Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/1006

 986 SICILIA. like course, from tbe inountains to the sea. Their identification is for the most part very obscure and uncertain. TIjus ^re find three rivers mentioned in connection with Scj^esta, and all of them probably flowinfj through its territory, the Porpax, Telmessus, and CuniEssus or Crimisus. The last of these is probably the Fiume di S. Bartolomeo, about 5 miles E. of Segesta: the other two, which are mentioned only by Aelian ( /'! H. ii. 33), cannot be identified, though one of them is probably the Fiume Gag- gera, which flows beneath Segesta itself, and falls into the F. di S. Bartolomeo near its mouth. But, to complicate the question still more, we are told that the names of Scamander and Simois were given by the Trojan colonists to two rivers near Segesta ; and the former name at least seems to have been really in use. (Strab.xiii. p.608; Diod. xx. 71.) Proceeding eastward we find: I, the Orethus (Vib. Sequest. p. 15), still called the Oreto, a small stream flowing under the walls of Panormus ; 2, the Eleu- therus ('EAeu^epar, Ptol. iii. 4. § 3), placed by Pto- lemy between Panormus and Soluntum, and which must therefore be the Fiume diBagaria; 3, the north- ern HiMEKA, commonly identified with the Fiume di S. Leonardo, near Termini, but more probably the Fiume Grande, about 8 miles further E. [Himer.v] ; 4, tl-.e Jlonalus iJAdvaXos, Ptol.), between Cephaloe- dium and Alaesa, now the Pollina; 5, the Halesus or Alaesus, flowing beneath the city of Alaesa, now the Pettineo; 6, the Chydas (XvSas, Ptol.), between Alaesa and Aluntium; 7, the Timethus (Ti/xridos, Id.), between Agathyrna and Tyndaris; 8, the Heli- con {'EiKuiv, Id.), between Tyndaris and Mylae; 9, the Phacelinus (Vib. Sequest), which was near Jlylae, or between that city and Jlessana (the nearer determination of these four last is wholly uncertain); 10, the Melas of Ovid (Fast. iv. 476) is generally placed in the same neighbourhood, though without any obWous reason. Along the E. coast the nameB may be more clearly identified. 1. The Oxobalas of Appian (5. C. V. 109) is probably identical with the Ace- sines already noticed; 2, the Acis, a very small .stream, is the Fiume di Jaci ; 3, the Amenanus, flowing through the city of Catana, is the Giudicello; 4, the Terias is the Fium£ di S. Leonardo, which fluws from the Lake of Lentini; 5, the Pantagl.s is the Porcari; C, the Ai^vnus is the Cantaro, a small stream flowing into the bay of Avgusta. The Anapus and its confluent the Cyane have been already mentioned. S. of Syracuse occur three small rivers, memorable in the retreat of the Athe- nians: these are, 1, the Cacyparis (Cassibili); 2, the EmyEVS {Fiume di Avola); -dnd 3, the Asin.v- rus (Falconara'). A few miles S. of this was the Helorus, now called the Abisso, flowing by the city of the same name. No other stream occurs between this and Cape Pachynum. Sicily contains no lakes that deserve the name; but there are a few pools or marshy lagoons, of which the names have been preserved to us. Of the latter description were the Lysimelia Palus near Syra- cuse, and the C.jviarina Palus adjoining the city of the same name. The Lacus Palicoruji, on the contrary, was a deep pool or basin of volcanic origin: while the small lake called by the poets I'crgus or Pergusa is still extant in the neighbour- hood of Enna. The Lago di Lentini, though much the most considerable accumulation of waters in Sicily, is not mentioned by any ancient author. The towns and cities of Sicily were very numerous. SICILIA. The Greek colonies and their offshoots or depen- dencies have been already mentioned in relating the histoiy of their settlement; but the natnes of all tiie towns so far as they can be ascertained will be here enumerated in geographical order, without reference to their origin, omitting only the places mentioned in the Itineraries, which were probably mere villages or stations. 1. Beginning from Cape Pelorus and pro- ceeding along the E. coast towards Cape Pachynus, were: Messaxa, Tauromenium, Naxos, Acium, Catana and Sy'racuse. Trotilum, destroyed at an early period, as well as JIegara Hyblaea. were si • tuated between Catana and Syracuse. The Chalcidic colonies of Callipolis and Euboea, both of which disappeared at an early period, must have been situated on or near the E. coast of the island, and to the N. of Syracuse, but we have no further clue to their situation. S. of Syracuse, between it and Cape Pachynus, was Helorus, at the mouth of the river of the same name. 2. W. of Cape Pachynus, proceeding along the S. coast, were Cajlvrixa, Gela, PiiiNTiAS, Agrigentum, Heraclea Mino., Tiier.-lve Selinuntlve, Selixus, Mazara, and LiLYE.VEUJL Besides these the more obscure towns of Camicus, Caena, and Ixycum, the two former dependencies of Agrigentum, the latter of Selinus, must be placed on or near the S. coast of the island. 3. N. of Lilybaeum was Motya, which ceased to exist at a comparatively early period, and Drepanuji (Trapani) at the NV. angle of the island. Be- tween this and Panormus, were Eryx at the foot of the mountain of the same name, and a short dis- tance from the coast, the Emporium of Segesta, Hyc- cara, and Cetaria. Proceeding eastward from Panormus, along the N. coast of the island, were Soluntum, Thermae, Himera, Cephaloedium, Alaesa, Cat.acta, Agathyrna, Aluntium, Tyndaris, and Myl.ve. The towns in the interior are more difficult to enumerate: with regard to some of them indeed we are at a lo.?s to determine, even in what region of the island they were situated. For the purpose of enumeration it will be convenient to -divide the island into three portions; the first comprising the western half of Sicily as far as the river Himera, and a line drawn from its sources to the N. coast : the other two, the NE. and SE. portions, being sepa- rated by the course of the river Ditlaino and that of the Symaethus to the se.a. 1. In the western district were Segesta and Halicyae, the most westerly of the inland cities; Entella, on the river Hypsas, about midway between the two seas; Iaeta and Macella, both of which may probably be placed in the mountainous district between Entelhi and Panormus; Triocala, near Calatahellotta, in the mountains inland from the Thermae Selinuntiae; Scheka, of very uncertain site, but probably si- tuated in the same part of Sicily; Herbessus, in the neighbourhood of Agrigentum ; Petra, near the sources of the W. branch of the Himera in the Madonia mountains; and Engyum (Gangi'), at the head of the Fiume Gi-ande, the E. branch of the same river. Paropus must apparently be placed on the northern declivity of the same mountains, but further to the W. A little to the E. of the Himera and as nearly as possible in the centre of the island, was situated the fortress of Enna (Castro Giovanni), so that the boundary line between the NE. and NW. regions may be conveniently drawn from thence. 2. In the NE. region were : AssoRus and Agy'Rxum.