Page:History of Greece Vol III.djvu/392

 376 HISTORY OF GREECE out the centre of Calabria between sea and sea, the high chain of the Apennines afforded protection to a certain extent both to their independence and to their pastoral habits. But these heights are made to be enjoyed in conjunction with the plains beneath, so as to alternate winter and summer pasture for the cattle : it is in this manner that the richness of the country is rendered available, since a large portion of the mountain range is buried in snow during the winter months. Such remarkable diversity of soil and climate rendered Calabria a land of promise for Grecian set- tlement : the plains and lower eminence* being as productive of corn, wine, oil, and flax, as the mountains in summer-pasture and timber, and abundance of rain falling upon the higher ground, which requires only industry and care to be made to impart the maximum of fertility to the lower : moreover, a long line of sea- coast, though not well furnished with harbors, and an abun- dant supply of fish, came in aid of the advantages of the soil. While the poorer freemen of the Grecian cities were enabled to obtain small lots of fertile land in the neighborhood, to be culti- vated by their own hands, and to provide for the most part their own food and clothing, the richer proprietors made profitable use of the more distant portions of the territory by means of their cattle, sheep, and slaves. Of the Grecian towns on this favored coast, the earliest aa well as the most prosperous were Sybaris and Kroton : both in the gulf of Tarentum, both of Achaean origin, and conter- minous with each other in respect of territory. Kroton was placed not far to the west of the south-eastern extremity of the gulf, called in ancient times the Lakinian cape, and ennobled by the temple of the Lakinian Here, which became alike venerated and adorned by the Greek resident as well as by the passing navigator : one solitary column of the temple, the humble rem- nant of its past magnificence, yet marks the extremity of this once celebrated promontory. Sybaris seems to have been planted in the year 720 B. c., Kroton in 710 B. c. : Iselikeus was cekist of the former, 1 Myskellus of the latter. This large Achaean emi 1 Straho, vi, p. 263. Kramer, in his new edition of Strabo follows Koraj in suspecting the correctness of the name 'I<ri <U/cfi)c, which certainly departs from the usual analogy of Grecian names. Assuming it to be incorrect