Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/1080

 1056 SYRACUSAE. the ancient city, from whence the table-land slopes ' very gradually to the sea. Thoufjli of small eleva- tion, this plateau is bounded on all sides by pre- cipitous banks or cliifs, varying in height, but only accessible at a few points. It may be considered as naturally divided into two portions by a slight Valley or depression running across it from N. to S., about a mile from the sea; of these the upper or triangular portion was known as Epipolak, the eastern portion adjoining the sea bore the name of AcHKADiNA, which thus forms in some degree a •iistinct and separate plateau, though belonging, in fact, to the same mass with Epipolae. The SE. angle of the plateau is separated from the Great Harbour by a small tract of low and level ground, opposite to which lies the island of Or- TYGIA, a low islet about a mile in length, extending across the mouth of the Great Harbour, and ori- ginally divided by only a narrow strait from the mainland, whilst its southern extremity was sepa- rated from the nearest point of the headland of I'lemmyrium by an interval of about 1200 yards, forming the entrance into the Great Harbour. Tiiis last was a spacious bay, of above 5 miles in cir- cumference; thus greatly exceeding the dimensions of wliat the ancients usually understood by a port, but forming a very nearly lund-locked basin of a somewhat oval form, which aftordeil a secure shelter to shipping in all weather; and is even at the pre- sent day one of the finest harbours in Sicily. But between the island of Ortygia and the mainland to the N. of it, was a deep bight or inlet, forming what was called the Lesser Port or Portus Lac- <;kius, which, though very inferior to the other, was still equal to the ordinary requirements of an- cient commerce. S. of the Great Harbour again rose the peninsular promontory of Pi.E:iiiYRH;jr, forming a table-land J)ounded, like that on the N. of the bay, by pre- cipitous escarpments and cliffs, though of no great elevation. This table-land was prolonged by an- other plateau at a somewhat lower level, bounding the southern side of the Great Harbour, and ex- tending from thence towards the interior. On its NE. angle and oppo.site to the heights of Epipolae, stood the temple of Jupiter Olympius, or the Olympieum, overlooking the low marshy tract which intervenes between the two table-lands, and through which the river Anapus finds its way to the sea. The beautiful stream of the Cy'ane rises in a .source about 1^ niile to the N. of the Olympieum, and joins its waters with those of the Anapus almost immediately below the temple. From the foot of the hill crowned by the latter extends a broad tract of very low marshy ground, extending along the inner side of the Great Harbour quite to the walls of the city itself. A portion of tliis marsh, which seems to have formed in ancient times a shallow- pool or lagoon, was known by the name of Ly'si- ]KLEIA (AuffiyueAeia, Thuc. vii. 53 ; Theocr. Id. xvi. 84). though its luore ancient appellation would seem to have been SvKACO (JZypaicii), from whence the city itself w-as supposed to derive its name. (Steph. B. s. V. 'SupaKoiiaai ; Scymn. Ch. 281.) It is, iiowever, uncertain whether the names of Syraco and Lysimeleia may not originally have belonged to ditlereut portions of these marshes. This marshy tract, which is above a mile in breadth, extends towards the interior for a considerable distance, till it is met by the precipitous escarpments of the great table-land of the interior. The prosimity of SYRACUSAE. these marshes must .always have been prejudicial to the healthiness of the situation; and the legend, that when Archias and Myscellus were about to found Syracuse and Crotona, the latter chose healtli while the former preferred wealth (Steph. B. I. c), points to the acknowledged insalubrity of the site even in it* most flourishing days. But in every other respect the situation was admirable; and the prosperity of Syracuse was doubtless owing in a great degree to natural as well as political causes. It was, moreover, celebmted for the mildness and serenity of its climate, it being generally asserted that there was no day on which the sun was not visible at Syracuse (Cic. Veii: v. 10), an advantage which it is said still to retain at the present day. II. HiSTOUY'. Syracuse was, with the single exception of Naxos, the most ancient of the Greek colonies in Sicily. It was a Corinthian colony, sent out from that city under a leader n.amed Archias, son of Euagetes, who belonged to the powerful family of the Bacchiadae, but had been compelled to expatriate himself. Ac- cording to some accounts the colony was strength- ened by an admixture of Dorian or Locrian colonists with the original Corinthian settlers; but it is certain that the i^yracusans regarded themselves in all ages as of pure Corinthian origin (Theocr. Id. xv. 91), and maintained relations of the closest amity with their parent city. The colony was founded in b. c. 7.34, and the first settlers established themselves in the island of Ortygia, to which it is probable that the city was confined for a considerable period. (Thuc. vi. 2; Strab. vi. p. 269; Scymn. Ch. 279—282; Marm. Par. ; concerning the date, see Clinton, F. H. vol. i. p. 164.) The name of Ortygia is evi- dently Greek, and derived from the well-known epithet of Diana, to whom the island was regarded as consecrated (Diod. v. 3); but the city seems to have assumed from the very beginning the name of Syracusae, which was derived, as already men- tioned, from the name of the adjoining marsh or lake, Syraco, doubtless an indigenous name, as it has no signification in Greek. It appears indeed that the form Syraco was used by Epicharmus for the name of the city itself, but this was evidently a mere poetic license. (Strab. viii. p. 364.) As in the case of most of the Greek colonies in Sicily, we have very little information concerning the early history and progress of Syracuse; but we may infer that it rose steadily, if not rapidly, to prosperity, from the circumstance that it continued to extend its power by the foundation of fresh colonies : that of Acrae within 70 years after its own establishment (is. c. 664); Casmeuae 20 years later (b. c. 644), and Camarina 45 years after- wards, or B. c. 599. None of these colonies, how- ever, rose to any considerable power : it was ob- viously the policy of Syracuse to keep them in the position of mere dependencies ; and Camarina, having given umbrage to the parent city, was de- stroyed only 46 years after its foundation. (Thuc. vi. 5; Scymn. Ch. 294 — 296.) Syracuse was not, however, free from internal dissensions and revolu- tions. An obscure notice preserved to us by Thu- cydides indicates the occurrence of these as early as B. c. 648, which led to the expulsion of a party or clan called the Myletidae, who withdrew into exile and joined in the fnindation of Himeia. (Thuc. vi. 5.) Another indication of such di-^pute^ is found in Aristotle (^Pol. v. 4), but we are unable