Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/99

 ITALIA. (.">) the AesisC^j/wo); (6) the Potentia (Pofensay, (7) the i'lnsior (ChieiiH) ; (8)theTracntu,s(7Vo«/o); (9) the Voinanus ( r'tim«?io); (10) the Ateiniis (Alerno or Pescara): (11) the Saj^i-us {Sanf^ro); (12) the Trinuis {Triijno) ; (13) the TitWnus (Bifei-no); (14) the Fmito (^Fortore ) ; (15) the Cerbiihis (^Cervaro); (16) the Aufidus {Ofanto), which has much the longest coarse of all the rivers falling into the Adriatic. Beyond this, not a single .stream worthy of notice flows to the Adriatic; those which have their sources in the central Apennines of Lucania all descending towards the Tarentine gulf; these are, the lirada- nas {BradaHo), the Casuentus {Basiento), the Aciris (Af/ri), and the Siris (5«k«o). The only rivers of Brutiiuni worthy of mention are the Crathis (^Crati) and the Neaethus (A'efo). (The minor streams and those noticed in history, but of no geogra})lii<al importance, are enumerated in the descriptions uf the several provinces.) The Italirtn lakes may be considered as readily arranging themselves into three groups: — 1. The lakes of Northern Italy, which are on a far larger scale than any of the others, are all basins formed by the rivers which descend from the high Alps, and the waters of wiiieh are arrested just at their exit from the mountains. Hence they are, as it were, valleys filled with water, and are of elongated form and considerable depth; while their supei-fluous waters are carried off in deep and copious streams, which become some of the principal feeders of the Po. Such are the Lacus Verbanus (^La<jo JIfcifff/ioi'e), formed by the Ticinus; the Lacus Larius (^Lfif/o di Como), by the Addua ; the Lacus Sebinus (^Lcif/o cT/seo), by the Ollius; and the Lacus Benacus (Aoyo di GarJa), by the Jlincius. To these Pliny adds the Lacus Eupilis, from which flows the Lamber or Lainbro, a very trifling sheet of water (Plin. iii. 19. s. 23) ; while neither lie, nor any other ancient writer, mentions the Lago di Lvfjano, situated be- tween the Z((ie of Como and Lugo Mayoiore, though it is inferior in magnitude only to the three great lakes. It is first mentioned by Gregoiy of Tours in the 6th century, under the name of Cere- sius Lacus, an appellation probably ancient, though not now found in any earlier author. 2. The lakes of Central Italy are, with few exceptions, of volcanic origin, and occupy the craters of long extinct vol- canoes. Hence they are mostly of circular or oval form, of no great extent, and, not being fed by perennial streams, either require no natural outlet, or liave their surplus waters carried off by very in- considerable streams. The largest of these vol- canic lakes is the Lacus Vulsiniensis, or Lugo di Bolsena, in Southern Etruria, a basin of about 30 miles in circumference. Of similar character and origin are, the Lacus Sabatinus {Lago di Brac- ciano) and Lacus Ciminus (^Lago di Vico'), in the same district ; the Lacus Albanus {Logo d'AIhano') and Lacus Nemorensis (^Lago di Nemi), in Latium: and the Lake Avemus in Campania. 3. Wholly differing from the preceding are the two most con- siderable lakes in this portion of Italy, the Lacus Tjasimenus (^Lago di Perugia) and Lacus Fucinus (^Lago Fucino or Lago di Celano) ; both of which are basins surrounded by hills or mountains, leaving no natural outlet for their waters, but wholly vui- connected with volcanic agency. The mountains of Italy belong almost exclusively either to the great chain of the Alps, which bounds it on the N., or to that of the Apennines. The prin- ITALIA. 83 cipal summits of the latter range have been already noticed under the article Apenxinus. The few out- lying or detached summits, which do not ])roperly be- long to the Apennines are : — (1) the Monie Amiata or Jfonte di Snnta Fiorn, in the heart of Etruria which rises to a height of 5794 feet above the sea ; (2) the lIoNS Ciminus, a volcanic group of very inferior elevation ; (3) the MoNS Albanus, rising to above 3000 feet ; (4) the MoNs Vesuvius, in Campania, attaining between 3000 and 4000 feet ; (5) the JIoNS VuLTuu, on the opposite side of the Apennines, which measures 4433 feet: and (6) the MunsGakganus, an isolated mass, but geologically connected with the Apennines, while nil the pre- ceding are of volcanic origin, and therefore geo- logically, as well as geographically, distinct from the neighbouring Apennines. To these may be added the two isolated mountain promontories of the Mons Argentarius (^Monte. Ar~ gentaro') on the coast of Etruria, and Slous Circeius {Monte Circello) on that of Latium, — both of them rising like rocky islands, joined to the mainland only by low strips of alluvial soil. IV. Ethnography of Ancient Italy. The inquiry into the origin and affinities of the different races which peopled the Italian jieninsula before it fell altogether under the dominion of Kome, and the natinnal relations of the different tribes with which the rising republic came successively into con- tact, is a problem which has more or less attracted the attention of scholars ever since the revival of letters. But it is especially of late years that the impulse given to comparative philology, coiubiiied with the spirit of historical criticism, has directed their researches to this subject. Yet, after all that has been written on it, from the time of Niebuhr to the present day, it must be admitted that it is still enveloped in great obscurity. The scantiness of the monuments that remain to us of the languages of these different nations; the various and contradictory statements of ancient authors concerning them; and the uncertainty, even with regard to the most ap- parently authentic of these statements, on what authority they were really founded; combine to em- barrass our inquiries, and lead us to mistrust our con- clusions. It will be impossible, within the limits of an article like the present, to enter fully into the discussion of these topics, or examine the arguments that have been brought forward by different writers upon the subject. All that can be attempted is to give such a summary view of the most probable re- sults, as will assist the student in forming a con- nected idea of the whole subject, and enable him to follow with advantage the researches of other writers. Many of the particular points here briefly referred to will be more fully investigated in the several articles of the different regions and races to which they re- late. Leaving out of view for the present the inliabitants of Northern Italy, the Gauls, Ligurians, and Veneti, the different nations of the peninsula may be grouped under five heads:— (1) the Pelasgians; (2) the Os- cans ; (3) the Sabellians ; (4) the Uinbrians ; (5) the Etrascans. 1. Pelasgians. — All ancient writers concur in ascribing a Pelasgic origin to many of the most ancient tribes of Italy, and there seems no reason to doubt that a large part of the population of the peninsula was really of Pele.sgic race, that is to say, that it belonged to the same great nation or family G 2