3370Now 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.

Back to Index Next