Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 1.djvu/663

 f COLONIA. speaks of it as one of the places that had disap- peared. There was a Colonae near Lamp-acas on the Hellespont, a foondation of the Milesians. (Stmb. p. 589; Arrian, Anab. I 12. § 11.) [G. L.] COLO'NIA, in Britam. The criticism which ap- plies to Camulodanum [Camulodumum] has been postponed to the present notice, because the place, to which the general assent of investigators has as- signed the honour of having been the first Roman colony in Britain — the Cohrda kot* i^6xriy — is the Caer Cobm of the British, and the Camulodunum of the classical writers. Cair Colun is a name in Nennius*s list of British cities. In Beda and the earlier Anglo-Saxon authorities we have such forms as Cobtaceasterj Colecestriaf &c., evidently meaning Colchester in Essex. Lastly, in Henry of Hunting- don, we find the special statement that the British C<ier Colun and the A.-S. CoUcettria are one and the same. The identity of Camulodummi with the town thus named from Colonia is another question. Few writers, however, have disconnected them. The chief grounds for the identification lie in two pas- sages of Tacitus. After the reduction of the Iceni (in Norfolk and Suffolk), and the Cangi (on the Irish Sea); after, too, a diversion against the Brigantes (to the north of the Humber), the fierce nation of Silures required repression. For this purpose a colony is established at Camulodunum— " Silurum gens non atrocitate, non dementia mutabatur, quin helium ezerceret, castrisque l^onum premenda foret. Id quo promp- tius veniretf colonia Camulodunum, valida veteran- orum manu, dedudtur in agros captives, subsidium adveraiis rebelles, et imbuendis sodis ad officia legum. Itum inde ad Siluras." (^nn. xli. 32, 33.) Atten- tion is directed to the words in Italics. Beference b also made to the artide Canoi. The section, too, of Tadtus preceding the one quoted should be read. This tells us that Ostorius had already fortified the valleys of the Sabrina and the Autona — the Sabrina meniiing the Severn, whatever may have been the meaning of Autona (? Aufona). Now, with stations already effected on the Severn, and another river, which was certainly nearer to Wales than any river of Eusex, how can we reconcile the probable movements of Ostorius with dther of the accredited sites of Camulodunum? This is well known to have been either Jlialdon^ or WrittU (near Colchetier)^ each m Essex, and each in the very hist place imaginable for the operations of a Silurian, a Brigantian, or a Cangian campaigni even if it bo allowed to suit an loenian. The solution to these difficulties probably lies in the hci of Tacitus's authority being of a high value only for those parts of our island with which his iather-in-law Agricola came in contact, and for that period of our early history during which that general was so important an actor. Now, the parts that he knew best lay in the west and north — in Wales and Scotland — rather than in the eastern counties. In A. D. 61, the name of Camulodunum re-appears {Arm, xiv. 31); its geographical and political reU- tions being comparatively clear. Thus, the war is against the funous Queen of the Iceni (Boadicea), and the population of the neighbourhood is that of the Trinobantes (Middlesex). At the same time, the campaign in Wales is interrupted by the Icenian revolt; a £ct to which we may possibly trace the confusion in the account of Ostorius. The actual movement from west to east directed the attention of COLONIA. 645 the historian towards Wales, whilst the probable ra- pidity with which PauUmus (the general now under notice) effected it, abridged the distance. Be this as it may, the Camulodunum of the Ice- nian campaign is a place of pleasure, rather than a military fortification — ''Nullis mnnimentis sefrtam — dum amoenitati prins quam usui consulitur." This is not quite what we expect. It contains a temple, an image of victory, a curia, and a theatre. Where does Tacitus phice it? He is generally sud to place Camulodunum on the aestnary of the Thames: by which a slight complication, and the necessity of carrying that river as far north aa the JBlackwateTf is engendered. Nevertheless, though the context favours this view, it does not absolutely enforce it — " extemos fremitus in curia eorum au- ditos; consonnisse ululatibus theatmm, visamque speciem in aestuario Tameaae snbversae coloniae." This by no means says that the population of Camu- lodunum saw it. It might have been seen in London. The passage continues — "jam oceanum cruento aspectu; dilabcnte aestu, humanorum corporum ef- figies relictas, nt Britanni ad spem, ita veterani ad metum trahebant." As these veterans were the real occupants of Camulodunum, the extract is, pro tonto, in favour of Tacitus^s having placed it on the Thames. Still, as already stated, it is not conclusive. The chief reason, however, for giving the passage in full will appear in the sequd. Ptolemy's Camudolanum is a town of the Trino- antes, on the Imensa aestuary, the Trinoantes being east of the Simeni, whose town is Venta. The current explanation of this passage is, that the Si- mem are the Iceni of the other authors, and Venta the Venta Icenorum (^^syortnchy, In a previous passage, we have, in the following order, from north to south, (1) the Metaris aestuary (as the Wash), (2) the river Gariennus (Fore), (3) a promontory, (4) the outlets of the river Idumannla, (5) the Ta- missa aestuary. Now, tiie Tamissa aestuary is the Imensa aestuary, and the Ei-diu-mannia the Blach- water. At least, such is the view suggested by the element du (ss black). Turning from Ptolemy to the Itineraries, we find equal elements of confusion. In the Jifthy we have Colonia ; in the ntin(A, Catrndodunum. Cdonia is 52 miles from London, Camulodunum 51. From London to M.P. CaesannnagTU - xxviii. Cdonia - • xxiiii. UL From Camtdodu- itwn to Canoninm - Caesaromagna Durolitum - London M.P. - vni. - xii. - x^-i. - XV. li. The distance between Caesaromagus and Colonia comddes somewhat less closely. Even the identification of Colonia with Col- cheater is shaded by a doubL It is difficult to be- lieve that the river Coin took its name from Colonia, and it is not easy to believe that CoA<:he6ter is other than the Camp upon the CobM. Notwithstanding the prevalence of the contrary opinion, the present writer, after baUncing the con- flicting difficulties, finds the best solution in doubting the identity of Colonia and Camfdodumnn. The first he bdieves to have been Colchester, the second Maldonj name for name in each case. [R. G. L.] ?* ^ ^ k> ^ - K // ^'''^.Wr.V-. /^ ^